LOOKS

The 2023 Cadillac CT5 that I tested featured a sharp exterior design with a bright red paint scheme that grabbed lots of attention. The famed Cadillac grille dominates the front of the vehicle, and it sits on 18-inch alloy wheels.

There is also the option to upgrade to 19-inch or 20-inch wheels.

Choosing the CT5’s Sport trim level will give you black exterior trim, a rear spoiler, gray-tinted taillights, 18-way adjustable bolstered front seats, a sport steering wheel with alloy shift paddles, and alloy pedals.

The interior design of the 2023 CT5 is truly classy, and a great improvement on previous versions. Comfort is the name of the game in the CT5, as you would expect in a luxury car, highlighted by quality leather seating surfaces. 

The massaging front seats that are offered are a nice touch, and help make your journeys more enjoyable and relaxing.

Seats are comfortable in both the front and rear. Only areas that are slightly lacking are the amount of headroom in rear seats, and limited trunk space (11.9 cubic feet). The rear seats do fold flat to boost cargo capacity.

The infotainment setup has been updated to be much more tactile and user-friendly. And there’s a respectable amount of small storage spaces throughout the vehicle. Wood trim enhances the design in some models.

The front seats include lumbar support and memory settings, LED inside ambient lighting is offered, and the steering wheel is heated. Heated and ventilated front seats are also offered.

HOW’S THE RIDE?

Multiple power plants are offered on the 2023 Cadillac CT5. My test vehicle featured a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 engine that was paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive. Its output was 335 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. 

The base engine offering is a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine featuring 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet.

And the ultra-powerful (and limited production) CT5-V Blackwing, boasting a 6.2-liter V8 engine, stuns with totals of 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet.

If you go for the V6 option, you'll truly enjoy the experience of driving every day in the CT5, as much as you would with its top foreign rivals.

Rear-wheel drive is standard on the CT5, but you can opt for AWD.

From the smooth cornering, to its overall handling, to braking responsiveness, this is a vehicle made for those who love to drive. Zero-to-60 times are under 6 seconds. While the CT5 is a tad less sporty than some of its luxury rivals, the difference is not significant enough to justify the much higher costs of those rivals.

The CT5 driving modes include Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice and a customized mode. It features a unique shifter design, but you quickly get used to it.

Some trim levels will feature a V Performance package, including a sport suspension with adaptive dampers to further improve handling, and a mechanical limited-slip differential to boost traction, plus Brembo front brakes.


TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

The 2023 Cadillac CT5 is centered around a 10-inch touchscreen and the most updated version of the Cadillac infotainment system.

Touch commands include both touchscreen controls and a handy dial in the center console. Between these two options, this system is extremely easy to use and way better than the past Cadillac tech systems that were often glitchy and frustrating.

The system offers a simple process to connect a phone and use an Android Auto or Apple CarPlay setup on the touchscreen. And voice commands for navigation, music and phone calls were accepted without a hitch.

The navigation system is quite effective, too, getting you to your destination in the best possible way.

Other tech features on the CT5 include a wireless phone charger, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, a high-quality Bose audio system, and multiple USB ports.

Moving onto safety features, this is another strong area for Cadillac.

Perhaps the best argument for buying the 2023 Cadillac CT5 is the option to include Super Cruise, GM’s self-driving feature that performs as well as any self-driving system I’ve tested to date.

During my time with the CT5, I tested out Super Cruise by activating it on the highway and letting the system take control for roughly a 20-mile stretch. 

The system worked tremendously well, and for the entire duration I didn't have to touch the pedals or steering wheel (though I was prepared to do so if needed at all times). Super Cruise handles curves without a hint of hesitancy, even sharp curves, and will be a welcome option on longer trips. Advances like Super Cruise are a bold step on the path to autonomous driving, and make me hopeful for the future of this technology.

Other safety features that are included as standard on the CT5 include:
— Forward collision mitigation (warns of impending collision and applies brakes in certain scenarios)
— Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning
— Lane departure mitigation (Can automatically steer to maintain lane position)

There’s also a Teen Driver feature that lets you track activity of younger drivers, a tire pressure monitoring system, and access to OnStar services.


MPG

The official fuel mileage numbers listed for the 2023 Cadillac CT5 I tested are 18 city/26 highway/21 combined. I averaged around 19 mpg in my real-world testing.
In the standard turbo-four engine, numbers are 23 city and 33 highway.

These are respectable numbers, but lag behind many luxury sedan competitors. 

PRICE

The 2023 Cadillac CT5 I tested was priced at $66,355. Its base price starts about $40K. Trim levels include Premium, Premium Luxury, Sport and V-Series.

If you want a true hot rod with nearly 700 horsepower, you can upgrade to the elite CT5-V Blackwing, which starts around $93K.

Much of the price of my test vehicle was in the form of pricey options, including $9,100 for the Platinum Package, and $6,940 for the Super Cruise 2 Package.

Still, when compared to overseas rivals, this is a lot of luxury car for the money when you consider the vast amount of features and capabilities that the CT5 offers. For example, the base model price is over $10K less than some European rivals.

Warranties include a four-year/50,000 mile basic warranty, and a six-year/70,000 mile powertrain warranty.

BOTTOM LINE

The 2023 Cadillac CT5 is one of just a few sedans still available from U.S. automakers, making it a bit of a unicorn. And it’s a very strong overall luxury vehicle option, even vs. top European and Asian rivals.

It boasts well-executed safety technology that pushes boundaries toward a self-driving future, offers a high-quality driving experience, and features a strong design.

While not quite as plush or sporty as some European luxury sedan offerings, it’s still very high-end. And the price is much more agreeable.

Add all that up, and the CT5 becomes a highly desirable luxury sedan offering for buyers in this segment. 

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