- Strong engine lineup
- Slick 10-speed automatic transmission
- Spectacular CT4-V Blackwing
- Good standard tech
- Reasonable pricing
DISLIKES
- Boring interior design
- Tight back seat
- Tiny trunk
- Mid-level turbo-4 lacks refinement
BUYING TIP
- The 2023 CT4 works just as well in base trim as it does with every option.
The 2023 Cadillac CT4 offers driving fun in any configuration.
What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Cadillac CT4? What does it compare to?
The 2023 Cadillac CT4 is a compact luxury sedan available in a wide range of powertrains and trim levels. It stacks up against the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4, plus the Genesis G70.
Is the 2023 Cadillac CT4 a good car?
This is an impressive lineup, from the swanky Sport grade to the track-ready CT4-V Blackwing, bested perhaps only by the slicker (and costlier) CT5 iterations.
What's new for the 2023 Cadillac CT4?
The 2023 CT4 is mostly a carryover model, though Cadillac has hinted that it will offer some special edition versions of the sporty CT4-V Blackwing.
This compact sedan lineup spans a wide range, from the pedestrian, lease-friendly Luxury through swankier Premium Luxury, Sport, and CT4-V trims with turbo-4 power to a rorty Blackwing beast. All share the same basic three-box shape, with varying degrees of tacked-on sportiness.
The standard 2.0-liter turbo-4 should do for typical commuting, while the available 2.7-liter turbo-4 provides a notable upgrade in power, if not refinement. The top of the heap is the CT4-V Blackwing, which uses a hefty twin-turbo V-6 and adds a 6-speed manual transmission option to the 10-speed automatic lineup. All models except the Blackwing come standard with rear-wheel drive and offer all-wheel drive as an option.
Handling is spectacular across the lineup, and the magnetic dampers on V versions make them comfortable enough for day-to-day driving. Fuel economy is fine with the turbo-4 models—figure 27 mpg combined, but the Blackwing is downright thirsty.
A dull cabin design is spiced up by a good infotainment system with wireless smartphone connectivity. While the CT4 lacks crash-test results, it can be had with Cadillac's terrific Super Cruise hands-free driving system on the highway.
How much does the 2023 Cadillac CT4 cost?
The 2023 CT4 lineup starts around $35,000 with decent standard tech. We’d spend up for the Premium Luxury for its standard leather. Figure about $40,000, or a bit more with extra-cost paint and a few options.
That said, at about $60,000, the Blackwing is a screaming deal among sports sedans.
In Lansing, Michigan.
Styling
More conservative than some flamboyant rivals, the 2023 Cadillac CT4 is a clean-looking sedan.
Is the Cadillac CT4 a good-looking car?
It’s lithe and athletic, if not quite as ravishing as we’d like. We rate it a 6 out of 10, with that point above average allocated to its svelte exterior rather than its workaday cabin.
The CT4’s conventional three-box profile offers up few surprises, though its detailing can delight. A low snout up front includes a wide grille flanked by narrow headlamps. Big running lights that snake from the tops of the fenders down the bumper don’t look quite as well-integrated here as they do in some other models. Their basic shape is reflected at the rear, which nonetheless looks a little lumpy with the big trunk and its integrated spoiler.
Inside, the CT4 looks plain and somewhat unimaginative, though two-tone leather and dressier trim can spice it up a bit. The 8.0-inch touchscreen is mounted up high, sprouting from the dash for easy viewing, and Cadillac does a nice job spacing controls out below.
Performance
The 2023 Cadillac CT4 is a balanced, well-rounded choice in any configuration.
Based on the standard CT4 models, we assign extra points for acceleration and ride quality. It’s a 7. CT4-V and Blackwing models would easily earn at least one more for their performance and handling.
Is the Cadillac CT4 4WD?
Rear-wheel drive comes standard, but all models save the CT4-V Blackwing can be had with all-wheel drive.
How fast is the Cadillac CT4?
It can be downright quick. The base CT4 uses a 237-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4, while the optional 2.7-liter turbo-4 ups the ante to 310 hp or 325 hp in the Premium Luxury trim level as well as the CT4-V. We’ve not driven the base turbo-4, though experience with it in other General Motors products has generally been positive. The 2.7-liter turbo-4 trails its German competition for smoothness if not necessarily responsiveness.
The 10-speed automatic transmission provides quick shifts with the 2.7-liter turbo-4, while an 8-speed automatic pairs with the base engine.
Better yet is the CT4-V Blackwing, which makes use of a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V-6 rated at 472 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque. It’s as quick as 3.9 seconds to 60 mph, and it offers spectacular power from any speed. The Blackwing treatment also means an optional 6-speed manual transmission with downshift rev-matching for even more backroads fun.
As the industry shifts toward full electrification, the CT4-V Blackwing is a worthy parting shot for internal combustion engines.
Comfort & Quality
The 2023 Cadillac CT4 is best up front.
The 2023 Cadillac CT4 treats passengers more like a coupe than a sedan. Its supportive front seats offer standard power adjustment and a choice between synthetic and two grades of real leather, but rear-seat riders will find limited leg and head room. It would be cramped to try and fit four people total, in spite of the five seat belts. The 11.0 cubic-foot trunk is also decidedly small for a sedan that’s really not that tiny.
Overall, the CT4 rates 5 out of 10 for its cabin.
It might net another point if Cadillac wasn’t so stingy with nice materials. Instead, the CT4 comes across more like a dressed-up mainstream model than a downsized luxury car, even with two-tone leather and carbon fiber trim in the Blackwing.
Safety
The 2023 Cadillac CT4 has not been crash tested.
How safe is the Cadillac CT4?
We’re not sure, since neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS has smacked one into a wall yet. We’ll have to wait until they do to assign it a score.
Base models have a relatively simple automatic emergency braking system, though other versions use a more advanced system that’s effective at any speed. Other standard equipment includes blind-spot monitors, active lane control, automatic high-beam headlights, and rear parking sensors, while front parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, and Cadillac’s impressive Super Cruise system that allows limited hands-free driving are worthwhile optional extras.
Features
Reasonable pricing and a wide range of trims make the Cadillac CT4 a good buy.
Cadillac offers a good set of standard equipment on the CT4, and pricing on some trim levels can be downright aggressive.
Standard fare includes synthetic leather trim, power-adjustable front seats, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, remote start, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and alloy wheels. The 4-year/50,000-mile warranty is typical for a luxury car.
On our scale, the 2023 CT4 scores 7 out of 10 thanks to good standard equipment and a terrific infotainment system.
Most drivers will find plenty to like in the roughly $40,000 Premium Luxury trim, which adds leather seats with more power adjustment up front, 18-inch wheels, and a few other niceties.
All-wheel drive costs $2,000 more.
How much is a fully loaded Cadillac CT4?
Fuel Economy
The 2023 Cadillac CT4 offers average fuel economy.
Is the Cadillac CT4 good on gas?
It’s OK, but more power means more gas-station visits.
We rate the 2023 CT4 at 3 out of 10 based on the entry-level 2.0-liter turbo-4, which is rated at 23 mpg city, 34 highway, 27 combined, or 26 mpg combined with all-wheel drive.
The CT4-V Blackwing is downright thirsty: figure 19 mpg combined with the automatic or just 18 mpg combined with the manual.
Cadillac says to use premium fuel in all versions.
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