2021 Cadillac CT4

Pros: Fine handling with precision steering; strong performance of 2.7-liter engine

Cons: Cramped back seat; small trunk

CG Says: The 2021 Cadillac CT4 adds standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and safety alert seat to the base Luxury model. There is also new wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and an available high-definition 12-inch instrument cluster.

Magnetic Ride Control suspension and limited-slip differential were formerly exclusive to CT4-V, but are now optional for the Sport model. Newly available for CT4 is Cadillac’s Super Cruise, a hands-free, semi-autonomous driving aid that can control the car while traveling on freeways and now includes the ability to change lanes.

The Cadillac CT4 debuted for 2020 as a replacement for the brand’s recently departed ATS compact car. The CT4 is a four-door sedan that retains the basic rear-drive architecture of the ATS, but has revised suspension, new powertrains, and fresh styling.

The CT4’s base engine is a 2.0-liter turbo four that makes 237 horsepower. The step-up engine is a turbocharged 2.7-liter 4-cylinder that develops 310 hp, or 325 in the sporty CT4-V model. (Note that Cadillac is also planning to introduce a super-performance CT4-V Blackwing model—with a twin-turbo V6 and an available manual transmission—for 2022.) The 2.0-liter engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic, while the 2.7 has a 10-speed auto. Rear-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available on all models.

Also included is a new generation of Cadillac’s CUE control interface that incudes over-the-air software updates. Available safety features include autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot alert, lane-keep assist, reverse automatic braking, and adaptive cruise control.

Cadillac’s re-imagined entry-level car suffers from some typical shortcomings for its class, such as a cramped back seat, and it doesn’t quite match the all-around finesse of its primary European rivals. However, it costs significantly less than those rivals, and it boasts athletic handling and a surprisingly gutsy 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine.