2025 Acura TLX vs. 2026 Cadillac CT4

Car Chomper says choosing between the 2025 Acura TLX and the 2026 Cadillac CT4 primarily means weighing raw power and luxury cachet against significant cost savings, with the TLX starting at $45,400, a hefty $9,800 more than the CT4's $35,600 MSRP, but that extra investment buys 272 horsepower compared to the Cadillac's 237 hp, a 35-hp difference, while daily driving efficiency runs neck-and-neck at 25 combined mpg for the TLX versus 26 for the CT4, naming the CT4 best for commuters and value and the TLX best for families and enthusiasts, noting the TLX uses front-wheel drive while the CT4 keeps the traditional feel of rear-wheel drive. TrueCar confirms the CT4's $37,795 MSRP undercuts the TLX's $46,595 by $8,800, with the CT4 also winning on fuel economy at 22 city/32 highway mpg versus the TLX's 22 city/31 highway mpg.

Which to choose, and why

35 more horsepower, for $9,800 more

Car Chomper (opens in a new tab) says choosing between the 2025 Acura TLX and the 2026 Cadillac CT4 primarily means weighing raw power and luxury cachet against significant cost savings, with the TLX starting at $45,400, a hefty $9,800 more than the CT4's $35,600 MSRP, but that extra investment buys 272 horsepower compared to the Cadillac's 237 hp, a 35-hp difference.

Front-wheel drive versus rear-wheel drive

Car Chomper (opens in a new tab) notes the TLX uses a front-wheel-drive platform while the CT4 keeps the traditional feel of rear-wheel drive, naming the CT4 best for commuters and value and the TLX best for families and enthusiasts.

$8,800 cheaper at MSRP

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) confirms the CT4's $37,795 MSRP undercuts the TLX's $46,595 by $8,800, with the CT4 also winning on fuel economy at 22 city/32 highway mpg versus the TLX's 22 city/31 highway mpg.

Questions buyers ask

Which has more horsepower, the Acura TLX or Cadillac CT4?

Car Chomper (opens in a new tab) says the TLX, at 272 hp versus the CT4's 237 hp.

Is the Cadillac CT4 rear-wheel drive?

Car Chomper (opens in a new tab) says yes, unlike the front-wheel-drive TLX.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Acura TLX: 3 records · Cadillac CT4: 8 records.

Decision field	Acura TLX	Cadillac CT4
Exact EPA records	3	8
Model / option labels	3	4
Drive layouts	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive	All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion	2L 4-cyl SIDI, 3L 6-cyl SIDI	2.7L 4-cyl SIDI, 2L 4-cyl SIDI, 3.6L 6-cyl SIDI
Transmissions	Automatic (S10)	Automatic (S10), Automatic (S8), Manual 6-spd
Fuel types	Premium	Premium
EPA classes	Compact Cars	Compact Cars
Combined efficiency	21–25 MPG/MPGe	18–26 MPG/MPGe
Electric range	Not listed	Not listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate	$3200–3800 per year	$3050–4450 per year

Head to head

Acura TLX vs. Cadillac CT4: size, power, capability and price.

Measure	Acura TLX	Cadillac CT4
Starting price (KBB base)	$46,595	$37,795
Top trim price (KBB base)	$59,245	$48,195
Horsepower	272-355 hp	237 hp
Torque	280-354 lb-ft	258 lb-ft
Curb weight	3,756-4,221 lb	3,578-3,622 lb
Length	194.6 in	187.2 in
Wheelbase	113 in	109 in
Cargo volume	13.5 cu ft	10.7 cu ft
Seating	5 seats	5 seats
Basic warranty	4 years	4 years

Figures are ranges across each model’s trims from Kelley Blue Book records (2025 and 2026 model years); prices are KBB base prices.

The Cadillac CT4 starts $8,800 lower: $37,795 against $46,595 before options and fees.
On peak horsepower, the Acura TLX leads: 355 hp against 237 hp.
On peak torque, the Acura TLX leads: 354 lb-ft against 258 lb-ft.
The Cadillac CT4 is lighter, comparing lightest trims: 3,578 lb against 3,756 lb.
On length, the Acura TLX leads: 194.6 in against 187.2 in.
On wheelbase, the Acura TLX leads: 113 in against 109 in.
On cargo volume, the Acura TLX leads: 13.5 cu ft against 10.7 cu ft.
Both list the same seating capacity: 5 seats.
Both list the same basic warranty: 4 years.

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Acura TLX and the Cadillac CT4.

2025 Acura TLX

The Acura TLX is a four-door entry-level luxury sedan that was produced by Acura, a luxury division of Honda, from 2014 through 2025. It was the successor to both the TL and TSX models. The discontinuation of the RLX after the 2020 model year left the TLX as the flagship sedan in Acura's lineup.

Safety: TLX safety features include Lane Keeping Assist System with Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Blind Spot Information System, Tire Pressure Monitoring system with Tire Fill Assist, Collision Mitigation Braking System, and Vehicle Stability Assist. There are 7 airbags, including a driver's side knee airbag. 1 vehicle structure also rated "Acceptable" 2 strength-to-weight ratio: 5.67

Source: Acura TLX (Wikipedia)

NHTSA rated the 2025 Acura TLX overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 5 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 5 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (3 campaigns across the latest model years)

May 2026, Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic… Consequence: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
June 2025, Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Pedals And Linkages. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles… Consequence: A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
December 2024, Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly. Acura (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2023 TLX vehicles. The fuel filler neck and fuel tank may have been improperly welded, which can result in a fuel leak. Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Owners filed 4 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Acura TLX, most often about electrical system (3), steering (2), engine (1).

2026 Cadillac CT4

The Cadillac CT4 is a sedan manufactured and marketed by Cadillac. It replaced the Cadillac ATS sedan and sits below the CT5 in Cadillac's lineup. The CT4-V was unveiled on May 30, 2019, followed by the standard CT4 four months later.

Awards: The CT4-V Blackwing was named in Car and Driver's 10 Best List in 2022–2026.

Source: Cadillac CT4 (Wikipedia)

Owners filed 2 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Cadillac CT4, most often about unknown or other (1), vehicle speed control (1), forward collision avoidance (1).

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2025Acura TLX3 configurations →02 · 2026Cadillac CT48 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

13 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2025 Acura TLX or the 2026 Cadillac CT4?

Efficiency

The 2025 Acura TLX lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (23 vs. the 2026 Cadillac CT4's 22 MPG/MPGe).