2020 Cadillac CT4 Review

　　

2020 Cadillac CT4 Review

byReese CountsVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The Cadillac CT4 is the brand's latest attempt to lure you away from a shiny European sport sedan with some Detroit home cooking. It's essentially a replacement for the outgoing ATS and, in terms of pricing, a rival to entry-level models such as the Audi A3, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Cadillac CT4 Luxury 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$169/mo  for CT4 Luxury

　　CT4 Luxury

　　Luxury 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $32,995 MSRPPremium Luxury 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $37,495 MSRPSport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $38,595 MSRPV 4dr Sedan (2.7L 4cyl Turbo 10A) - $44,495 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　With classic rear-wheel-drive architecture, optional all-wheel drive and competitive turbocharged power, the CT4 has strong sport sedan fundamentals. On curving roads, the CT4 feels quick and agile, with responsive steering and a ride that balances comfort and sport. Midcorner bumps and other imperfections are smoothed out, though the ride can be slightly bouncy over big bumps on straight roads. The CT4's brakes feel firm and powerful, further cementing the sport sedan feel.

　　Entry-level luxury sedans are pretty much exclusively powered by four-cylinder engines these days, and that's the case here. A base CT4 will get you 237 horsepower, while the top-dog CT4 V-Series produces a robust 325 hp. Both of those figures are near the top of the class. While the turbo-four may not sound as good as the old V6 in the ATS, it's plenty powerful, with lots of midrange power that make highway passing a breeze. The CT4's 10-speed automatic transmission is both quick and smooth, with smart tuning that seems to put it in the right gear at the right time.

　　The interior is an improvement over the ATS, with a much more user-friendly layout that brings back buttons in place of vague touch-capacitive controls for the climate control as well as the radio and media interface. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, though neither system is currently available with wireless connectivity. There is a wireless charging pad in front of the shifter, and there's a second slot for a phone by the center console with a pass-through for charging cables. The CT4 comes with two standard USB ports and two USB-C ports. It all looks and feels much better than the last crop of Cadillacs.

　　On the downside, the CT4 lacks the rear-seat passenger space you'll find elsewhere in this class. Legroom and headroom are tight, even for a compact. The rear bench seat is narrow, meaning you sit nearer to the center of the car, essentially making the middle seat useless. Storage in the rear is lacking too since the rear doors lack pockets. Blame the rear-wheel-drive layout and the packaging issues that follow. Just know that what you gain in performance and driving dynamics you sacrifice in utility.

　　Cadillac had fleeting success as a foil to its German rivals with both the ATS and the midsize CTS sedans. Those cars were fun to drive thanks to their sharp handling, but they fell short in cabin comfort, tech features and overall refinement. The CT4 is a much-needed improvement and a worthy alternative to its German rivals.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Below Average

　　6.6

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

6.5/10

　　How does the CT4 drive? The CT4 certainly has power, and it can get going in a hurry. Our all-wheel-drive test car with the upgraded 2.7-liter engine accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds. Unfortunately, the driving experience is better on paper than in reality. The turbocharged engine wheezes when pushed, and it lacks responsiveness when you need it. The brake pedal on our test vehicle audibly clicked upon almost every touch, but worse was its wooden feel that made it difficult to consistently come to a smooth stop.

　　Most aspects of the CT4 seem reluctant to do what you ask. Its steering is unceremoniously heavy, and its chassis struggles when asked to transition from one quick turn to another. The 10-speed automatic transmission issues thumpy shifts, and the automatic engine stop-start system is one of the loudest around.

　　

Comfort

6.5/10

　　How comfortable is the CT4? The vehicle we tested came in the Premium Luxury trim, but we found little evidence to back up that lofty claim. The CT4 feels neither premium — the seats lack support — nor luxurious — the leather feels generic — and it gets worse from there. Drivers will notice that road noise is present inside the cabin at nearly all speeds on nearly all surfaces. That's disappointing in a vehicle at this price, wearing this badge.

　　Worst of all, though, is the choppy suspension. You don't just hear every crack and bump in the road; you feel them. There are many affordable economy sedans that provide a much smoother ride. It's simply uncomfortable.

　　

Interior

6.5/10

　　How’s the interior? There are some head-scratching issues that mar an otherwise tolerable cabin. Getting in and out of the front seat is no problem, and there is ample room inside. The back seat, though, is tight even for the compact class. The roof is low, the sills require a high step-over, and the doors don't open very wide. Passengers 6 feet or taller will not be comfortable in the back for long, and they will likely find it necessary to contort themselves to get out.

　　Elsewhere, buttons and controls for the driver seem to have been placed wherever there was space, with little thought to making the experience pleasant or convenient. We often found ourselves searching for the desired button or dial, and the rotary controller to operate the main interface feels cheap.

　　

Technology

7.5/10

　　How’s the tech? Our test CT4 came with an integrated navigation system and 14-speaker Bose surround-sound system. Both are optional, and both stood out as highlights of our time with the car. Navigation is easy to read and follow on the 8-inch touchscreen, and the stereo has a wide range of adjustability and nice acoustic quality.

　　Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, and connecting up with Bluetooth is quick and easy. The CT4's integrated voice recognition system also works quite well. While it can't recognize natural language, it's simple enough to issue the right command for directions and some in-car functions. Adaptive cruise control is optional and wasn't included with our test car, which is unjust considering it's a standard feature on many mainstream vehicles.

　　

Storage

7.0/10

　　How’s the storage? When it comes to utility, the CT4 is mostly usable for everyday tasks. But there are a lot of caveats. The trunk is wide and deep but only amounts to 10.7 cubic feet of total capacity, which is low for the class. It also lacks handles in the trunk to fold down the second row of seats, which many rivals have.

　　Inside the cabin, small-item storage seems fine at first glance. There's a decent-size center console, and our test vehicle came with a smartphone charging station. But that same console is only acceptable compared to other small luxury sedans, and the cupholders and door pockets are on the small side. Child seat latches are accessible, but the tight second row does not accommodate bulky child seats.

　　

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates an all-wheel-drive CT4 with the 2.7-liter engine will get 23 mpg in combined city/highway driving, which is underwhelming for a four-cylinder luxury sedan. But the good news is that our test car easily beat that number in our real-world driving, posting an impressive 29.5 mpg on our standardized 115-mile evaluation route.

　　

Value

7.0/10

　　Is the CT4 a good value? We didn't notice any shakes or rattles coming from the inside of the cabin while driving, but there is little else worth praising. There's too much cheap-feeling plastic and too many hard surfaces given the CT4's price. Our test car came to $46,690, which simply isn't justifiable considering the quality of rivals for the same money.

　　Cadillac includes pretty standard coverage for the CT4, which amounts to four years/50,000 miles in a basic warranty and six years/70,000 miles for the powertrain. This is slightly better than average for the class. Rust protection of four years/50,000 miles is shockingly low for a luxury brand.

　　

Wildcard

5.5/10

　　It's difficult to point to any aspect of the CT4 that is unique, innovative or even distinctive. It feels like you made a Xerox of a Xerox of a modern luxury sedan. The driving experience is far from dynamic or rewarding, and that could be forgiven if the CT4 provided an excellent ride — but it doesn't. The CT4 tries to coast on the cachet of its Cadillac badge. Instead it risks cheapening it.

　　

Which CT4 does zzdcar recommend?

While the base Luxury trim offers a decent amount of features, we suggest stepping up to the midtier Premium Luxury model. Besides getting you more standard features, this trim opens up access to more available options, including additional driver aids and the more powerful 2.7-liter engine.

　　

2020 Cadillac CT4 models

The new 2020 Cadillac CT4 is available in four trim levels: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport and the top-flight V-Series. Each comes well equipped, with the higher-level trims opening up the available options list as well. Rear-wheel drive is standard on all trims, and all-wheel drive is available as an option. Feature highlights include:

　　Luxury

　　The base Luxury trim comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (237 hp, 258 lb-ft) paired to an eight-speed automatic. Standard features include:

　　Keyless entry and ignition with remote start LED headlights and taillights Dual-zone automatic climate control Power-adjustable front seats 8-inch touchscreen Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration Eight-speaker sound systemPremium Luxury

　　The Premium Luxury model includes all Luxury features and is available with either the 2.0-liter engine or an optional turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder (310 hp, 350 lb-ft) matched to a 10-speed automatic. Other features include:

　　Auto-dimming mirrors 18-inch wheels Rain-sensing wipers Forward collision alert with automatic emergency brakingSport

　　As the name implies, the Sport trim (only available with the 2.0-liter engine) gives the CT4 a more sporting and athletic look and feel with:

　　Brembo brakes Sport steering wheel with magnesium shift paddles Body-colored exterior trim such as door handles and rear spoiler Tinted taillightsV-Series

　　The top-tier CT4 V-Series basically combines the Premium Luxury and Sport trims, with the former's more powerful engine and the latter's sporty looks. It takes things further with:

　　A more powerful version of the turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four (325 hp, 380 lb-ft) A mechanical limited-slip differential for improved traction Performance traction management, an improved traction and stability control system Magnetic Ride Control (adjusts ride comfort; rear-wheel-drive CT4s only) A sport-tuned suspensionNotable option packages include:

　　Technology package (air ionizer, digital instrument cluster, head-up display) Bose Premium Audio package (Bose audio system, wireless charging and navigation) Climate package (heated and ventilated front seats and heated steering wheel) Driver Assist package (adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking) Driver Awareness package (lane keeping assist with lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring)

　　

2020 CT4 Highlights

Type: SedanVSedan

　　Trim: LuxuryPremium LuxurySportVLuxury

　　

Base MSRP	$32,995
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	27 MPG
Cost to Drive	$169/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	10.7 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles