2023 Toyota Prius vs 2023 Cadillac CT5

In Southern California, the 2023 Cadillac CT5 stood out amidst a sea of Asian and German luxury cars, drawing attention and admiration from onlookers. The test vehicle, a CT5-V, was coated in a distinctive light gray metallic color called Rift, which, combined with its 19-inch aluminum wheels with a Pearl Nickel finish, made it a rare sight on the roads. The CT5-V, positioned between the standard CT5 and the high-performance CT5-V Blackwing, offered a sporty yet luxurious experience. Despite its competitive pricing, the interior quality revealed a mix of high-end materials and less impressive details, such as hard plastic panels and unlined storage areas. However, the CT5-V boasted standard features like ambient lighting, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, making its technology user-friendly and accessible.

The 2023 Toyota Prius underwent a complete transformation, finally embracing a stylish design that had been absent in previous models. The new Prius featured a sleek exterior with a blend of curves and edges, giving it a futuristic yet approachable look. The car's longer, lower, and wider stance improved handling and aesthetics. Inside, the Prius offered a solid and well-finished cabin, with a pair of screens for the driver and infotainment system. While the interior prioritized function over form, it remained a comfortable space for occupants. The new Prius successfully combined efficiency with an appealing design, making it a more attractive option for hybrid car buyers.

The 2023 Cadillac CT5-V was powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine, delivering 360 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. This engine outperformed the base engines of its German competitors but fell short compared to the BMW M340i and Mercedes-AMG C 43. The CT5-V could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, although it felt slower than it sounded. The car featured a 10-speed automatic transmission, which, while generally reliable, occasionally required manual intervention via paddle shifters for optimal performance. The CT5-V offered various driving modes, including Tour, Sport, Track, My Mode, and V-Mode, allowing drivers to tailor the car's characteristics to their preferences. Despite its impressive performance, the CT5-V was not a quiet car, with road noise and suspension racket detracting from the overall experience. However, its balance, body control, grip, and brakes made it enjoyable to drive on winding roads.

The 2023 Toyota Prius featured a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a more powerful electric motor and lithium-ion battery, producing 194 horsepower in FWD models and 196 horsepower in AWD models. This marked a significant improvement over the previous model's 121 horsepower. The Prius felt more athletic and responsive, with a 0-60 mph time of 7.1 seconds, a notable improvement from the older model's 10.5 seconds. While not a sports car, the Prius offered ample acceleration for everyday driving. The revised suspension and longer wheelbase contributed to agile handling, and the car remained composed over rough surfaces. Although the brakes exhibited some hybrid-related squishiness, the overall driving experience was comfortable and engaging for its target audience.

The 2023 Cadillac CT5 offered a spacious and comfortable interior, built on the same platform as the smaller CT4 and Chevrolet Camaro. The standard 18-way power-adjustable front performance seats were wrapped in Inteluxe artificial leather, with genuine leather available as an option. While the test vehicle's seats initially felt flat, adjusting the bolsters and lumbar support improved comfort and support. Entering and exiting the front seats was easy, but the rear seats posed more of a challenge due to the door frame design. Once seated, rear passengers enjoyed a slightly reclined backrest and good thigh support. The CT5-V provided functional storage areas, including a wireless smartphone charging pad and a decent-sized storage bin. However, the trunk offered only 11.9 cubic feet of cargo space, making packing for trips a challenge. Hidden storage under the trunk floor and a deep well for items like wine bottles added some practicality.

The 2023 Toyota Prius, despite its larger exterior, had a slightly smaller interior compared to its predecessor. Headroom decreased in both the front and rear seats, but legroom improved, accommodating taller passengers comfortably. The optional fixed glass roof on the XLE trim enhanced the cabin's openness, though it did not open for airflow. Cargo space decreased to 20 cubic feet on XLE and Limited models and 24 cubic feet on the LE. Forward visibility was good, but the loss of the split rear window affected rear visibility. The cabin featured practical touches, such as cupholders, a wireless smartphone charging pocket, and USB-C charging ports. The cargo area included small underfloor storage cubbies, and a flexible cargo cover helped conceal items when parked.

The 2023 Cadillac CT5 excelled in making technology accessible and user-friendly. The CT5-V featured a Cadillac User Experience (CUE) infotainment system with a 10-inch touchscreen and a 12-inch digital instrumentation display. Standard features included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The system also offered wireless smartphone charging, Alexa Built-in, and a Bose 15-speaker premium audio system. Cadillac's approach to controls, with stereo volume and radio tuning on the center console, was intuitive and effective. While the test car lacked an embedded navigation system, Apple CarPlay integration was seamless. Additional upgrades included a head-up display, a high-definition surround-view camera, and a Performance Data Recorder.

The 2023 Toyota Prius came with an 8-inch color touchscreen infotainment system on the base LE and mid-grade XLE models, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The XLE offered an optional 12.3-inch touchscreen, standard on the Limited trim, which provided a more responsive and intuitive experience. The navigation system required a subscription to Toyota's Drive Connect for real-time updates. All models featured a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, though it was criticized for being too busy. The Prius included six USB-C charge ports, wireless smartphone charging on XLE and Limited trims, and an AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot. Subscription-based connectivity bundles offered features like remote vehicle access, safety assistance, and cloud navigation.

The 2023 Cadillac CT5 came equipped with the Cadillac Smart System, a collection of safety features and driving assistance systems. Standard features included forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, a vibrating Safety Alert Seat, rear parking sensors, and Teen Driver monitoring technology. The CT5-V added adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic rear braking, and front parking sensors. The optional Super Cruise 1 Package provided hands-free driving assistance on approved highways, with features like lane-centering and lane-change systems. While Super Cruise was impressive, drivers still needed to remain attentive and ready to take control when necessary.

The 2023 Toyota Prius featured Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, a suite of active safety features. This included radar-based adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure alerts with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, and Proactive Driving Assist. The latter used radar and cameras to detect curves and obstacles, slowing the Prius accordingly. All driver assistance features were standard across all trims. Additional safety features included stability control, traction control, eight airbags, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts. The Limited trim offered an optional hands-free automatic parallel parking feature called Advanced Park. As of now, the 2023 Prius has not been crash-tested by IIHS or NHTSA.