With a fastback profile inspired by the Escala concept, the 2020 Cadillac CT5 pioneers a new direction for Cadillac sedan design that, by the automaker’s own standards, leverages the natural proportional advantage of the vehicle’s rear-drive platform to communicate power, presence and performance. As for function, the 2020 Cadillac CT5 is the brand’s newest contender in the highly-lucrative and popular D segment to take on the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, among others.
Now, the CT5 is offered in four trim levels, from base to range-topping:
- Luxury (1SB)
- Premium Luxury (1SD)
- Sport (1SE)
- V-Series (1SF)
Those four trim levels change the persona of the vehicle: the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims are defined by bright exterior accents and unique grilles and fascias, while the Sport and V-Series models are differentiated by darker accents and performance-inspired details, including unique grilles, fascias, rocker extensions, spoiler and standard 19-inch wheels.
We’ve set each trim level side-by-side to show the differences from four different angles. Note that the car seen below is painted Summit White, which works well to show the body differences. Also, the only visible exterior distinction between Luxury and Premium Luxury models are the standard wheel. As such, we included a single image to represent both Luxury and Premium Luxury models.
Front
Luxury / Premium Luxury
Sport
CT5-V
Front Three-Quarters
Luxury / Premium Luxury
Sport
CT5-V
Rear
Luxury / Premium Luxury
Sport
CT5-V
Rear Three-Quarters
Luxury / Premium Luxury
Sport
CT5-V
Those curious about exactly what’s different between each trim level from a visual standpoint should check out the following articles:
We should also clarify that none of the above images are of the upcoming, high-performance CT5-V model, which will be a completely separate vehicle rather than a trim level of the CT5. Rumors suggest such a vehicle may offer a supercharged V8 and potentially an all-wheel drive configuration.
A prototype of the upcoming next-level CT5-V
If you’re as eager for more CT5 details as we are, be sure to subscribe to Cadillac Society for more Cadillac CT5 news and Cadillac news coverage. And don’t forget to join the discussion in our Cadillac forums.
Greg
I strongly recommend seeing this car and driving it before judging it, like I did last week. My Salesman called me to say a few CT5s had arrived so I went to see them. The car is, in my opinion, quiet beautiful. Great proportions and stance. It really does look much better than it photographs. On the Showroom floor was a beautiful Premium Luxury in Shadow Metallic with a Maple Sugar interior. I then drove the Demo which was an all black Sport model. Solid, smooth, and quiet. The motor sounded good for a 4 cylinder. The micro-fiber steering wheel cover felt good to the touch. Seats very comfortable for me. Interior seemed very good. The Sport model is NOT for me. I prefer the bright work od the Luxury models. I hope to order one later this year.
David A Piascik
I 100% agree. This car does not photograph well. I sat in one in person and was impressed with the interior and the stance of the exterior.
Rick Ewald
I really like my ct5 it is now 1 yr. Old. I only have a 2 yr. Lease . At this point I think I will purchase it. I get many positive comments. I bought the new color wave. Many positives on color
Frank Ricciardi
I agree that the CT5 doesn’t photograph well, but I disagree that it looks better in the flesh/ metal. This is not an attractive car and is not a suitable replacement for the CTS. It small and very generic looking. I haven’t driven it but I did go to my local dealership to see it. Seeing it reinforced my decision to replace my 2017 CTS with a 2020 CT6.
xjug
At least the bad reviews are consistant:
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a30707365/2020-cadillac-ct5-350t-by-the-numbers
The bigger issue is that the CT5’s cabin just doesn’t look or feel luxurious or special. Equipped with $1500 two-tone beige-and-black leather upholstery and the Sport trim’s carbon-fiber trim, the CT5’s interior is an overwhelming mix of too many colors, shapes, and textures. We’d prefer a simpler, more consistent approach to the design. Real leather and metal trim pieces can only do so much if they’re combined with hard, cheap-looking plastic bits. This would be a good interior in a Chevy Malibu, but it’s not good enough for a Cadillac.
These interior-quality issues would be more tolerable closer to the CT5’s low $37,890 base price, which undercuts the starting prices of its German rivals by thousands. But the base model is sparsely equipped; you’ll have to pony up extra to get equipment such as heated seats, adaptive cruise control, or leather upholstery. Our car came nearly loaded and had several option packages, which brought the price to $54,590. That’s within the realm of what’s reasonable for a car in this segment—we’ve had four-cylinder 3-series test cars pushing nearly $60K—but despite the slightly larger size, we wouldn’t want to pay that much for this CT5 considering its lackluster road manners, dull engine, and comparably drab environs.
Other than its more spacious rear seat and improved infotainment controls, Cadillac’s CT5 doesn’t remedy the weaknesses of the outgoing CTS nor does it enjoy the sharp driving dynamics that made the CTS’s flaws easier to stomach. Perhaps the CT5-V and its upcoming V-8–powered variant will embody more of the driver-machine connection that we’ve come to expect in modern Cadillac sedans, but the regular CT5 feels like a step backwards.
George Shanks
Will the 2020-2021 Cadillac’s finally, once and for all, get rid of the fatality flawed Cadillac CUE system?
John f Borgia
waiting for arrival of CT5 premium luxury with new twin turbo v-6 to arrive at dealerships it is now February when can we start to see arrival of v-6 what’s the holdup?