2023 Cadillac CT5-V Review: To V Or Not To V

When the new Cadillac CT5-V arrived in the USA in 2019, fans expecting a reboot of the hardcore CTS-V that came before were disappointed. Cadillac's confusing branding muddled its V messaging. The true hardcore V cars are still around, but they now have "Blackwing" behind their names, and the CT5-V Blackwing packs a stonking supercharged V8 and comes with a stick shift, no less. So the regular 2023 Cadillac CT5-V we review here is a dialed-back version of the Vs of old - a competitor to warm rivals like the BMW M340i, Audi S4, and Mercedes-AMG C43, not the M3, RS4, or C63, which are now being put in their place by the CT5-V Blackwing. Maybe they should have called it something else, because if you recalibrate your expectations and understand where the new-wave Vs fit into the pecking order, the CT5-V is still a mighty nice car, right? It makes 360 horsepower and 405 lb-ft from it's twin-turbocharged V6. It's also bigger than said rivals, but sadly, it doesn't cash in on the size advantage and comes with an unexpectedly small trunk, so it's maybe not quite the class act we were expecting.

What's the Price of the 2023 Cadillac CT5-V?

With its $50,995 MSRP, the price of the 2023 Cadillac CT5-V isn't much higher than the $50,195 it was last year. This is for the RWD trim, and upgrading to AWD will cost you an additional $2,000. The price quoted for the new Cadillac CT5-V sedan here excludes a destination freight charge of $1,395.

2023 Cadillac CT5-V Handling and Driving Impressions

The way Cadillac has set up the CT5-V's suspension is not just a case study in chassis tuning but proof that the stiff-as-a-board suspension setup so beloved by some German brands is not a prerequisite for sweet handling. The CT5-V is supremely compliant, and its ride comfort is so good that you'll forget you're sitting in a V. You can daily it on normal roads without wincing every time you run over a divot or expansion joint. Yet, the amount of lean built in is not excessive - just enough for you to sense the upcoming limits - and the limited-slip differential won't see it lift an inside wheel and spin away the power as comfortably sprung RWD cars tend to without such hardware. Grip limits are high, and there's a sense of keenness there, with just enough steering feedback to feel connected. The ten-speed auto can be a bit dim-witted at times but is mostly in the right gear at the right time. The AWD model loses a bit of the sharpness and pushes the nose more on tight corners, but it adds welcome surefootedness on snowy roads. We wouldn't bother with it in fair-weather states, as the RWD car is a sweeter steer.

Verdict: Is The 2023 Cadillac CT5-V A Good Car?

The Cadillac CT5-V doesn't have the complete package quite sewn up, with rather poor space utilization considering its size and cabin materials that won't stand up to close scrutiny. But these aren't deal-breakers to us, and the car is excellent where it matters - on the road. A sporty car should offer a multidimensional experience, and the Caddy is such a machine - superbly accomplished in everyday driving and an excellent corner carver at the same time. It easily equals or beats its competition on this score, and if you want to make an all-American choice, you can't go wrong. Like the Blackwing flagship, the CT5-V doesn't have to make any excuses and is an excellent performance car in its own right.

What 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Model Should I Buy?

We'd opt for the normal RWD model because it's $2k cheaper and is slightly lighter on its feet, and more fun to drive. You'll be pleased that the AWD version loses little of that magic, but it's not really necessary unless you need the extra grip and/or live in a cold-weather state, in which case you should consider spending $600 extra on the Cold Weather package, which adds a heated steering wheel and front seats. We'd have the RWD car, and we'd be tempted to add the $6,540 Platinum package with its semi-aniline leather seats, two-pane sunroof, camera-based digital rearview mirror, navigation, sueded microfiber interior trim, automatic parking, and surround-view camera.