Don't Sleep On the Cadillac CT5-V: Review

The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing gets all the attention, what with its supercharged engine and six-speed manual. But slotted neatly between the base CT5 and the full-bore Blackwing is the CT5-V—a solid yet oft-forgotten performance car.

The CT5-V packs a still-powerful twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, Magnetic Ride Control, and thanks to a few updates for 2025, a premium interior with Cadillac’s latest and greatest infotainment technology. And for just $58,390 to start, it’s a pretty solid performance bargain.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Cadillac’s twin-turbo V-6 is a smooth operator. Sending 360 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission, the CT5-V is no slouch. It gets to 60 miles per hour in a competitive 4.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 156 miles per hour, if you find the right road.

Max torque arrives at 2,400 rpm, which means plenty of grunt down low, if not a tiny tinge of turbo lag. The CT5-V feels quicker than its 4.6-second 0-60 time suggests. And it’s hella fun to rip between stoplights—especially with its burly V-6 exhaust note. But even at highway speeds, that engine never feels like it’s ready to quit; there’s always enough oomph even way up in the rev range.

The 10-speed automatic is… fine. The six-speed from the Blackwing would still be the superior gearbox here, but the auto shifts quickly enough and is friendly enough to use daily. Turn the drive mode to Track and tug at the paddles for best results.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Pros: Smooth & Powerful Engine, Refined Ride, Excellent Technology, Decent Base Price

The combo of the CT5-V’s Alpha platform (RIP Camaro) and Magnetic Ride Control means this car is a darling in corners. It dives eagerly into turns and feels composed all the way through exit. There is a hint of body roll—more, maybe, than the next-best Audi or BMW—but it never lacks composure.

If only the steering was a hair more precise. A dead-on-center feeling and some vagueness through the rack means the CT5-V doesn’t feel as tight as it should. Much like the more-powerful Blackwing, there’s still room for improvement in this respect (maybe a CT5-V Precision package?)

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

As a daily, though, the CT5-V is unrivaled. That Magnetic Ride Control that does so well in corners also makes the CT5 a sublime long-distance cruiser. It absolutely eats up bumps. A rich brown leather covers the seats and dash, high-quality finishes dot the center console, and a massive new touchscreen for 2025 finally brings Cadillac’s technology up to speed. That was one of my biggest gripes with the pre-facelift car.

The entire CT5 line has a standard 33.0-inch widescreen display that extends from the digital instrument cluster to the center touchscreen. It looks gorgeous and it’s extremely easy to use; all of the graphics are crisp, the response times are smartphone-quick, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both come standard.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Cons: Vague Steering, Pricey With Options, Needs A Manual

And praise be, Cadillac is one of the few brands that still offers a control knob for the screen (BMW just did away with its iDrive controller). It isn’t great for every function, but especially when driving, using the controller to access basic options is a breeze, rather than reaching for the touchscreen at high speeds.

But the best, most important piece of technology in the CT5-V is Super Cruise—GM’s hands-free driver assist. Super Cruise comes standard on the CT5-V, and it works flawlessly. Simply tick the steering wheel button on the, well, steering wheel, and a green light bar illuminates to tell you when it’s working.

Super Cruise keeps the car centered in the lane and even changes lanes automatically without your input when it sees an opening. You don’t need to touch the steering wheel at all, but you do always need to be at the ready just in case. So no looking at your phone; linger out the window for too long and Super Cruise will turn off.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

With a starting price of $58,390, the CT5-V falls to the middle of the pack in terms of pricing—but that’s no bad place to be. The new Audi A5 costs $48,995, the Acura TLX Type S is $51,595, and the Genesis G70 3.3T starts at $52,300. The BMW M340i, meanwhile, is a whopping $61,375 and the Mercedes-AMG C43 costs $63,650.

This particular car comes out to $70,225 with options, which makes it a bit tougher to swallow. The Platinum package—which includes a sunroof, the Technology package, nicer leather, and a microfiber steering wheel—costs $8,595. The performance data and video recorder (which you probably don’t need on a non-Blackwing) is another $1,600. While the paint, brakes, and ventilated seats add a total of $11,865 in options.

Many of those options might be worth skipping if all you really want is the Caddy’s powerful V-6, sublime suspension, and comfortable ride. In that respect, the CT5-V is hard to hate.

Competitors

Acura TLX Type S
Audi S5
BMW M340i
Genesis G70 3.3T
Mercedes-AMG C43