2021 Cadillac CT4 Review

　　

2021 Cadillac CT4 Review

byBrent RomansSenior Manager, Written Content

　　Brent Romans has worked in the automotive industry since 1996. He has written or edited thousands of expert car reviews and road-tested hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Brent is a senior manager of written content at zzdcar and previously contributed to publications such as Super Street and Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road. His personal car is a 2019 BMW M2 Competition, which he bought for its ideal combination of performance, style and practicality.

　　What's the CT4? This is probably something most people don't know the answer to. Cadillac has rejiggered the name of its sedans recently, and consequently there's not a whole lot of equity behind the 2021 CT4. Effectively, it's Cadillac's entry-level sedan that's priced below the larger CT5 and meant to rival the Audi A3, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 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) - $33,395 MSRPPremium Luxury 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $37,595 MSRPSport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $38,695 MSRPV 4dr Sedan (2.7L 4cyl Turbo 10A) - $44,895 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　Cadillac certainly has the basics right for the CT4. It boasts a decent collection of technology features, two available turbocharged engines, optional all-wheel drive, and a V-Series trim level that boosts the car's sport sedan credentials. But we've found the CT4 lacks the polish and refinement those rival sedans often deliver to make them more compelling picks. Check out the categories of our Expert Rating below to get our in-depth review of the 2021 CT4.

　　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 need 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.

　　Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity comes 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 that 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 attachment points 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 the all-wheel-drive CT4 with the 2.7-liter engine will get 24 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 provides a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty and six-year/70,000-mile powertrain coverage, 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?

Get the V-Series. It's the most expensive version of the CT4, but the payoff in additional power and sporty handling is worth it. We also recommend getting the optional Driver Assist and Driver Awareness Plus packages because they add desirable driver aids such as adaptive cruise control.

　　

2021 Cadillac CT4 models

The 2021 Cadillac CT4 is available in four trim levels: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport and the top-flight V-Series. Each comes well equipped, but the higher-level trims open up the available options. Rear-wheel drive is standard on all trims, and all-wheel drive is offered as an option. Feature highlights include:

　　Luxury

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

　　17-inch wheels Proximity keyless entry and ignition with remote start LED headlights Dual-zone automatic climate control Simulated leather upholstery Power-adjustable front seats 8-inch touchscreen Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration (with wireless connectivity) Eight-speaker sound system Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)Premium Luxury

　　The Premium Luxury trim is similar to the Luxury but with more of the CT4's available options detailed below. It has the 2.0-liter engine as standard. Optional is a 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 Leather upholsterySport

　　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 Body-colored exterior trim such as door handles and rear spoilerV-Series

　　The top-tier CT4 V-Series basically combines the Premium Luxury and Sport trims. It also packs a more powerful version of the 2.7-liter engine (325 hp, 380 lb-ft) as well as:

　　Mechanical limited-slip differential for improved traction Performance traction management, an improved traction and stability control system Sport-tuned suspension Adaptive suspension dampers (enhance ride comfort and handling; rear-wheel-drive CT4s only)Notable option packages for the CT4 include:

　　Technology package Air ionizer Digital instrument cluster Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield) Bose Premium Audio package Bose audio system Wireless smartphone charging pad Integrated navigation system Climate package Heated and ventilated front seats Heated steering wheel Driver Assist package Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the CT4 and the car in front) Enhanced forward collision mitigation system Driver Awareness Plus package Lane keeping assist (steers the CT4 back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker) Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse) Super Cruise (a semi-automated driving system that allows for hands-free driving on select highways; late availability)

　　

2021 CT4 Highlights

Type: SedanVSedan

　　Trim: LuxuryPremium LuxurySportVLuxury

　　

Base MSRP	$33,395
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