2021 Cadillac CT4 500T

Test Drive Notes Library

Pros
Smooth. The 10-speed automatic is among the smoothest shifting we’ve encountered. Almost never noticeable, it works exactly as a good, luxury-car automatic transmission should.
Power. Our test car had the optional ($2,500) 2.7L four-cylinder turbo charged engine. It feels like absolutely plenty of power for this smaller Cadillac. It should. It’s rated at 310 hp. The standard 2.0L engine is good for 237 hp, which might be enough, too, but we haven’t driven it. The 2.7L propelled the CT4 off the line quickly, and provided a jet-like surge of power for highway entrance ramps and bank robbery getaways.
Interior. The inside of our “Premium Luxury” trim CT4 (base price $37,595, as tested $49,365) feels very Cadillac. Even though this is a small car—compact for Cadillac—the inside feels properly high-end. While it’s cozy in the cockpit, the cognac colored seats and trim, which set off the black dashboard, help it feel less claustrophobic. All of the materials feel good to the touch, all of the expected luxury car extras are present and accounted for, and you can order yours with a bunch of high tech wizardry, like a clean, well-executed digital dashboard.
Handling. You can have fun with the CT4. It handles twisty roads without any slosh. It feels very capable.
Quiet. With the windows up, the CT4 is quiet inside, especially while cruising.
Mileage. We got between 25-26 mpg overall, which is respectable for a powerful, rear drive entry-level luxury car.

Cons
Engine sound. OK, we’ll just say it. This engine sounds terrible. If you happen to have the windows down, or are standing outside the car, it sounds more like a Cavalier than a Cadillac. There’s nothing wrong with the engine. It’s works well. But it sounds gravelly and harsh. Windows up!
Looks. Cadillac has made some pretty good looking cars lately. The CT4 is not one of them. It looks fine, but has a generic, GM look that doesn’t really match the high-price the brand is shooting for. It gives the impression that it’s been modified for Cadillac rather than designed for Cadillac.
Front heavy. Even though the CT4 handles well, and is based on a rear wheel drive platform, it feels like a front-driver. We don’t know the actual weight distribution of the car, but the front end feels heavy in turns.
Tight. This is Cadillac’s smallest sedan, and the car is cozy. There’s enough room up front, but even there, the car seems to close in around you. The rear seats are what most people would call tight and low. It’s a personal car.
Wireless CarPlay issues. We had continual problems using the car’s wireless Apple CarPlay. Sound from the bluetooth audio feed dropped out on an annoyingly regular basis. At one point, the connection was lost entirely, and a message indicated that there was “wireless interference.” Foregoing the wireless CarPlay and switching to old fashioned bluetooth connection solved the problem, but was mighty inconvenient.