2020 Cadillac CT4 Pricing Revealed; Base Sticker Undercuts Old ATS

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

For its last model year, the Cadillac ATS boasted rear-wheel drive, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, and an MSRP of $35,495 plus destination. Two years later, the newest and smallest addition to the Cadillac range keeps the recipe more or less the same, only the starting price of the 2020 CT4 rings in a couple grand lower.

Less power, less price, but perhaps more buyers?

That’s what Cadillac would like to see, though the saga of the old ATS and CTS was not an especially happy one. Despite ballsy V-badged models boasting Dodge-worthy horsepower figures, the brand’s lesser sedans faced an uphill battle. Declining passenger car sales, poor residual values, and the ever-present menace of the Germans made for a bumpy ride.

It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the just-revealed CT4 and CT5, either. Comments about questionable styling choices and less-than-fearsome engine offerings greeted Cadillac’s new crop of four-doors, but that’s Cadillac’s problem. Other performance shoes could drop.

For bottom-rung CT4 Luxury buyers, expect a 2.0L turbo four generating 237 hp and 258 lb-ft and an MSRP of $33,990 after destination. Your only transmission choice is an eight-speed automatic. This places the entry-level RWD Caddy well below the $35k barrier, making it more than $7,000 less expensive than the cheapest BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Adding all-wheel drive to the base CT4 pushes the model’s price to $36,590.

Opting for the Premium Luxury trim adds cost, as well as a four-cylinder most closely associated with a large truck. General Motors’ new-for-2019 2.7-liter turbo four (GM press materials avoid listing the cylinder count) makes 309 hp and 348 lb-ft, inflating the CT4’s starting price to $38,490. Swap RWD for all-wheel motivation, and you’re looking at a price tag of $41,690. The only tranny offered with the 2.7-liter is a 10-speed automatic.

While the Sport model doesn’t add any ponies, it does don an appearance package and Brembo brakes, pushing the price a tick higher ($39,590 with RWD, $41,190 with AWD). Note that ticking the AWD box nets buyers a cold weather package featuring heated front seats (ventilated on Premium Luxury) and a heated steering wheel.

If memories of the defunct ATS-V linger, buyers enamored with moar powah can opt for the CT4-V, a sedan that retains the 2.7-liter but bumps things up a bit. That variant makes 325 hp and 380 lb-ft, still significantly less than Cadillac’s former hot compact. Starting price for the CT4-V is $45,490; for this tab you’ll find Brembo brakes with four-piston front calipers, a limited-slip differential, and 18-inch wheels shod in summer rubber. Adding AWD to the mix takes things to $46,590.

If any of this appeals to you, you’ll get a crack at the CT4 when it arrives early next year.

[Images: Cadillac]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

More by Steph Willems

Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 63 comments
  • Monkeydelmagico Monkeydelmagico on Oct 10, 2019

    As long as the dealership experience is sufficiently luxury the ct4 should do ok. While I would still probably buy a loaded Accord this new caddy might get a few takers who would otherwise be driving a Camry.

  • Ponchoman49 Ponchoman49 on Oct 10, 2019

    So what we have here is basically a re-run of the previous model complete with comical rear seat legroom, a glove box sized trunk, uglier rear styling combined with considerably less power than last year's model, no V6 and another dumb letter name. What could go wrong? Well at least they sort of corrected the instrument cluster and lowered the price so that is something I guess.

    • Mjz Mjz on Oct 11, 2019

      That's a perfect summation of the situation.

  • Alan My view is there are good vehicles from most manufacturers that are worth looking at second hand.I can tell you I don't recommend anything from the Chrysler/Jeep/Fiat/etc gene pool. Toyotas are overly expensive second hand for what they offer, but they seem to be reliable enough.I have a friend who swears by secondhand Subarus and so far he seems to not have had too many issue.As Lou stated many utes, pickups and real SUVs (4x4) seem quite good.
  • 28-Cars-Later So is there some kind of undiagnosed disease where every rando thinks their POS is actually valuable?83K miles Ok.new valve cover gasket.Eh, it happens with age. spark plugsOkay, we probably had to be kewl and put in aftermarket iridium plugs, because EVO.new catalytic converterUh, yeah that's bad at 80Kish. Auto tranny failing. From the ad: the SST fails in one of the following ways:Clutch slip has turned into; multiple codes being thrown, shifting a gear or 2 in manual mode (2-3 or 2-4), and limp mode.Codes include: P2733 P2809 P183D P1871Ok that's really bad. So between this and the cat it suggests to me someone jacked up the car real good hooning it, because EVO, and since its not a Toyota it doesn't respond well to hard abuse over time.$20,000, what? Pesos? Zimbabwe Dollars?Try $2,000 USD pal. You're fracked dude, park it in da hood and leave the keys in it.BONUS: Comment in the ad: GLWS but I highly doubt you get any action on this car what so ever at that price with the SST on its way out. That trans can be $10k + to repair.
  • 28-Cars-Later Actually Honda seems to have a brilliant mid to long term strategy which I can sum up in one word: tariffs.-BEV sales wane in the US, however they will sell in Europe (and sales will probably increase in Canada depending on how their government proceeds). -The EU Politburo and Canada concluded a trade treaty in 2017, and as of 2024 99% of all tariffs have been eliminated.-Trump in 2018 threatened a 25% tariff on European imported cars in the US and such rhetoric would likely come again should there be an actual election. -By building in Canada, product can still be sold in the US tariff free though USMCA/NAFTA II but it should allow Honda tariff free access to European markets.-However if the product were built in Marysville it could end up subject to tit-for-tat tariff depending on which junta is running the US in 2025. -Profitability on BEV has already been a variable to put it mildly, but to take on a 25% tariff to all of your product effectively shuts you out of that market.
  • Lou_BC Actuality a very reasonable question.
  • Lou_BC Peak rocket esthetic in those taillights (last photo)
Next