{"id":139639,"date":"2019-09-12T16:54:49","date_gmt":"2019-09-12T20:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=139639"},"modified":"2019-09-12T16:54:49","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T20:54:49","slug":"first-look-2020-cadillac-ct4","status":"publish","type":"reviews","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/reviews\/first-look-2020-cadillac-ct4\/","title":{"rendered":"First Look: 2020 Cadillac CT4"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cadillac introduced the high-performance CT4-V first. Now. it’s revealing the mainstream 2020 CT4 sedan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite the initial success of its \u201cArt & Science\u201d design language and the original CTS sedan, Cadillac continues to struggle to find a successful formula, especially when it comes to the sort of compact sedan that can challenge the likes of the vaunted BMW 3-Series.<\/p>\n

Caddy\u2019s little ATS never seemed to get any traction and has vanished from the line-up. In its stead, the Detroit luxury brand is about to give it another try with the debut of the 2020 Cadillac CT4.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t the first time we\u2019ve seen the compact sedan, however. General Motors\u2019 flagship brand took the unusual approach of launching a high-performance version, the CT4-V, earlier this year. Clearly, that move was meant to emphasize the serious driving capabilities designed into the new entry\u2019s underlying platform.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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The 2020 Cadillac CT4 is slightly lower and narrower than the old Caddy ATS, but about three inches longer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(Live from Frankfurt!<\/strong><\/em> Click Here for our complete coverage of the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show.)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Visually, Cadillac hasn\u2019t abandoned the ATS entirely. There are some familiar Art & Science design cues, though the vertical running lights are now paired with slit headlamps framing the classic Caddy grille. There\u2019s a subtle Coke bottle shape to the sedan\u2019s sides and the rear picks up some cues from the brand\u2019s biggest sedan, the CT6. The goal was to give the car a more \u201cathletic stance,\u201d said Cadillac, with more clearly rear-wheel-drive proportions \u2013 though all-wheel-drive is likely to be one of the more popular options.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe developed CT4 to appeal to youthful buyers in the luxury market who may be new to the Cadillac brand,\u201d said Andrew Smith, executive director of global Cadillac design. \u201cThe vehicle was intended to draw attention, using a combination of great proportions, taught surfacing and Cadillac family details that hint at the athletic driving experience this vehicle offers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The CT4 is slightly lower and narrower than the old ATS, gaining about three inches overall length.<\/p>\n

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The automaker has put a lot of attention into the cabin, a place where Caddy has needed some upgrades.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(First Drive: 2020 Cadillac XT6. <\/strong><\/em><\/span>Click Here for our review.)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Critics haven\u2019t been especially kind when it comes to Cadillac cabins of late, faulting recent offerings like the XT4 and XT6 crossovers for not really living up to the level of refinement and sophistication needed to plant the flag in the global luxury market. Caddy designers seem to have taken those criticisms to heart. The layout of the CT4 is more sculptural and there\u2019s been a focus on introducing more lavish materials.<\/p>\n

From a technical standpoint, there\u2019s the latest Cadillac Cue infotainment system, a high-def rear backup camera, a premium audio system with active noise cancellation and other niceties. The well-reviewed Cadillac Super Cruise system, which allows limited hands-free driving, will become available next year.<\/p>\n

In terms of powertrain options, we\u2019ve already learned that the CT4-V is motivated by a 2.7-liter turbo-four making 325 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. That engine is detuned for the CT4 Premium Luxury package, here turning out 309 hp and 348 lb-ft. The CT4 becomes the first-ever Caddy model to only offer turbo options, the \u201cbase\u201d powertrain using a 2.0-liter inline-four making 237 hp and 258 lb-ft. The smaller engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic, both versions of the 2.7-liter getting a 10-speed. And there\u2019s that all-wheel-drive option available with both engines.<\/p>\n

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The CT4 will be offered with two engines, the bigger 2.7-liter turbo-four upgraded to 325 hp for the CT4-V.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(BMW Concept 4 Brings Future Back to the Present. <\/em>Click Here to check it out.)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Caddy clearly wants to put the word \u201csporty\u201d back into its vocabulary. The CT4 offers an assortment of options that should appeal to those who like performance, including its driver-mode selector, Brembo brakes on the Sport and V-Series models, and the magnetic ride control suspension that, to our surprise, was not offered on the brand\u2019s newest SUVs due to its higher cost.<\/p>\n

With U.S. motorists increasingly shying away from passenger cars in favor of utility vehicles and other light trucks, Caddy has trimmed down what was an expansive plan for its sedan, coupe and convertible line-up. But it knows there\u2019s still demand for classic luxury sedans, especially in the Chinese market where it has been making some much-needed inroads.<\/p>\n

Whether it will click with U.S. drivers more effectively than the old ATS is uncertain.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll have to wait until later this year for more details, such as performance numbers, fuel economy and pricing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Caddy isn’t walking away from the luxury sedan market and the 2020 Cadillac CT4 seems intent on addressing some of the faults of its older entry-lux sedan. TheDetroitBureau.com takes a closer look.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":139641,"menu_order":0,"template":"","tags":[],"category_reviews":[27,19,31,30],"make":[36,43],"post-state":[],"category_old":[118,150,151,205,185,287,131,156,163,132,161,139,148,312,128,291,278,288],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews\/139639"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reviews"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139639"},{"taxonomy":"category_reviews","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_reviews?post=139639"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=139639"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=139639"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=139639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}