This CT4 Sport model will cost more with a $39,590 price tag.
Cadillac
The 2020 Cadillac CT4 is a curious thing. On the outside, it seems to be about the size of a BMW 3 Series. On the inside, its dimensions are far closer to those of an Audi A3. This deliberate tweener strategy is something Cadillac hopes to take advantage of as it lets the CT5 better tackle larger, established luxury sedans. The CT4 is all about the entry-level luxury buyer.
And the newest Cadillac sedan showed it has a good argument to make as the brand released prices on Wednesday. With a starting price of $33,990 (including destination), it’s cheaper than its two rivals, the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class. For the enthusiast, it might be a more inspiring choice too, since every CT4 sits on a rear-wheel drive platform. All-wheel drive is available on every trim, but its A3 and A-Class rivals sit on front-wheel drive platforms. Like the Cadillac, they also both offer AWD.
Cadillac keeps it fairly simple with trim levels as part of its “Y” strategy. Buyers either choose the Luxury or Sport path in the fork. While base CT4s carry the Luxury trim name, stepping up to the Premium Luxury model sees the price increase to $38,490. A CT4 Sport will set buyers back $39,590. At the top of it all sits the CT4-V, which, to be clear, isn’t a direct replacement for the previous ATS-V. It costs $45,490.
Opt for AWD on the base Luxury or Sport trim and it adds $2,600 to the final cost. Meanwhile, on what I presume will be the “volume model,” that is the Premium Luxury trim, it costs $3,200 to add AWD. CT4-Vs with power flowing to all wheels require a $1,100 upcharge.
For every CT4 outside of the V model, a 2.0-liter turbo-four pairs with an eight-speed automatic and provides 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, which will outmuscle both the A3 and A-Class. Step up to the tamer V model this time around and you’ll find a 2.7-liter turbo-four that makes 309 hp and 348 pound-feet of torque matched to a 10-speed automatic. That should help keep any Audi S3 runabouts at bay, and even the upcoming Mercedes-Benz A35 sedan. A proper replacement for the ATS-V, perhaps called the CT4-V Blackwing, will dial things up even further in the future.
All CT4 models will come standard with keyless entry, push-button start, a premium audio system and a high-definition rearview camera. The options list will obviously tack more money onto the final price.
The ATS, while a good little car, never quite broke into the entry-level space like Cadillac hoped. Perhaps it had something to do with Americans’ lightning-quick attraction to crossovers and SUVs at the same time. Nevertheless, Audi and Mercedes-Benz still find buyers for their smallest sedans — the Cadillac CT4 wants a piece of that pie, and perhaps value will serve it a la mode.