2021 Cadillac CT5 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The Cadillac CT5 luxury sedan was all-new for 2020, and gets a bunch of new standard safety features for 2021. The CT5 competes with cars...

The Cadillac CT5 luxury sedan was all-new for 2020, and gets a bunch of new standard safety features for 2021. The CT5 competes with cars like the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

The CT5’s exterior carries over unchanged, with an elegant and sporty fastback profile, standard LED lighting, and brightwork and dark accent palettes to distinguish different trim levels. The Diamond Sky package, available for the Premium Luxury trim, is new for 2021, and adds Diamond Sky Metallic paint, an exclusive front end treatment, new taillight lenses, a choice of two 2-tone alloy wheel designs, and Brembo brakes (with blue calipers) at all four corners.

The base CT5 gets a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission, rated for 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Upper trims can be fitted with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, rated for 335 hp and 400 lb-ft or 360 hp and 405 lb-ft. Both powertrains come with rear-wheel drive (RWD) and can be upgraded to all-wheel drive (AWD). Fuel economy is about average for the segment, with the base engine and RWD configuration coming in at 23 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. The Sport model is now available with a V Performance package, which adds a performance suspension, Magnetic Ride Control, and a limited-slip differential, and Brembo performance brakes are also available.

The CT5’s features include keyless entry, push-button start, and synthetic leather upholstery. Options include leather upholstery, ambient lighting, seat memory settings, and sport front seats. The new Diamond Sky package for the Premium Luxury trim adds Sky Cool Gray/Jet Black leather upholstery with perforated seat inserts, distinctive wood interior trim, alloy pedals, and an exclusive key fob with Diamond Sky Metallic accents.

The CT5 gets a 10.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display as standard equipment, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are new this year. A high-definition 12.0-inch instrument cluster is newly available, and wireless device charging and a Bose premium audio system are among the other options.

The 2021 CT5 earns a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There are more standard safety features this year, including the Buckle to Drive and Teen Driver safety systems, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, and a safety-alert seat, while the high-definition reversing camera carries over. Options include lane-change alert with blind-spot monitoring, front park assist, rear park assist, adaptive cruise control, a head-up display (HUD), a reflective LED windshield collision alert, a following-distance indicator, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, rear pedestrian alert, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic braking, and automatic high beams. In early 2021, Cadillac’s Enhanced Super Cruise system with lane-change functionality will become available.

The 2021 CTS helps add diversity to Cadillac’s crossover-dependent lineup and adds much-needed homegrown luxury cred to the market. It arrives at dealers in the fall of 2020.