2024 Cadillac Xt5 Awd Luxury on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2020 Cadillac CT4 First Drive | Small shoes to fill

Following an existential crisis of fits, starts, headquarters moves and executive shakeups, Cadillac has itself a new luxury sedan, the CT4. It’s a convincing driverÂ’s car, less convincing as a luxury car, and seems a long shot to lure BMW, Audi or Mercedes owners into the Cadillac fold. For all the changes at Cadillac, that sure sounds familiar. The 2020 Cadillac CT4 is a redesigned ATS by another, equally unmemorable name. That includes an updated rear-drive chassis with eager, enthusiast-friendly tuning and 50/50 weight distribution – always among the ATSÂ’ top selling points. Styling is another winner, with crisp sheetmetal and CadillacÂ’s distinctive lighting signatures helping to differentiate this Yank from the international crowd. Cadillac is stretching so hard to cherry-pick the CT4Â’s competitors, it's possible they might slip a disc. We all remember the ATS as an able, rear-driven rival to the compact BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class et al. But to paint the CT4 in a more competitive light – even as this sedan grows nearly 5 inches in length versus the ATS – Cadillac suddenly claims that its entry-level model, regardless of what it's now called, competes against subcompact, front-drive-based models like the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, Mercedes CLA-Class and Audi A3. Unfurling a tape measure reveals the truth: At a bit over 187 inches, the CT4 is actually longer than a 3 Series, C-Class, Audi A4 and every other major compact player. ItÂ’s a foot longer than an Audi A3. So, it's not a subcompact sedan, but there is one area where the CT4 does align with them – just not in a good way. The back seat is scrawny and hard-to-access, the result of its rear-wheel-drive platform and the sort of inefficient packaging that plagued the ATS. As such, it's better to think of the CT4, like the Genesis G70, as an affordable alternative to the roomier 3 Series, and other German compacts. And thereÂ’s nothing wrong with that. It starts at $33,990, undercutting the Germans by many thousands, and still boasts CadillacÂ’s greatest competitive strength: Smartly engineered ride-and-handling that matches up against the Euros with no excuses required. I drove the evident smart play in the CT4 lineup, the Premium Luxury 2.7 model, priced from $40,990, or $42,990 for the all-wheel-drive version I tested. (A Premium Luxury with the 237-horsepower 2.0T starts from $38,490, or $41,690 with AWD).

2020 Cadillac CT4 Review & Buying Guide | Cadillac recommits to the small sedan

The 2020 Cadillac CT4 is a brand-new entry into the baby luxury sedan space, replacing the ATS. With an excellent rear-wheel-drive chassis and a performance-oriented “V” trim (to be topped by a yet-wilder “Blackwing” model), the CT4 is aimed at the enthusiast end of the segment. Cadillac fields the lone American entry in this class, meaning the CT4Â’s main competitors — the Audi A3, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and the Mercedes-Benz A- and CLA-Classes — are all European. However, since it's a bit bigger than those and features a rear-wheel-drive platform (all-wheel drive is available), it's hardly an apples-to-apples situation. The Genesis G70 is perhaps a closer comparable. In any event, the CT4 is a compelling, American alternative that delivers excellent comfort, interior quality and driving dynamics at a price that strongly challenges the various competitors from Europe. What's new for 2020? The Cadillac CT4 is new for 2020, alongside the bigger CT5. You can check out our first drive of the hot CT4-V model for more on CadillacÂ’s new sedan strategy. 2020 Cadillac CT4 View 4 Photos What's the CT4's interior and in-car technology like? The Cadillac CT4 packs the sort of high-quality materials and convenience features one expects from an entry-level luxury model. The seats are comfortable and supportive, and in higher-end models, the front buckets are offered with heat, ventilation and massage features. The CT4 also boasts what GM calls a “sound-optimized” interior coupled with active noise cancellation and amplification to mitigate unpleasant frequencies and enhance desirable ones. In all, we find the CT4Â’s interior much more compelling than that found in other recent Cadillac products such as the new XT4 crossover. The infotainment system is controlled by an 8-inch touchscreen with an optional rotary-control interface. The base setup includes Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa integration and offers USB Type-A and Type-C connectivity and charging. Upgrades include navigation and multiple Bose audio packages, all of which bring with them wireless device charging. How big is the CT4? Like many of CadillacÂ’s previous sport sedans, the CT4 is a bit of an oddball size-wise for the segment it targets, stretching more than a foot longer than the Audi A3 and nearly 9 inches longer than the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. However, this doesn't translate into a comparable interior space advantage because of the CT4 rear-wheel-drive platform.

Online Find Of The Day: 2008 Cadillac XLR picks up where Excalibur left off

We try very, very hard to keep snark away from creations like the one you see here. After all, someone poured plenty of enthusiasm, time and money into turning a 2008 Cadillac XLR into a modern interpretation of the new-old cars typically done by cottage builders like Excalibur and Clénet. Even so, it's hard not to wince when you set an eye on this machine. With its wheelbase stretched to accommodate the extra bodywork, goofy sidewalls and upkicked nose (examine it in profile, it looks slightly bent in the middle), this "neoclassic" takes whatever was loveable about the Cadillac underneath and buries it in a tacky grave.
Miraculously, the engine bay has been left unmolested, which means the retractable hardtop convertible still features a 4.6-liter Northstar V8 engine good for 320 horsepower. If only that were enough to outrun its shame. If, for some reason, you feel like taking this thing home, Harry Kaufmann Motorcars of Milwaukee says it can be yours for a paltry $74,998. We wish were joking. Check it out here.