2021 Cadillac CT5

The Cadillac CT5 is offered in four well-equipped trim levels: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, and the high-performance V-Series. The Luxury trim retails around $38,000, including leatherette upholstery, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry/ignition, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote engine start, a nine-speaker audio system, a 10.0-inch touchscreen, a WiFi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Active safety features include automatic LED headlights, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking. For around $42,000, the Premium Luxury adds leather upholstery, driver's seat memory, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, blind-spot monitoring, and parking sensors. Selecting the Sport model raises the price to roughly $43,000, adding race-inspired flourishes inside and out. It has black exterior elements, a spoiler, 19-inch wheels, run-flat tires, power-adjustable bolsters for the front seats, a thick-rimmed steering wheel, Magnesium paddle shifters, and alloy sport pedals. The V-Series is available for around $49,000, bringing a more potent engine, an adaptive suspension, and other performance upgrades. Cadillac has historically provided shoppers with many options to configure the vehicle to their liking. The CT5's options list includes desirable items like Bose premium audio, navigation, heated seats, and a heated steering wheel. Additional driver-assistance systems are also available.

The CT5’s standard powertrain is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine equipped with a twin-scroll turbocharger, producing 237 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. Automatic engine stop-start technology prevents the vehicle from idling and helps conserve fuel. Cadillac recommends premium gasoline. The engine pairs with a 10-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel-drive, with quiet operation and athletic power, though it isn't as quick as competitors. Fuel economy with the 2.0-liter is quite good; the EPA estimates it can achieve 23 mpg city and 32 mpg on the highway. The midrange Premium Luxury trim is optionally available with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine producing 335 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Thus equipped, the car looks virtually identical from the outside to the 2.0-liter Premium Luxury, making it something of a stealth performance vehicle. The V-Series uses that same engine, but the output increases to 360 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. Handling is improved as well, thanks to an electronic limited-slip differential and Magnetic Ride Control, which is adjustable to meet the driver's preferences. Still, acceleration and handling don't quite match segment leaders. The V-Series achieves 18/27 mpg city/highway in EPA estimates.

The CT5 may be a sports sedan, but its interior is all about luxury. There are some sporty touches, of course, yet the elegant environment makes a great place to spend long road trips or daily commutes. There is plenty of space for passengers and good in-cabin storage. The Premium trim comes with a black or beige leatherette. Upper models offer premium leather in evocative colors like Maple Sugar or Sedona Sauvage. A large touchscreen sits squarely in the center of the CT5's modern dashboard. It includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, applications that allow owners to mirror their smartphone's music, navigation, and other features using the car's display. Those apps are exceptionally intuitive, and the CT5's other technology is nearly as straightforward. A nine-speaker audio system is included, with Bluetooth and voice controls, though the optional Bose sound system is far superior. It has beautiful perforated metal speaker covers that in turn give the cabin more flair. An optional Super Cruise system bundles several cutting-edge technologies to allow the vehicle to do most of the driving while on the highway, with little input from the actual driver. Capable of accelerating, steering, and braking on its own, Super Cruise significantly improves even the most dreary commute. Unlike other semi-autonomous driving systems on the market, it does not require the driver's hands to remain on the wheel at all times. Instead, a helpful alert lets the driver know when their input is needed.