When it comes to luxury brand sports mid-size cars, many people will first think of the BMW 3 Series, which is the benchmark model in this segment and has many fans around the world. But for those young people who want a little personality and arrogance, the BMW 3 Series should be slightly low-key, and the Cadillac CT5 with a rich American rugged style is obviously more in line with the needs.
Appearance: American muscular man
Although both are positioned as sports mid-size cars, the BMW 3 Series and Cadillac CT5 are two completely different styles, the former is the standard German elegance, and the latter is the best interpretation of American wild and uninhibited. The 2024 Cadillac CT5 adheres to Cadillac's design philosophy of "art and technology", with a diamond-cut exterior design that creates a sharp sense of sculpture. The front face adopts a multi-layered geometric diamond cut profile of the Cadillac brand, and the black honeycomb mesh front grille matches the sporty style of the vehicle. The headlight cluster and LED daytime running lights adopt an integrated design, which has a stronger sense of integrity and heaviness.
As a model built on a rear-wheel drive platform, the 2024 Cadillac CT5 has a perfect 50:50 body ratio, and the fastback silhouette outlined by the C-pillar alpha diamond chamfer design brings the visual effect of a coupe. The continuous waistline extends from the end of the headlight cluster to the rear of the car, adding a sense of hierarchy. At the rear, the tail light clusters echo the headlight clusters. The sporty look of the rear is further enhanced by a short rear end, a decorative exhaust in chrome trim and a ducktail spoiler.
In terms of details, the new car is equipped with a new in-line quantum matrix headlamp, which uses 13 high-brightness LED lamp beads in each matrix lens to form a total of 24 pixel partitions on both sides, which can achieve 7 lighting modes. At the same time, the LED flowing turn signal strip and LED daytime running lights present a new welcome light language, with a number of classic V logo elements of the front face design, adding a sense of technological elegance. THE TEST CAR FEATURES 19-INCH MULTI-SPOKE ALLOY WHEELS MATED TO MICHELIN RACRACE PILOT SPORT 4S TYRES, A SPORTY, HANDLING TYRE WITH EXCELLENT GRIP AND A 245/40 R19 TYRE.
Interior: Technology and luxury coexist
In terms of interior, the 2024 Cadillac CT5 has been comprehensively improved in terms of technology compared to the old model. The 33-inch 9K surround screen Super Retina curved screen adopts automotive-grade glass-based Mini-LED partition backlight technology, and also has a 271PPI Super Retina-level display accuracy, which makes the visual experience remarkable. In addition, the in-vehicle system is also equipped with a vehicle-grade Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip, and the actual experience of the system operation is smooth and silky, without the slightest lag.
The three-spoke steering wheel has a neat shape and is covered in leather for an excellent feel. The layout of the physical multi-function button is reasonable. In addition, the center console control panel also retains a large number of physical buttons, which is convenient for the driver to operate while driving.
The audio system is the focus of the 2024 Cadillac CT5's interior upgrades. The new car is equipped with an AKG studio-grade audio system with 16 high-performance speakers, Quantum Logic surround sound and AKG acoustic prism technology. Judging from the actual audition effect, this set of audio has the characteristics of clear treble, precise midrange, and rich bass, with good quietness, bringing a good listening experience to passengers in the car.
Although the two-tone seats are not very sporty in terms of styling, the wrapping of the lumbar on both sides is quite good, and the seats are made of full leather material, which has a very good texture. As the top-of-the-line model, the front seats of the review car support 12-way electric adjustment, and functions such as front seat heating/ventilation/massage are also readily available. The air conditioning panel adopts physical buttons, and the evaluation car is equipped with temperature zone control and an in-car PM2.5 filtration device to provide a comfortable and healthy cabin environment for drivers and passengers. In addition, the test car is equipped with a double sunroof, and the front half can be lifted or opened, which can effectively improve the ventilation efficiency of the car.
Power: High performance and low fuel consumption
The 2024 Cadillac CT5 is equipped with a 2.0T turbocharged engine with a maximum power of 174kW and a maximum torque of 350Nm. The drivetrain is mated to a 10-speed automatic longitudinal transmission with a manual system, which is in the same vein as the V-Series high-performance models.
From the actual experience, the power reserve of the evaluation car is sufficient, and the output is linear and smooth. The accelerator pedal responds at a moderate rate, and the engine automatically adjusts the angle of the intake valve according to the working state, and closes two cylinders at the right time to achieve fuel savings. When you press the throttle deeply, the revs will quickly rise to more than 3000 rpm, and the speed will also increase significantly. When switching to Sport mode, the throttle and gearbox respond more quickly and sportily.
In terms of handling, the car showed a very high standard, with ample power reserve and quick body response, making it perform with ease when quickly navigating many curves. The steering effort is on the high side, in line with its positioning as a mid-size sporty car. The variable steering ratio reduces the steering wheel steering amplitude, further improving the car's cornering performance.
The MRC maglev suspension, which scans the road surface 1,000 times per second and responds in real time, can be adjusted hard and soft, but the overall is still more supportive, which can feel a little stiff, but it helps to achieve better dynamic performance. At the same time, the evaluation car is also equipped with active noise cancellation and multi-layer soundproof glass in the front row to improve ride comfort.
Space: Decent Basically
In terms of riding space, the 175cm tall experiencer sits in the front row, and after adjusting the seat, the headroom margin is about a punch. Keeping the front row still, the experiencer comes to the back row, the headroom can still be close to a punch, and they will not feel depressed, and the legroom margin is also more than a punch. The rear seats offer a wide center armrest, and the middle seat is not suitable for long rides due to the high raised floor in the middle of the rear row. Judging from the overall performance, although the 2024 Cadillac CT5 does not have a lot of riding space, it is basically enough.
In terms of storage space, as a luxury brand model, the review car is very thoughtful in terms of details. All storage compartments are furcing, which is non-slip and silent. Although the size of the central armrest box is not very large, you can basically put your carry-on items in it. The rear center armrest also provides storage compartments, but the depth is average, and it is only suitable for small items such as mobile phones and keys.
The interior shape of the trunk is not very regular, and the rear seats cannot be fully connected with the trunk when the rear seats are folded, and the space is generally malleable. According to official data, the standard volume is 384L, so it is not a problem to place regular-sized suitcases or daily necessities. There are storage platforms and storage compartments on both sides of the trunk that can be used to store small items.
Security: Rich and comprehensive configurations
The performance of the evaluation car in terms of safety is very comprehensive, with 5 high-definition cameras, 12 ultrasonic radars, and 4 millimeter-wave radars to form a 360° safety detection system. In terms of passive safety equipment, in addition to the six airbags in the regular position, knee airbags, which are rare in its class, are also provided to fully protect the safety of the occupants. Haptic vibrating seats provide a safety reminder for the driver without disturbing other passengers.
In terms of active safety, the test car is equipped with functions including lane departure warning system, active braking/active safety system, forward collision warning, rear collision warning and other functions. In terms of driving assistance functions, it is equipped with FSR ACC full-speed adaptive cruise control and HoLCA intelligent lane centering assist functions, which can realize the vehicle to automatically keep the vehicle in the center of the lane and follow the vehicle and cruise function, and cooperate with the capacitive sensing steering wheel with millisecond-level perception ability to reduce the driver's fatigue and effectively ensure driving safety.
Summary:
In terms of sales, the 2024 Cadillac CT5 is still far behind the "German top three", but if measured by vehicle performance, it is obviously more able to meet the needs of young people for sports mid-size cars. The U.S. muscle car design brings a strong visual impact, good dynamic performance can satisfy the driver's desire for sports, and more importantly, the price of this American luxury sports mid-size car is very affordable.