2020 Cadillac CT5-V Road Test and Review

In many ways, the CT5-V’s twin-turbo V6 delivers on the promise of smooth power, effortless torque delivery, and melodious sounds lacking in the base CT5’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder — attributes expected in a mid-size performance luxury sedan. The CT5-V can scoot from rest to 60 mph in well under 5 seconds and barely works up a sweat keeping ahead of traffic. Electronic sound enhancement via the audio system and delicious but discreet crackle from the CT5-V’s talkative quad-tipped exhaust add an enticing soundtrack. A new 10-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters reels off quick, seamless shifts. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway/21 mpg combined for rear-drive models and 1 mpg less for AWD versions.

Materials are mostly luxury-brand-worthy. There are many soft-touch surfaces on anything the cabin’s occupants will interact with. Armrests on the doors and console are nicely padded as are the sides of the console, appreciated to comfort bony knees on twisty roads. The CT5-V comes with standard leatherette seat coverings, power sport bolstered front seats with adjustable lumbar and driver-seat memory, rain-sensing wipers, pushbutton start, a 15-watt wireless phone charger, a phone holder, alloy pedals, carbon-fiber décor on the doors, console and dash, a thicker-rimmed steering wheel with V-mode, and magnesium paddle shifters. Among the options are creamy-soft aniline leather seat coverings, a dual-pane sunroof, suede-wrapped shifter and steering wheel, power tilt and telescope steering column heated, a head-up display, massaging seats, and a heated steering wheel.

The system features one-touch NFC device pairing. A nine-speaker AM/FM stereo with SiriusXM and HD radio is standard with an embedded navigation system and an immersive 15-speaker Bose premium audio system optionally available. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto cellphone mirroring via USB cable for familiar apps are included. A pair of USB ports are hidden in the console bin under the armrest. Volume and tuning functions are simplified with a pair of analog rotary knobs under the screen.

The rotary knob is surrounded by hard shortcut buttons for audio source, navigation menu, phone menu, home and back functions, plus seek/scan buttons and a second power/volume knob (complementing the volume and tuning knobs on the dash just below the infotainment screen). Infotainment content is also accessible via voice or steering wheel controls as well as the touchscreen itself. Some touchscreen tiles are turned off when the CT5-V is moving.

The additional wheelbase dimension gained in the transition from CTS to CT5 adds a not insignificant 2.5 inches more rear seat legroom, making the CT5’s rear perches adult-approved. Despite the coupelike sloping roof, rear headroom is acceptable. Compared to the previous CTS, the longer rear doors of the CT5 aid rear-seat ingress and egress and larger rear door glass aids outward visibility.

Toggling to the Snow/Ice mode reduces engine torque at low engine speeds. In Sport mode, the Tour mode throttle progression is maintained, but the transmission executes quicker shifts and stays in the lower gears longer. Also, steering effort and engine sound increase, brake pedal response is quicker, and damping rates of the Magnetic Ride Control system firm up. Track mode is for maximum performance; throttle response, engine sound, transmission shifts, steering effort, and shock damping are set to maximum performance. Track mode also enables Performance Traction Management, which allows the driver to manage engine power, traction control, and stability control in a track setting according to five levels of driving ability. The drive mode personalization continues with My Mode and V-Mode (the latter via a steering wheel switch). My Mode allows adjustments to engine sound, suspension firmness, steering, and brake response for everyday driving. V-Mode enables further customization for performance driving.

The electric-boosted, variable-effort rack-and-pinion steering delivers pinpoint control with satisfying road feedback. Yet ride comfort is excellent over a wide variety of road surfaces. Even with the standard 245/40R-19 run-flat tires, Magnetic Ride Control takes the edge off potholes and other road disturbances. The CT5-V doesn’t lose its luxury focus despite the sharp performance thanks to extensive soundproofing. The sedan comes standard with extra-thick acoustic glass for the windshield and front-door windows, helping to quell air rush noise and road sizzle. The CT5-V is also available with all-wheel drive, a feature not offered previously in the CTS-V or CTS V-Sport and a boon to North Country drivers. Do note for U-turns, though, that AWD increases the CT5-V’s turning circle to 40.7 feet, greater than that of the full-size Chevrolet Tahoe SUV.

An optional Driver Awareness Plus package adds automatic high beams, a following distance indicator, a head-up display, and lane-keep assist with a lane-departure warning. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not yet tested the 2020 Cadillac CT5. However, testing from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives both the rear- and all-wheel-drive versions of the base 2020 Cadillac CT5 a perfect five out of five stars rating overall, with five stars each for frontal and side impacts as well as rollover resistance. The CT5-V also received five stars for side impacts and rollover resistance but did not get a front-impact or overall rating.

If you are waiting for Cadillac’s level-2 Super Cruise autonomous-driving wizardry that can accelerate, steer, and brake the CT5 hands-free over a wide network of U.S. limited-access roads, that feature is due later this year on 2021 models. In the meantime, however, you might want to try driving the rather satisfying and capable CT5-V yourself.