The CTS and ATS are no more. The 2020 Cadillac CT5 is looking to fill the gap that those two vehicles have left. The CT5 will be followed by a smaller CT4 later in the year. That car will act as a true replacement for the ATS. For a while now Cadillac has found itself trying to fill gaps in the marketplace with vehicles that weren’t quite lined up with the competition, often times their products were too much or too little for the closest segments. That trend is hopefully a thing of the past as the 2020 Cadillac CT5 is aimed squarely at the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C Class, Audi A4, and other cars in that segment.
The CT5 rides on an updated version of GM’s Alpha platform that was used with the ATS, CTS, and Camaro. The new version should be quite good, considering all of those cars received plenty of praise for their feel and driving dynamics. Three trims will be available, Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport.
The new CT5 does differ from the ATS or CTS in terms of looks, but is still unmistakably a Cadillac and in that sense is more of an evolution of Cadillac’s design language and not so much a completely new direction for the company. Although, Cadillac says it is. Andrew Smith who is Executive director of global design says that, “Cadillac’s signature hard-edge cues have evolved to a more sculptural and fluid expression of the brand’s design language. Like almost every new four door sedan that has come out recently, the CT5 has a fastback profile.
All of the exterior lights are LED including the signature Cadillac vertical LED’s at the corners of the vehicle. The CT5 Luxury and Premium Luxury get bright exterior accents and unique grilles. The Sport model has darker accents, sportier trims and standard 19-inch wheels.
The CT5 comes in RWD with AWD available on all models. Power comes from a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The 350T on the rear of the CT5 denotes the amount of torque the engine has in newton meters, a metric commonly used for electric vehicles, which will become ever more common as we move towards a fully electrified industry. The more powerful 3.0-liter twin turbo V-6 is available on Premium Luxury and Sport models. That engine will produce close to 335 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Just like the 350 denotes the torque on the 4 cylinder the V6 car has a 550 badge that rounds up the 542 newton meters of torque. Both engines are connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The interior is designed to be focused on the driver and has a prominent 10-inch touchscreen display. There is also a Platinum Package available on the Premium Luxury and Sport models. The package adds upgraded premium seats. The seats are heated, ventilated, with a massage function and 18-way adjustability. There is upgraded leather-trim throughout, carbon fiber trim, and a thicker rimmed steering wheel with magnesium shifters and alloy pedals. Also, Cadillac has taken note that their CUE system was horrendous. Cadillac is now offering numerous ways to interface with the system. Those include the rotary knob, touchscreen, and steering wheel controls.
The CT5 Luxury with RWD and the 2.0-liter four will start at $37,890, which is pretty significant considering its similarly equipped European competitors have prices that start well over $40,000. The 2020 Cadillac CT5 will be available to order starting in the fall.
