In a surprise announcement mid-March, Cadillac revealed the all-new, 2020 CT5 sedan that will relaunch the brand into the popular and lucrative D-segment to battle the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 Series. At the time, Caddy provided studio shots of the new CT5, making it somewhat difficult to understand the new vehicle’s design. Luckily, we just got exclusive new photos of the new Cadillac CT5 on the open road, and the pictures give us a new sense of the exterior styling and intricacies in the surface development.
So then, the Cadillac CT5 shown here seems to be wearing the optional Crystal White Tricoat paint. The model appears to be the Luxury model. Though Cadillac originally announced that the CT5 will be available in “Luxury and Sport models”, we believe that the Luxury trim will be broken out into the base Luxury model, with the Premium Luxury trim slotting above it and alongside the CT5 Sport.
If our assumption is correct, then the Cadillac CT5 Luxury will feature black front grilles, while the Premium Luxury model will feature a shiny upper grille.
Seeing the CT5 in the wild gives us a better idea of the horizontal headlight treatment, the vertical daytime running lamps, and the entire front end as a whole. Also check out that multi-contoured hood.
From the side, the new Cadillac CT5 Luxury features a chrome window trim wrapping the day-light opening (DLO). We also get a better look at that much-debated C-pillar treatment, complete with a glossy black blanking plate. A set of twin-five-spoke wheels (with a total of 10 spokes) appear to be 18-inches in diameter.
Out back, the Cadillac logo is missing, but the set of horizontal and vertical tail lights inspired by the Escala Concept is present and accounted for. There’s also a rather tasteful dual exhaust treatment.
Other notable items include the camera for the Rear Camera Mirror placed at the back of the roof-mounted comms fin, a Center High-Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL) located inside the top-most portion of the rear glass, and a clear reverse lamp located centrally between the two tail pipes, much like on the outgoing ATS and CTS.
The new Cadillac CT5 rides on an evolved version of the award-winning Alpha RWD/AWD architecture. Cadillac did not say it outright in its announcement, but the CT5 is the indirect replacement to the ATS and CTS. It will compete in the D-segment against the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Cadillac previously told us that the “CT5 showcases Cadillac’s unique expertise in crafting American performance sedans, with details designed to elevate every drive.” Note that for what it’s worth.
Inside, the new Cadillac CT5 features a “driver-centric cockpit” that “blends high tech and high touch for an exceptional blend of control tactility.”
The new Cadillac CT5 will make its public debut in April at the New York International Auto Show. It will be built at the Lansing Grand River plant. The facility received a $211 million investment to build the next-generation Cadillac sedan. The Cadillac Jinqiao plant in Shanghai, China will to produce the CT5 model for the Chinese market.
Stay tuned to Cadillac Society for more for more CT5 news and Cadillac news coverage.
Michael
I would take our traded in CTS Sport/Performance model we traded in on our ATS Performance coupe. This is the most generic and boring Cadillac yet. This is Altima ugly.
Paul
I guess it looks ok.
Dan Spickard
Wow, how underwhelming is that? My 2015 CTS has more character. I guess I’m totally missing the Escala in this design (other than maybe the grille?). I’m sorry, Cadillac, but that does not look like a luxury sports sedan. I agree with other comments that it looks more like an Altima than an Escala. Very disappointed.
Ci2Eye
I would say ignore the grille and all the black plastic on the front and just study the profile. It has an elegantly long hood and short deck that arises from a RWD platform that Altima doesn’t possess. The off-putting black plastic will likely look better in final form but stance can’t be altered with trim and this car nails that element, just like the graceful CT6 does.
Dan Spickard
Ci2Eye
I guess I have been waiting so long for this car (I’m on my second 3rd gen CTS), I was just hoping for more Escala. I’m blown away by how clean and sleek the Escala is and I’m just not getting that same feeling from this car.
I’ll give it some time.
I do agree that the rear 3/4 view looks long and sleek and is by far the best shot.
I also agree with your comments about the renders/photos that Cadillac released – those were horrible.
I’m still not sold on that c-pillar treatment. I wish they would have just make it a hatch instead of having to put that little flair of trim there. I know why they did it, that’s a large piece of sheet metal and without a seam line for a hatch to break it up, it would have looked ungainly. I just am not sure the hitch-in-the-giddy-up trim piece was the right call. Seems like they are trying too hard to trick us into thinking its an A7-like hatch…that’s all I can think to say about it.
I do love the hood.
I know it is a base model, and I’m not a fan of white cars, so I’m hoping that when I see it in person in black in the top trim level, I’ll appreciate the design more.
To be honest, I had the same initial reaction to the CT6 web images – boring. But now, when I’m next to one in person, I appreciate the subtle upscale lines and I think its a handsome car with presence.
All that said, the thing I love the most about my CTS is driving it! It’s better than my A6 was and as good as my E90 3 series. If Alpha2 is an improvement, I’m excited to get behind the wheel.
STS-VOwner
Yes!!! That looks soo good!!!
Ricky
I love it. Finally brings Cadillac design into the 21st century.
Those of you who don’t like it do realize that you’re looking at a BASE model, right,
Ci2Eye
Okay, so this looks like the un-camouflaged version of the car we’ve seen roaming around Detroit streets for a year now. That car had great proportions and had me feeling quite hopeful about Cadillac’s future. This one does too. It has an elegant stance and a beautiful long hood/short deck profile entirely befitting a luxury car. So if this is the car, what the heck was the product in those awful studio shots GM released? That car looked terrible, especially the grey sport version. It looked so cheap and frumpy compared to this car so one has to wonder; why would GM have done that? Why release such unflattering photos of a critical new car? Even the rear quarter window/C-pillar treatment looks acceptable here and in these photos, it looks like glass rather than Saturn Ion-style black plastic.
This car has such a long, sleek and beautiful stance, I am having trouble seeing it as a 3-Series or C-Class sized product. It looks bigger than that, like a class above. No matter the size, I would say crisis averted, hope springs eternal – this is a good looking car, C-pillar and all! If it’s built on the mostly exclusive and very capable RWD Alpha platform and with a good interior and engines, Cadillac may finally be ready to claw their way back to the top.
I still feel like I’m on a roller coaster but at this moment, there is hope again. If I find out CT6 is actually dying, the coaster will be hurling downward again but for now, there is hope!
Seel
It will be interesting to see how much of traction they get with attracting buyers away from Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Lexus, etc with this new design … time will tell. I still very much like the sculpted contours of my 2017 CTS
Johnls_39
If you notice the door handles, it has some chrome on it around the top, similar to Mercedes door handles. A little hard to tell until the final releases debut.
Cedric
It looks better on the road but It still reminds me of an old Nissan Maxima
Ci2Eye
I’ve gone back and looked at the patent drawings again for the mystery Cadillac coupe that appeared last year. While I think it remains unknown whether those drawings depict an upcoming concept car or perhaps something slated for production, it’s interesting to study the C-pillar and rear quarter window again in light of the now revealed CT5 sedan. The Coupe has the same Escala shaped triangular rear side window but with a similar three-sided boomerang trim piece where the top edge extends past the bottom. It’s better executed on the Coupe with more of a three-dimensional effect but the element is clearly similar.
Could it be that this controversial design element will become a Cadillac signature. Personally, I’m still not overly enthused about it on the CT5 but that model’s great proportions mitigate it somewhat so that it can be overlooked and the element looks much better executed on the Coupe.
B
The C pillar treatment is looking like glass to me… Tinted. The finger smudges and dirt are a dead giveaway
Zach
With the sloping roof line will it get a pano roof . And will headrooam suffer for those riding in the backstreet ? Not sure about the C-pillan though , maybe looks better in person .
Bob
I like it. Saw the CT5 in photos today and it’s better than I had imagined it to be. We’re diehard Cadillac owners, ATS & CTS – both are exceptional cars. Our first was a 1951 Coupe DeVille in classic yellow with a white rooftop. The seats were plush velvet. Now THERE was a car.
I’ll be anxious to test drive the CT5. A plush velvet interior would be nice.
gary
For seamless and tasteful C-Pillar design, perhaps Cadillac should have referenced of all cars, it’s corporate cousin; The Chevy Malibu.
Yes, I know they are riding on two different platforms but this C-Pillar pulls this car’s exterior design down while the Malibu’s is successfully integrated into it’s sloping greenhouse. It’s not executed well and looks too busy and frankly tacky. Escala concept was like ‘Wow!’. This is more like ‘What happened!!??’.
It has some nice elements to its design but in the overall, it’s not a standout design or even an attractive vehicle to behold – especially considering that it’s replacing two models (CTS & ATS).
Disappointed.
Roger That
Fugly.
Designed for the Chinese market.
TreDeuce
Escala meets Reality.
If it looks good in White, it will look better in most colors.
Will reserve my opinion until I walk up on one.