2025 Cadillac CT5: Competes on price; what about driving?

2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance Premium vs. 2025 Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury: Battle of the fun little sedans.

This week: 2025 Cadillac CT5

Price: $55,915 as tested. The 3-liter V-6 added $3,500; all-wheel drive, $2,000; 20-inch wheels, $800; fancy paint, $625.

Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver likes the “slick styling, tech-heavy features list, V-series model adds legitimate performance,” but not that “the base engine disappoints, lower trims lack driving verve, cabin trimmings could be nicer.”

Marketer’s pitch: “The age of advancement.”

Reality: Will saving 10 grand off the Lexus be worth it?

What’s new: You know when you get a $55,000 Cadillac it’s on the lower end of the pricing spectrum. But it overjoys me to have a test vehicle that’s not all the bells and whistles.

The CT5 gets some new design enhancements and more comfort and features. Cadillac makes a lot of its 33-inch touchscreen, but that’s when you measure from one corner of the infotainment screen to the opposite corner of the gauge display.

Note that while the Lexus IS is considered a small sedan, the CT5 is a midsize. (But tell that to the CT5′s trunk.) So is bigger really better?

Competition: In addition to last week’s IS 500, there are the Acura TLX, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Volvo S60.

Up to speed: The CT5′s 3-liter twin turbo V-6 engine creates 335 horsepower. Car and Driver reports the four-cylinder version gets to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, while the 360-horsepower version of the V-6 in the CT5-V gets there in 4.8 seconds. So maybe put this middle engine choice at about a 5. Across the board, the Lexus gets the win here.

Shifty: The 10-speed transmission offers paddle shifting, which is challenging for 10 gears. The computer can do it better than you if you’re in a hurry. And better than me.

Still it’s nice to have the choices when they’re there. Most run-of-the-mill General Motors products offer just a Low and maybe a button to set a gear.

On the road: The Cadillac handling matches any of its competitors. Cadillac makes one wonder why GM can’t provide better manners across the brands, but I guess they don’t want to dilute this luxury name.

Country roads are fun, curves and dips a breeze. Cornering almost gets to the slide point, but I could never make it happen. Which probably has most of my readership relieved, because who wants to encounter some nut in a sedan sliding past him at the red light? Still, at least I’m not one of those morons who cuts the corners too close and you’re wondering if your front end will get clipped.

Even so, last week’s IS handles handling better.

Driver’s Seat: The Cadillac bolsters really keep you in snugly, and they have adjustments if you need a little less. There’s also plenty of lumbar variation, and a nice massage feature — delightful for a $55K vehicle.

The material feels luxurious and almost Lexus-y. Still, Lexus still does Lexus better, so they get the win here.

Gauges offer various choices, and the whole screen lights up delightfully from the door to the passenger seat upon start-up. Neato.

Can you see me now? The trademark Cadillac sedan shape remains difficult to see around. The low windows on the sides are separated by big pillars, making passing difficult. The angled rear window and tiny side mirrors complete the anxiety-inducing visibility, and make passing or changing lanes feel fraught with peril.

Friends and stuff: The rear seat is as comfortable and supportive as the front. Legroom and foot room are awesome even for a midsize sedan.

Headroom is snug, though; at just 5′10”, my head is in full contact with the ceiling.

The center seat features a tall hump, so sitting there would be one part Cadillac comfort, one part nightmarish leg cramps.

Cargo space is just a trunk measuring 11.9 cubic feet, bigger than the IS but still small. Overall, CT5 has the advantage.

Play some tunes: The stereo provides some fairly decent playback, about an A-. Adjusting the tone is a couple levels into the screen but not the worst.

The screen handles most of the adjustments, and it’s not as out there as in previous generations, just simple to use. There’s a dial and buttons as well, à la BMW, but I never needed them. Cadillac for the win.

Keeping warm and cool: A row of buttons underneath the infotainment screen handles all the heating and cooling adjustments.

Rectangular vents don’t make for the most directional control of the airflow.

Fuel economy: I averaged 15.5 mpg in a very close-to-home, short range of testing. The vehicle averaged 19.9 over 450 miles, still not that stellar. Not a clear comparison to the Lexus, but seems like a toss-up.

Where it’s built: Lansing, Mich.

How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the 2024 reliability to be a 3 out of 5.

In the end: The CT5 is very nice, especially for a more inexpensive version of this kind of hot rod.

But when comes down to choosing, this category is a toss-up between last week’s IS 500 and the BMW M340. The stereo in the BMW would probably make the decision for me.