Cadillac CT5

Smaller sport sedan could be the start of something big

Cadillac's new CT5 sedan. (Cadillac/TNS)
Cadillac's new CT5 sedan. (Cadillac/TNS)

Cadillac just may have got this right. The 2020 Cadillac CT5 sport sedan debuting at the New York auto show this week has an appealing new look, interior design and materials worthy of a true luxury brand, and gotta-have technology the competition can't match.

 

Due to go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year, the CT5 could give luxury shoppers a compelling reason to consider Cadillac.

Those have been in short supply recently, as the brand stumbled in the U.S. market despite setting worldwide sales records and strong performance in China.

The Cadillac CT5 is the second of three vehicles that are vital to General Motors' luxury brand.

The CT5 arrives between the XT6 three-row midsize SUV this summer and an all-important new version of the Escalade large SUV in 2020.

 

Tough competition

The CT5 is smaller than Cadillac's current CTS sedan, which it replaces. Cadillac developed the CT5 to compete with sport sedans like the Audi A4, BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-class.

Sedan sales are falling around the world, but those cars remain popular and play a disproportionate role shaping how perceptions of their brands' performance, technology and desirability.

The CT5 will come in rear- and all-wheel-drive models. It uses the lightweight architecture that gave the CTS and smaller ATS excellent ride and handling.

Power will come from either a 237-hp 2.0L four-cylinder turbo or 400-hp twin-turbo 3.0L V6 mated to a 10-speed interior.

The CT5 is in the middle of an unprecedented new-vehicle offensive from Cadillac.

The XT4 compact SUV sells well and got Caddy into a hot new market segment when sales began last fall.

The XT6 has met skepticism, despite the fact that nobody's driven one yet.

Looks and brains

The CT5's interior features open-pore wood trim, carbon fiber, soft perforated leather. Subpar materials and bland design have been consistent criticisms of Cadillac's interiors.

The CT5 is a major step in the right direction, particularly assuming it will be priced to compete with the A4 and 3-series, which start at $37,400 and $40,250, respectively.

The long hood and short rear deck contribute to a profile and stance that makes the CT5 look primed for takeoff.

Vertical running lights and turn signals continue a recognizable and attractive design element Cadillac has made its own.

Best of all, the CT5 will offer Super Cruise, the hands-free driving system that's the closest thing you can buy to a self-driving car and the best thing to happen to long trips since the interstate highway system.

Super Cruise is the kind of feature owners will never do without once they've experienced it.

Cadillac introduced it to acclaim on the CT6 sedan two years ago, but has yet to add it to a second model.

The technology's rollout across the whole model line begins with the CT5.

At 193.8 inches long, the CT5 is 1.7 inches shorter than the CTS. Despite that, its wheelbase-the distance from the front axle to the rear-is 1.4 inches longer.

That's a combination that usually contributes to a roomy passenger compartment and good handling.

Cadillac needs a hit. The CT5 might be the vehicle that delivers one.

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