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Cadillac CT4
The Cadillac CT4 is a compact sedan sold from the 2020 to 2026 model years, its final year of U.S. production. CarGurus says CarComplaints lists the 2020 as the worst for reliability, though total complaints across the whole run are relatively low, and REREV says 2020 ranks worst by recall severity while 2022 actually leads on raw complaints, with 2023 and 2024 earning the best-year designation. Federal data shows the 2020 and 2021 with 4 recalls each, and the 2026 CT4 starts at $37,795.
What the Cadillac CT4 is and who buys it
Wikipedia (opens in a new tab) gives the CT4's U.S. production as 2020 to 2026, assembled at Lansing Grand River in Michigan and in Jinqiao, Shanghai for China, with CT4-V and CT4-V Blackwing performance variants. CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says the CT4 debuted for the 2020 model year in four trims, Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport and V-Series, with two turbocharged four-cylinder engine choices, and that buyers looking for a compact premium sedan with a good reliability record and comparatively low maintenance costs may well consider it worth the money. Roadlancer (opens in a new tab) says the 2.0-liter base engine returns approximately 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway in rear-wheel-drive form, figures that compare favorably against both European rivals and Cadillac's own larger sedans. Kelley Blue Book base prices for the 2026 CT4 are $37,795 for the Luxury, $42,195 for the Premium Luxury and $46,195 for the Sport.
Best and worst CT4 model years
Federal data shows the 2020 CT4 with 4 recalls and 8 complaints, the 2021 with 4 and 7, the 2022 with 2 and 6, and the 2023 with 1 and 3. The 2024 and 2025 have no recalls and 7 and 2 complaints.
CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says CarComplaints.com technically lists the initial 2020 model year as the worst for reliability, but that the total number of complaints across the CT4's entire production run is relatively low. REREV (opens in a new tab) says its years-to-avoid methodology weights recall severity and repair cost at failure more heavily than raw complaint volume, which is why 2020 ranks as the worst CT4 year despite 2022 leading on raw NHTSA complaints, and that 2023 and 2024 earn the best-year designation because its editorial guidelines require reliability verdicts grounded in NHTSA data, CarComplaints PainRank and Consumer Reports scores rather than manufacturer claims.
Choosing a year
The 2023 to 2025 cars carry the lightest recall record, matching REREV's best-year pick of 2023 and 2024, and with 2026 the CT4's final year, a used example is increasingly the only path forward.
Questions buyers ask
What is the worst Cadillac CT4 year?
CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says CarComplaints technically lists the 2020 as the worst for reliability, though the CT4's total complaints overall are relatively low.
Is the Cadillac CT4 discontinued?
Wikipedia gives its production run as 2020 to 2026 in the United States, making 2026 the final model year.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2026 Cadillac CT4 is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder, 2.7L turbo four-cylinder, or 6.2L supercharged V8 (Blackwing), rated at 237 / 310 / 325 / 472 horsepower across its compact luxury sedan body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2026 U.S. lineup has 5 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe 2026 CT4 seats 5 and is a Compact luxury sedan.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings for the 2026 CT4.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2026 Cadillac CT4
Luxury and Sport share the base 237-hp turbo four; Premium Luxury steps up to a 310-hp turbo engine, V-Series gets a tuned 325-hp version, and Blackwing is a distinct 472-hp supercharged-V8 flagship.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
2 indexed Cadillac CT4 model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Cadillac CT4 | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Cadillac CT4 | 2025 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the 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); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Cadillac CT4 at a glance
- Production
- 2019–2026 (China), 2020–2026 (United States)
- Model years
- 2020–2026
- Class
- Compact executive car (D)
- Body style
- 4-door sedan
- Layout
- Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, Front-engine, four-wheel-drive
- Platform
- GM Alpha 2
- Transmission
- 6-speed TR-6060 manual (CT4 V Blackwing), 8-speed 8L45 automatic, 10-speed Hydra-Matic 10L90 automatic
- Wheelbase
- 109.3 in
- Length
- 187.2 in
- Width
- 71.5 in
- Height
- 56.0 in
- Curb weight
- 3616 lb (CT4-V, RWD)
- Predecessor
- Cadillac ATS, Cadillac ATS-V (CT4-V Blackwing)
- Related models
- Cadillac CT5, Chevrolet Camaro (sixth generation)
- Designer
- Aaron Riggs, Dillon Blanski
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).
Year by year
The Cadillac CT4 across 7 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Cadillac CT4 | 18–26 | $3,050–$4,450 | 8 | ||
| 2025 Cadillac CT4 | 18–26 | $3,000–$4,300 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2024 Cadillac CT4 | 18–26 | $3,000–$4,300 | 8 | 7 | |
| 2023 Cadillac CT4 | 18–27 | $2,850–$4,300 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| 2022 Cadillac CT4 | 18–27 | $2,850–$4,300 | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| 2021 Cadillac CT4 | 23–27 | $2,850–$3,350 | 6 | 4 | 7 |
| 2020 Cadillac CT4 | 23–27 | $2,850–$3,350 | 6 | 4 | 8 |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Cadillac CT4, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 to 2024 | 22.5 to 22.0 | ||
| 2021 to 2022 | 6 to 8 | 25.0 to 22.5 | Engines: 3.6L 6-cyl SIDI; Transmissions: Manual 6-spd |
Buying used
What the Cadillac CT4 recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | exterior lighting (lighting control module) | 1 fixable over the air |
| 2022 | 2 | air bags (side/window); exterior lighting (lighting control module) | 1 fixable over the air |
| 2021 | 4 | air bags (srs malfunction warning lamp/light); air bags (side/window); exterior lighting (lighting control module); 1 more | 2 fixable over the air |
| 2020 | 4 | service brakes; air bags (side/window); exterior lighting (lighting control module); 1 more | 1 fixable over the air |
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| engine | 10 | 30% | 2020 (3) |
| service brakes | 7 | 21% | 2022 (4) |
| power train | 6 | 18% | 2020 (2) |
| steering | 6 | 18% | 2022 (4) |
| vehicle speed control | 5 | 15% | 2021 (1) |
| electrical system | 5 | 15% | 2022 (2) |
Trim by trim
Every 2026 Cadillac CT4 trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 237 | 258 | 3,578 | – | 25 | $37,795 |
| Premium Luxury | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 237 | 258 | 3,616 | – | 25 | $42,195 |
| Sport | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 237 | 258 | 3,622 | – | 25 | $46,195 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2026 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Cadillac CT4 model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 237 | 3,578–3,622 | – | 17 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 237 | 3,578–3,622 | – | 17 |
| 2024 | 5 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.7-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.6-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 237–472 | 3,422–3,860 | – | 17 |
| 2023 | 5 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.7-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.6-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 237–472 | 3,422–3,860 | – | 17 |
| 2022 | 5 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.7-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.6-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 237–472 | 3,422–3,860 | – | 17 |
| 2021 | 4 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.7-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 237–325 | 3,422–3,616 | – | 17 |
| 2020 | 4 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.7-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 237–325 | 3,455–3,468 | 1,000 | – |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Owning it
Oil, fluid and wheel-nut figures for the Cadillac CT4.
| Model year | Engine oil | Brake fluid | Wheel-nut torque | A/C refrigerant | Key-fob battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | (5.3 qt) 2.0L L4 Engine; (5.5 qt) 2.7L L4 Engine with Aluminum Oil Pan; (6.0 qt) 2.7L L4 Engine with Plastic Oil Pan; (7.0 qt) 3.6L V6 Engine | DOT 4 | – | – | – |
| 2025 | – | DOT 4 | – | – | – |
| 2024 | – | DOT 4 | – | – | – |
| 2023 | – | DOT 4 | – | – | – |
| 2022 | – | DOT 4 | – | – | – |
Source: the manufacturer's owner's manual for each model year. A dash means that year's manual gave no single value for it, for instance one that lists two oil grades or two key types.
Model-year recall record
Cadillac CT4: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | not available | ||
| 2025 | 2 | ||
| 2024 | 7 | ||
| 2023 | 1 | 3 | exterior lighting |
| 2022 | 2 | 6 | airbags, exterior lighting |
| 2021 | 4 | 7 | airbags, exterior lighting, powertrain |
| 2020 | 4 | 8 | airbags, brakes, exterior lighting, powertrain |
| 2019 | not available | ||
| 2018 | not available | ||
| 2017 | not available | ||
| 2016 | not available | ||
| 2015 | not available |
Method: recall counts and their affected components come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls API, queried by exact make, model and model year. Complaint counts come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Complaints API, same query pattern. Data pulled 2026-09-04.
Check open recalls by VIN for one particular vehicle.
Q01Is there a best year to buy a Cadillac CT4?
Federal recall records don't single out a best Cadillac CT4 model year: recall counts across the 4 published model years checked here stay within a normal range of this nameplate's own average (about 2.8 recalls per year), with no year standing out as notably higher or lower. Recall count is one input, not a purchase verdict. It says nothing about a specific vehicle's price, mileage, accident history or maintenance record.
Q02What are common recall-related problems on the Cadillac CT4 by model year?
2023: exterior lighting. 2022: airbags, exterior lighting. 2021: airbags, exterior lighting, powertrain. 2020: airbags, brakes, exterior lighting, powertrain.
Diagnosing one of these symptoms? The recalled systems above map to this site’s own ownership desks: general, evidence-first guidance that applies regardless of whether the specific vehicle in front of you was ever part of a recall campaign: Buying, records and recalls, Brakes, tires and steering, Climate and electrical, Transmission and drivetrain.
Compared with
Models this Cadillac CT4 is most often compared with.
Nearest Cadillac models
Other Cadillac models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2026 CT4 come in?
The 2026 Cadillac CT4 (compact luxury sedan) comes in 5 trims: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, V-Series, V-Series Blackwing.
Q02What are the 2026 CT4 trims?
The 2026 Cadillac CT4 trims are Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, V-Series, V-Series Blackwing, listed from the entry Luxury up to the top V-Series Blackwing.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2026 CT4 use?
The 2026 Cadillac CT4 is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder, 2.7L turbo four-cylinder, or 6.2L supercharged V8 (Blackwing), rated at 237 / 310 / 325 / 472 horsepower across its compact luxury sedan body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2026 CT4 have?
The 2026 Cadillac CT4 is rated at 237 / 310 / 325 / 472 horsepower (2.0L turbo four-cylinder, 2.7L turbo four-cylinder, or 6.2L supercharged V8 (Blackwing)).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2026 CT4?
The 2026 Cadillac CT4 is offered with RWD / AWD.