CT5-V

Make
Cadillac
Segment
Sedan

In the pursuit of sports car-like driving dynamics, some manufacturers have ended up going too far in the other direction and ended up with luxury vehicles that ride too harshly. BMW is guilty of this in models like the latest 3 Series - an otherwise dynamically brilliant sedan - and the bone-jarring X3 M, as is Mercedes with the AMG C43.

Cadillac has taken a different approach to its sporty vehicles. As an example of this, we found that the rapid CT5-V hasn't forgotten that it's still a luxury sedan despite its sporting pretensions; it rides especially comfortably yet the car remains engaging. This approach continues with the fourth-generation of Cadillac's Magnetic Ride Control technology, which the brand claims is the world's fastest-reacting suspension. The improved tech comes just after a slew of updates were announced for the 2021 CT4 and CT5 sedans.

Along with the CT5-V, the CT5 Sport, CT4-V, and all-new Escalade flagship SUV all benefit from the next-gen MagneRide 4.0 system. In a nutshell, the active damping system works by using electromagnets paired with magnetorheological fluid inside the shock absorbers, thereby varying their damping rate continuously. In fact, wheel accelerometers read the road at a rate of 1,000 times per second, altering the damping rates almost immediately.

The latest system introduces many advancements such as new wheel hub accelerometers which, together with an inertial measurement unit, can process road conditions four times faster than before. Damper friction has been reduced which Cadillac says makes for an even bigger difference between driving modes.

During demanding driving, performance is improved as secondary temperature maps enable fast adjustments based on damper fluid temperature. An improved transition between damper rebound and compression has also been promised.

The latest MagneRide 4.0 system is standard on both the 2021 CT4-V and the CT5-V, with these models costing $45,890 and $48,790, respectively. The cheaper CT5 Sport begins at $42,790 and MagneRide 4.0 can be equipped to this model via the optional V Performance Package, an upgrade that adds a mechanical limited-slip differential. On the new 2021 Cadillac Escalade, MagneRide 4.0 is standard on the Sport and Platinum trims, with respective starting prices of $86,890 and $101,290. These prices all include Cadillac's destination freight charge of $995.