2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

Overview

Fans of the outgoing Cadillac CTS-V take note: The CT5-V Blackwing is the rightful successor to that performance powerhouse, even though it's wearing a different name. The new car is powered by the same supercharged V-8 engine, but its updated styling and new interior are what Cadillac is pinning its high-performance hopes on. The Blackwing is well equipped to take on rivals such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, the BMW M3, and the Mercedes-AMG C63. To win against these world-beating sports sedans the CT5-V Blackwing provides more than just horsepower; it also delivers brilliant ride and handling to accompany its brutal acceleration. The CT5-V Blackwing definitely lives up to the hype and roars to the top of this segment of hot four-doors, claiming a 10Best title and an Editors' Choice nod on its way up.

What's New for 2022?

The 2022 CT5-V Blackwing is an all-new performance sedan in the Cadillac lineup. Don't be confused by the new naming scheme: The Cadillac CT5-V is now merely a sportier trim level of the standard CT5; the Blackwing reviewed here is the brand's all-out hyper-performance version.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

While a 10-speed automatic is optional and theoretically makes the CT5-V Blackwing a little bit quicker, we'd stick with the standard six-speed manual for the more engaging driving demeanor. We'd go easy on options, but we'd splurge on the high-performance sport seats and sueded microfiber interior upholstery. If the CT5-V Blackwing's price is too high for your budget, consider the smaller and cheaper Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, which we review separately.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

Even though Cadillac is calling it the CT5-V Blackwing, it isn't powered by the newly developed twin-turbo Blackwing V-8 from the now discontinued CT6-V. Instead, an updated version of the CTS-V's supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 making a whopping 668 horsepower pairs to either a six-speed manual or an optional 10-speed automatic. The CT5-V Blackwing is a sharp-handling sedan that also can be set to ride quite comfortably despite its sporting intentions. Standard magnetorheological dampers sense the road surface and your driving intention and adjust accordingly. Acceleration is explosive and in our testing the CT5-V Blackwing with the six-speed manual hit 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds; we estimate it will be capable of hitting 60 mph in as little as 3.4 seconds when equipped with the optional automatic transmission.

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Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

With the optional automatic transmission, the CT5-V Blackwing earned EPA fuel economy ratings of 13 mpg city and 22 mpg highway; going with the six-speed manual drops the car's highway fuel economy estimate to 21 mpg. On our 75-mph highway fuel economy route our manual transmission test vehicle managed an impressive 24 mpg result. For more information about the CT5-V Blackwing's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The CT5-V Blackwing shares its cabin with the standard CT5, which gives the performance sedan a reasonably spacious interior with plenty of features and niceties. We've found the regular CT5's cabin to be a mix of materials—some fine, some decidedly down-market—but Cadillac dresses the CT5-V Blackwing to better match its much higher entry price. All models come with genuine leather upholstery with heated and ventilated front seats and 18-way power adjustments. High-performance sport seats with leather and microfiber upholstery are optional and come bundled with matching door panel inserts. The Blackwing's trunk is the same size and shape as the regular CT5's, into which we fit five carry-on cases during our testing. The gauge display includes a lap timer feature; a performance data recorder is an optional extra.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

The CT5-V Blackwing comes with the same 10.0-inch touchscreen display and CUE infotainment interface as the standard CT5. This system also features a secondary rotary controller on the center console for drivers who prefer not to touch the screen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be standard, as will a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless smartphone charging. While the standard CT5 gets a Bose stereo system as an option, the Blackwing comes with a 15-speaker AKG system as standard. All models also come with a 12.0-inch digital gauge display with unique V-series-specific startup animation and a head-up display.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

A host of driver-assistance features are available, both as standard and optional, but several are not available with the desirable manual transmission. For information about the CT5-V Blackwing's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features are likely to include:

• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
• Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

When compared to rivals such as the M3 and the C63, the Cadillac's standard powertrain warranty offers coverage for a longer period of time and miles. But Cadillac only covers the first service visit, unlike BMW, which offers three years of complimentary maintenance.

• Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers six years or 70,000 miles
• Complimentary maintenance is covered for the first visit

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