Facelifted Cadillac CT6 vs. 2016-2018 Cadillac CT6: Visual Comparison

The Cadillac CT6 first arrived on the scene for the 2016 model year, dropping cover at the 2015 New York International Auto Show and hitting the U.S. market in March of 2016. The large luxury four-door ran its 2016 introduction model year plus the 2017 and 2018 model years with minor changes, but the 2019 model year delivered a major refresh. One of the biggest elements that were part of the updates was a notable change in design that brought the sedan in line with the rest of the Cadillac lineup from a design standpoint.

Boasting the same styling cues as the contemporary Cadillac XT6 crossover SUV, the 2019 CT6 looks sharper and more poised than before. Let’s take a closer look at the visual differences between the original CT6 and the updated/refreshed/facelifted model.

Some of the biggest visual differences are at the front end. The fascia of the pre-facelift model features larger headlamp housings, with divided vertical signature lighting elements. In addition, the 2016-2018 CT6 features a smaller upper grille with horizontal inserts, plus a thin lower grille segmented into three pieces, with the center portion being thinner than the two outer ones.

By comparison, the updated 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6 gets much more stylized headlights, with a new horizontal element at the top. The outer edges flow into an extended vertical lighting portion that lead down the fender line and into new intakes at the corners of the bumper cover.

The upper grille is also larger than the pre-facelift model, with a different pattern for the insert.  What’s more, the facelifted model also introduces the first-ever CT6-V, which offers a unique V-Series mesh grille insert (along with a host of performance improvements). Finally, the lower intake section is larger at the center, while tapering down at the corners.

At the side, the pre-facelift Cadillac CT6 was equipped with polished window trim (also known as Daylight Opening, or DLO), no matter the trim level. Wheel sizes ranged between 18 and 20 inches in diameter.

The updated Cadillac CT6 has the same roofline, sheetmetal and proportions as before, but the polished window surrounds can be replaced with black versions on the Sport and CT6-V trims for the 2019 model year. Unfortunately, the Sport trim was dropped for the 2020 model year). 18-inch to 20-inch wheels are offered across the rest of the lineup, while the CT6-V model offers three sets of unique 20-inch wheels.

At the rear, the pre-facelift Cadillac CT6 features vertical taillamp housings surrounded at the outer edges in chrome, accentuating the vehicle’s trunk line. There’s also a small recess in the trunk lid for the license plate cutout in the general shape of the Cadillac crest. A horizontal chrome trim line is present at the bottom end of the rear, and either dual or quad exhaust tips – depending on the model/engine – are present at the corners of the lower bumper.

By comparison, the facelifted CT6 features an entirely new rear end that starts with a redesigned trunk lid and new tail lamp housings. The new tail lamps add a horizontal element that stretches towards the center of the trunk line, adding some extra visual width. There’s also a prominent chrome trim line connecting the two taillights, while the trunk lid indent was reshaped to be larger than before. The vertical tail light elements are present and accounted for, but they have since been redesigned.

Finally, the lower bumper cover has been reshaped, and all 2019-2020 CT6 models feature quad-tipped exhaust.

Individually, the changes implemented with the Cadillac CT6 refresh aren’t huge. But taken together, they add up to a much more interesting visual package.

Unfortunately, the future of the CT6 in the North American market is very much unclear as of this writing, as production is scheduled to end in early 2020. There’s currently no word on whether production will be moved to a different facility.

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