Cadillac is revamping its sedan lineup in the U.S. with the 2020 CT4 and CT5. The CT5-V, the performance variant, is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine with 360 hp and 405 pound-feet of torque. It’s available with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The CT5-V starts at $48,690 including shipping. Here’s a roundup of CT5-V driving impressions from the automotive media.
“The car hunkered down and took off under heavy acceleration and felt secure and balanced on twisty stretches. The steering is precise and firm, with ample assist in touring mode. The CT5’s weight distributions range from 51/49 to 54/46 front/rear, depending on engine, rear- or all-wheel drive and other features. I didn’t notice any ill effects from the slightly nose-heavy layout, possibly because sport mode’s performance traction management system neutralized them.
“The brakes, which include six-piston Brembos up front, have massive stopping power and pedal feedback that makes them easy to modulate.”
— Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press
“Honestly, the twin-turbo V-6 feels perfect for this chassis, and the 10-speed automatic transmission works beautifully. It may be the same transmission that Ford uses (the unit is a joint venture between Ford and GM, but each automaker uses its own gearing and software tuning), but it works far better in this passenger car than in any Ford I’ve tried it in.
“Power is always on tap, and slipping the car into Sport mode only makes shifts crisper and more immediate. As Sport modes go, this one doesn’t seem to change the feel of the CT5-V all that much — it’s already pretty sporty, so ramping up the steering effort and firming up the suspension just a bit isn’t all that detectable, but the powertrain response does get noticeably quicker. Something worth noting is the noise that accompanies the CT5-V wherever you go in it.”
— Aaron Bragman, Cars.com
“With a single press, the steering tightened in my paws, the 10-speed transmission dropped a gear and fangs seem to grow from the Cadillac’s front grille.
“I buried the throttle and the beast leapt forward. WAAAUUUGGHHHH! roared the 360 ponies under the hood. BRAP-BRAP! spat the quick-shifting tranny. WHOOOOSH! went the scenery past my window.
“The CT5-V lives up to Caddy’s mantra to go big in the compact-sedan class.”
— Henry Payne, The Detroit News
“In sharper corners, there’s just enough heave in the suspension’s standard touring mode without being as seaworthy as Cadillacs of old. The leather-wrapped seats are nicely bolstered, keeping my hindquarters secure but not squished. And the steering is captivating, with the electric unit relaying what’s touching the CT5-V’s Michelin-wrapped rims, though not too jittery as to exhaust the driver. Likewise, the balanced twin-turbocharged engine hums along at normal speeds, never once being too noisy for daily use, or too craven for an Autobahn-esque blast. Cross-country or even cross-continent trips are in play here.
“But the CT5-V can’t just resurrect Cadillac’s luxuriousness; there has to be some fire, and wow, does this thing have it.
“Foot to the floor within the safe confines of Palm Springs’ Thermal Club track, there’s fury behind the CT5-V’s aggressive headlights. The twin-turbos spool with electrical efficiency to quickly double the CT5-V’s 58-mph first-corner exit speed. That 405 pound-feet of torque seems limitless, too, pulling the CT5-V forward with more urgency than I remember in the ATS-V — likely down to its sizable weight savings. The fury is palpable here.”
— Jonathon Klein, The Drive
“The CT5-V doesn’t have sky-high power, but it’s nicely usable. Out on public roads, winding my way through the mountain twists that rise above Palm Springs, the all-wheel-drive car proved to be a capable partner. The V-6 spins up swiftly, with minimal turbo lag, and the power never threatened to overwhelm the grip. Cadillac’s brake-by-wire system is generally predictable though grabs hard as you reach the full depths of the pedal.
“On the track, you notice the difference between the rwd and awd. The former is a little looser, a touch more playful; it’s willing to let a more confident driver edge the rear out as they attack each corner. All-wheel drive, unsurprisingly, tames some of that eagerness in the name instead of efficiency. You can feel the power being shunted to where it’s most effective. While you can overrule the transmission with the paddles, in track mode it does a decent job of picking its own cog and avoids some of my on-road suspicions that there were one or two speeds too many.”
— Chris Davies, SlashGear
“The big difference between a normal car and a performance car (especially a real performance car) is found during a corner. In a regular car you worry about the turn you’re in. With a performance car, because it handles so damn well, you get to worry about the next corner coming at you.
“I am happy, stoked, elated and surprised to tell you that the CT5-V is squarely in the latter camp. This thing drives fabulously. Again, my surprise is simply due to how underwhelmed we were with the CT5 at Car of the Year. From behind the wheel, you would have a difficult time believing that the V version is in any way related to the standard car. We’re talking vast differences in every way that a car performs.”
— Jonny Lieberman, Motor Trend
“In the drive up the mountain, the 3.0-liter V-6 never felt down on power despite the rise in elevation of almost a vertical mile — turbos certainly help in that regard. I wasn’t lighting up the tires, but on a public road you have to act somewhat responsibly.
“The CT5-V doesn’t feel what you’d call light and tossable, but it does weigh less than 2 tons, coming in at 3,975 pounds. That’s impressive for a car with this much room and comfort inside.”
— Mark Vaughn, Autoweek