[Dovetonsils]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Here's an interesting "primer", so to speak, on auto paint.

https://www.consumerreports.org/buying-a-car/understanding-the-colorful-world-of-automotive-paint/

Reds are more expensive because the materials to make them are more expensive. Other paints require a more involved process (labor hours) to apply and cure. Other paints are developed by outside suppliers and that's just what they charge for them.

 

[gkr778]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Question on the red color, obviously GM charges a premium for the color in all its divisions (though a lot more on Cadillac). Does the paint actually cost GM more to purchase than the other metallic colors or are they simply charging more based on it being desirable? Or a mix of both, charging more because it costs more plus it is popular... I'm assuming a lot is the popularity, but I'm interested on the cost side.

Ultimately, GM charges $1,225 for the Red Obsession Tintcoat color on Cadillac CT4 because... it can. Profiteering at its finest.

This particular red paint uses a standard 2-layer process like other metallic colors, but adds a tinted clearcoat for extra depth. Crystal white, which is also a $1,225 option on CT4, uses a 3-layer process with a translucent middle layer.

 

[BlackGTP]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Here's an interesting "primer", so to speak, on auto paint.

https://www.consumerreports.org/buying-a-car/understanding-the-colorful-world-of-automotive-paint/

Reds are more expensive because the materials to make them are more expensive. Other paints require a more involved process (labor hours) to apply and cure. Other paints are developed by outside suppliers and that's just what they charge for them.

Interesting read! Thanks!

I knew those matte finishes were hard to take care of, but wow - what a pain. And to me, they don't even look good in the real world. They look neat at auto shows but on the road the cars look like colored primer.

 

[Vagon11]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Interesting read! Thanks!

I knew those matte finishes were hard to take care of, but wow - what a pain. And to me, they don't even look good in the real world. They look neat at auto shows but on the road the cars look like colored primer.

Yes, matte is a train wreck. Whoever thought it was a good idea to use fragile paint on a car should be sent to a penal colony. And agree totally, looks like they just primed it and sent it out without finishing the job.

 

[dannyg]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

With the recent (understandable) announcement that GM is deferring various updates, MCEs, etc., I guess this means there won't be any tweaks to the CT4/CT5 for 2021! Oh well. I was thinking they could offer the detuned 2.7T as a $2500 option on the Sport trim (same price as adding it to Prem Lux). Keep the full power 2.7T on the V of course. That would give you about a $40K Sport 2.0T, $42.5K Sport 2.7T, and $45K V.

You could do the same for CT5, offer the detuned 3.0TT as an option on the CT5 Sport.

(Plus my usual harangue to offer the same safety tech on the base CT4 as on the base CT5.)

 

[protovack]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

to the people complaining about the "NVH" of "Chevy" 4 cylinder engines vs their german competition, do you really think there is some deep secret to balancing 4 cylinder inline engines that GM has not thought of? They all need a balance shaft, they are all inherently "bouncy", and they are used for weight, cost, and packaging reasons in the germans too, just like GM. There is nothing inherently "smoother" about an inline 4 cylinder engine just because it is in a BMW car. Unless an engineer can chime in and give specific examples of where a german made 2.0L inline 4 in a base car has superior balance and why, I call BS on that argument.

 

[gkr778]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

There is nothing inherently "smoother" about an inline 4 cylinder engine just because it is in a BMW car. Unless an engineer can chime in and give specific examples of where a german made 2.0L inline 4 in a base car has superior balance and why, I call BS on that argument.

Beyond the use of balance shaft, techniques used by BMW to reduce NVH in its newer generation 4-cylinder engines include offset positioning of the crankshaft and wrist pin, precisely designed engine mounts, acoustically tuned intake and exhaust, and a "vibration damper/harmonic balancer" device for the crankshaft pulley (see diagram below).

But really, there's no need to enlist the assistance of an engineer in this context. Simply drive a BMW equipped with an N20 or B48 engine back to back with any GM car equipped with an LTG or LSY engine. If you can't tell the difference in NVH between the two automakers' powertrains, your senses are dull, you lack objectivity, or both.

 

[LithiumVsport]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

I was very disappointed to learn there is no V6 CT4 except for the ATS-V replacement, which I can't afford. It's all the more disappointing because the LGX V6 is such a wonderful V6. An LGX CT4 with a manual transmission would have been perfect.

In my experience there is not one GM I4 engine that has acceptable NVH levels. It's ridiculous when a Cadillac sedan has more engine vibrations coming through the driver's seat than a Ford Focus, but that's what felt when test driving a CT4. GM just won't invest the R&D needed to refine them, and then they wonder why nobody buys their sedans.

 

[gkr778]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

In my experience there is not one GM I4 engine that has acceptable NVH levels. It's ridiculous when a Cadillac sedan has more engine vibrations coming through the driver's seat than a Ford Focus, but that's what felt when test driving a CT4. GM just won't invest the R&D needed to refine them, and then they wonder why nobody buys their sedans.

+1
What makes this even more disappointing, as sdotjeezy mentioned to me in another thread, is that GM possesses the engineering talent to develop powertrains with NVH levels appropriate for a premium brand like Cadillac. Unfortunately, they apply that talent only to engines with more cylinders than my right hand has fingers.

I sincerely hope that the 2.7L 4-cylinder engine in CT4 will be the exception to this rule. Hopefully, driving impression reviews of CT4-V and CT4 Premium Luxury 450T will be available soon.

 

[dannyg]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Dealer video (about 4min) of CT4-V, yay, but no driving or engine noise, darn. Hoping for a driving video soon. Black on black, nice wheels, looks great. IMO.

 

[gkr778]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Dealer video (about 4min) of CT4-V, yay, but no driving or engine noise, darn. Hoping for a driving video soon. Black on black, nice wheels, looks great. IMO.

Nice video!

In Canada, CT4-V base price is $47,598 CAD including destination and air conditioning charge. At current exchange rates, that's about $34,100 USD.

 

[ArtsCadillac]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Raiti Loves the CT4-V. His review is on Youtube.

I could not post link due to post count.

 

[Scrambler]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Raiti Loves the CT4-V. His review is on Youtube.

I could not post link due to post count.

While I am still unimpressed with CT4 (just like with the whole small-sedan segment including A4 and CLA) I am positively astonished there's so little hate regarding CT4 in the YT comment section. People seem to like CT4 a lot and that's a good thing!

 

[Mr.Buttons]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

+1
What makes this even more disappointing, as sdotjeezy mentioned to me in another thread, is that GM possesses the engineering talent to develop powertrains with NVH levels appropriate for a premium brand like Cadillac. Unfortunately, they apply that talent only to engines with more cylinders than my right hand has fingers.

I sincerely hope that the 2.7L 4-cylinder engine in CT4 will be the exception to this rule. Hopefully, driving impression reviews of CT4-V and CT4 Premium Luxury 450T will be available soon.

Are you missing fingers on your left hand?

 

[gkr778]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Are you missing fingers on your left hand?

Yup, two fingers on my left hand were traumatically amputated during my service in the Army National Guard.

 

[gkr778]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Tech highlights from CT4-V, courtesy of Motor Trend

And some photos:

 

[Tethys]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

The most minor nit I have to pick with Markus' summary is that there is a red leather available - Sangria, at least with the Evergreen exterior. I haven't compared the rest of the outside color palette to see the available interiors with each exterior. Otherwise, this and the MT article I found on MSN Autos this morning, filled in a lot of background information for me and solidified this as my next ride.

 

[gkr778]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

this and the MT article I found on MSN Autos this morning, filled in a lot of background information for me and solidified this as my next ride.

Thanks Tethys! For anyone interested, here's the MSN Autos/Motor Trend article reviewing CT4-V AWD:

2020 Cadillac CT4-V AWD First Test: The Caddy That Vigs

 

[gkr778]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Consumer Reports purchased a 2020 Cadillac CT4 AWD 350T Premium Luxury and recently wrote an article with its initial assessment:

First Drive: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Both Thrills and Disappoints - This small, agile sport sedan invigorates the luxury lineup

Much of the article is limited subscribers only, so here are a few excerpts:

• Options: All-wheel drive ($2,000); navigation and Bose audio ($1,700); Crystal White paint ($1,225); driver assist package with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and reverse automatic emergency braking ($1,200); climate package ($1,200); technology package ($1,150); sunroof ($1,050); Driver Awareness Plus with blind spot warning, lane keeping assistance, and lane departure warning ($800); and front lighting and assist package ($400).
• Total options: $10,725
• Destination fee: $995
• Total cost: $49,215

What We Like

• Dynamics: The handling, steering, and braking are all impressive, making the car feel responsive and agile.
• Comfortable front seats: The seats are firm with supportive cushions, flanked by mild torso bolsters.
• Controls: Controls have been a notable shortcoming with modern Cadillacs, but those in the CT4 are pretty good. We love the volume and tuning knobs that are skewed to the left, making them easy for the driver to reach. The infotainment screen is responsive.
• Transmission: The eight-speed automatic transmission is smooth and responsive. It shifts smoother and in a more timely manner than the 10-speed unit in the CT5.

What We Don’t Like

• Rear access: It is unusually difficult to enter the back seat of the CT4 due to the small door opening, limited space between the seat base and the ceiling, and narrow floor space for stepping into.
• Back seat: Once inside, passengers will find there is tight toe space, restricted headroom, and their knees need to bend too much.
• Engine noise: The CT4 has a wheezy-sounding turbo engine. Its soundtrack is not pleasant, even during mild acceleration, and it becomes loud under hard throttle. This is a clear weakness cited by each tester. Plus, there doesn’t seem to be much oomph in reserve, giving the impression that the engine makes more noise than power.

 

[Dovetonsils]

Re: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Test Drive & Full Review (The Small Sedan Worthy of the Cadilla

Consumer Reports purchased a 2020 Cadillac CT4 AWD 350T Premium Luxury and recently wrote an article with its initial assessment:

First Drive: 2020 Cadillac CT4 Both Thrills and Disappoints - This small, agile sport sedan invigorates the luxury lineup

Much of the article is limited subscribers to only, so here are a few excerpts:

Thanks. I saw the tweet that CR was ready with some preliminary results and I was hoping that someone here would summarize their findings. I have been getting the magazine for decades and I know they give you a slight discount for the online information, but I still don't want to pay double for the same information. Almost had me getting just a one month subscription, but couldn't pull the trigger.