- New look for Cadillac
- Strong urbocharged powertrains
- Quick-shifting 10-speed automatic
- Available all-wheel drive
- Agility is its strength
- Divisive exterior style
- Does it have enough to sway luxury buyers?
- Will it be a good size for U.S. shoppers?
- No electrified powertrains, yet
BUYING TIP
- Stick with faux leather upholstery; leather will cost you.
Cadillac has a long history with sedans—although sometimes it helps to have a short memory.
The 2020 Cadillac CT5 is a mid-size sedan that’s slightly smaller than its predecessor. Will the new look and the slightly smaller size appeal to buyers? That remains to be seen.
The CT5 advances on its CTS predecessor’s agile handling, comes with a new engine lineup, and improves rear seat leg room. Its main strength is its dynamic capability, but it also has attractive looks, a comfortable cabin with plenty of amenities, and a comprehensive suite of available safety features. We rate it a 7.2 out of 10.
The CT5 takes on a fastback shape advances Cadillac’s chiseled and attractive design over the CTS. It’s also sporty, with the wheels pushed to the corners and bits of sculpted inspiration from the beautiful Escala concept car.
Along with the name change from CTS to CT5, Cadillac shuffles its performance lineup. The V Sport is gone, replaced by the CT5-V, and the V-Series becomes the Blackwing, which is due later. The rest of the lineup consists of Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport trims. Prices start at $37,890 for the base model and range up to $51,290 for the CTS-V with all-wheel drive. That’s a savings of roughly $10,000-$14,000 versus the CTS.
All models are well equipped, and the CT5-V boasts performance equipment like Brembo brakes, magnetic dampers, an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential, and sticky summer tires.
With the CT5, Cadillac has a competitor for a bevy of luxury cars from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. Ultimately, a performance version of the CT5 may arrive later to take on high-powered versions of those cars, something Cadillac has done very well in the past.
The CT5-V gets the most-powerful engine (for now) in the form of a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 that makes 360 horsepower. A 335-hp version of that engine is available in the Premium Luxury model, while the rest get a 237-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4. All are mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is offered throughout the lineup.
Cadillac’sAlpha platform that provided the basis for the CTS also underpins the CT5. Its double-link front MacPherson strut and five-link rear suspension create exemplary handling with a firm but comfortable and controlled ride quality. The CT5-V’s magnetic dampers help create that balance, and its twin-turbo V-6 piles on thrilling power. The upcoming CT5 Blackwing should be phenomenal.
Inside, the CT5 has form-fitting bucket seats, high-quality soft-touch surfaces, and a new 10-inch touchscreen for infotainment that’s easy to use and provides the clearest rearview camera view we’ve seen. The infotainment system has a rotary controller, natural voice recognition, steering wheel controls, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Safety isn’t forgotten, either. The CT5 has a decent sampler of safety features standard, including eight airbags, automatic emergency braking, and GM’s vibrating safety alert seat. More driver-assistance technology is available, highlighted by a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, active lane control with lane departure warnings, blind-spot monitors, and rear cross-traffic alerts. Cadillac’s Super Cruise system that can drive the car itself on divided highways is coming for 2021.
View the original article here
0 comments:
Post a Comment