2021 Cadillac CT4

The CT4’s pinched lights front and rear add intrigue, but its profile is ordinary. Bigger wheels spice things up, albeit at the expense of ride quality.

Inside, the CT4 is well-equipped but no dazzler. Its dash is light on adornment, and even higher trims do little to correct that. At least controls are easy to sort through and the 8.0-inch touchscreen is bright and well-positioned.

How fast is the Cadillac CT4?

The base CT4 makes use of a 2.0-liter turbo-4 rated at 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, which is sent rearward or to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic. We’ve not driven this engine in the CT4, though prior experience with it in other General Motors cars has largely been favorable. 

The optional 2.7-liter turbo-4—rated at 310 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque in Premium Luxury trim, or 325 hp and 380 lb-ft in V-Series trim—is a strong performer. The transmission is matched with a responsive 10-speed automatic that zips through gears with ease. Run hard and you’ll find a little turbo whistle and plenty of low-rpm grumbling, but nothing objectionable at a cruising clip. A standard stop/start system cuts out the engine at stoplights almost imperceptibly. 

The CT4 is relatively lithe at around 3,400 pounds for a base car, which is less than its competitors. That weight savings is paired with a balanced chassis to deliver good handling. 

V-Series versions add an adjustable and adaptive suspension with trick struts that do an even better job shrugging off road imperfections. Steering feel in all is great, with reasonable heft and excellent highway tracking. 

Rear-seat riders have little leg room, and the sloping roof line cuts into head room for taller passengers, too. The trunk offers just under 11 cubic feet, which isn’t much for a car of this size. 

At least interior trim mostly feels bucks-up, with padded surfaces throughout though none of the woodgrain or carbon fiber trim we expect to see in cars costing upward of $40,000.

Automatic emergency braking is finally standard across the line, albeit with a notable asterisk. You’ll have to add a package including adaptive cruise control and reverse automatic emergency braking for a full high-speed automatic emergency braking system.

Newly optional this year—and absolutely worth it if you spend a fair amount of time on the highway—is Cadillac’s Super Cruise system, one of the most advanced driver-aid setups available. The system allows for limited hands-off driving, but its real forte is in its ability to reduce driver fatigue and to help prevent collisions. Among chief rivals, the system is comparable to those available on the Volvo S60 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Most drivers will be perfectly satisfied with the $34,000 CT4 Luxury, which comes with synthetic leather upholstery, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and LED lighting. 

The $39,000 CT4 Premium Luxury tosses in leather upholstery and a few more goodies, plus it opens up the option for far more safety tech. We’d spend our money here, and add about $5,000 in collision-avoidance and convenience features to land at somewhere in the mid-$40,000 range, depending on color selections. 

Cadillac offers a typical luxury car warranty:  four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first, for basic coverage. 

How much is a fully loaded 2021 Cadillac CT4?

Go all in and the CT4 can tickle $60,000, though a judicious shopper can avoid hefty surcharges for paint colors and upsized wheels.

Base 2.0-liter turbo-4s top the range at 23 mpg city, 34 highway, 27 combined. Subtract 1 to 2 mpg with all-wheel drive.

The optional 2.7-liter turbo-4 slides those figures to 21/31/25 mpg with rear-wheel drive, and 21/29/24 mpg with all-wheel drive. More powerful V-Series cars are rated separately, bottoming out at 20/28/23 mpg with all-wheel drive.

All CT4s use premium fuel.