Used 2020 Cadillac CT6

The 2020 Cadillac CT6 probably isn’t the first large luxury sedan that springs to mind when there are towering rivals like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Lexus LS, Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series grabbing most of the attention. But Cadillac’s flagship car offers a few distinct talents to bolster its appeal. Super Cruise, for example, a partially autonomous driving system that actually works, plus a 34-speaker Bose audio system (pity those poor people with only 19 speakers) and pricing that’s seriously competitive.

The CT6 is also spacious and comfortable, while sporting a suitably upscale yet individual exterior design. Sure, the Europeans and Japanese have their own specialties, but this sedan is an essay on American luxury.

We recommend passing on the standard 2.0-liter turbo engine because 237 horsepower in a large flagship sedan really doesn’t cut it. An optional twin-turbo V6 brings 404 horsepower and all-wheel drive into the picture, which is much more appropriate for something of this size and heft.

Cadillac’s hand-assembled Blackwing 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 is really a spectacular engine option. It makes the kind of V8 exhaust sounds that add a German luxury car or classic American sedan vibe depending on your frame of reference. With 500 horsepower and 574 lb-ft of torque, acceleration is unbelievably quick. The car gets from a stop to 60 miles per hour in about 4 and a half seconds. This is the same V8 used in the CT6 V but, in the more performance-oriented V, the engine makes 50 more horsepower.  In the CT6, opting for the Platinum trim gets you the V8 engine and that boosts the price significantly – close to $100,000. That’s about the same as the CT6 V. Unless you’re regularly nearing the limits of this big Cadillac sedan’s handling abilities, the Platinum makes the most sense. However, Cadillac says CT6 cars with the Blackwing V8 will be built in very limited numbers.

Scoring high on the lux-o-meter for ride quality, the 2020 CT6 also acquits itself well whenever some agility is called for, especially with the Active Chassis Package that includes rear-wheel steering. Like other Cadillacs, this chassis is world-class. During long stints (where we’ve also used Super Cruise extensively), we’ve found the cabin to be tranquil, and the seats perfectly comfortable and supportive; climbing out of the car after hundreds of miles feeling barely taxed.

All the usual luxury elements are here: leather, wood trim, nice carpets and tech-y displays. But the Cadillac CT6 puts them together in a manner that complements the exterior styling. Fans of Cadillac styling will like what they see here. The Luxury trim has an 8.0-inch configurable instrument cluster, but Premium Luxury and up have a 12-inch unit that combines with the 10.2-inch infotainment touch screen to create a large glass area in the dashboard that looks really modern.

Rear passengers may also be well catered for, not just with space. The CT6 also offers reclining and massaging rear seats.

In common with virtually every other premium marque, Cadillac has its own design language. It’s different from anything created in Europe, but still just as valid. The lines and shapes not only give the CT6 presence, they also disguise the length, which is just over 17 feet.

We’d argue that it’s handsome enough to be on screen. It has indeed made appearances in the Ray Donovan tough-guy TV series and a Bruno Mars video (Magic), plus a couple of other cameos.

Differences in trim levels are signified by details such as cornering lights and illuminated door handles, along with specific sizes and designs of alloy wheels.

SUPER CRUISE
This alone makes the CT6 worthy of consideration. Now standard in Premium Luxury trim, Super Cruise enables hands-free (and feet-free) driving on certain highways, taking over the steering and braking, as well as being a sophisticated adaptive cruise control. It can even execute lane changes. What might be surprising is how quickly one gets used to it.

BOSE PANARAY AUDIO SYSTEM
The Premium Luxury trim also gains this 34-speaker system as standard. Don’t worry, the speakers are small but positioned around the cabin so every occupant can enjoy surround-sound involvement. Bose doesn’t quote wattage, but it will get loud.

You have to admire a car whose entry-level trim is called Luxury. The most affordable Cadillac CT6 does the leather-and-wood thing, comes with 14-way power-adjustable front seats that are now heated, 18-inch alloy wheels, and the extra features mentioned in our What’s New section. It also has the 4-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels.

We’d contend that Luxury may not be sufficiently luxurious and recommend looking at the next-up Premium Luxury model. This becomes exceptionally well equipped for 2020, including Super Cruise, a 335-horsepower V6 and all-wheel drive, 16-way front seats, 19-inch alloy wheels, and a self-parking feature.

Further up the 2020 CT6 hierarchy, the Sport trim’s V6 develops 404 horsepower, the body sprouts some aerodynamic additions, and the cabin receives some carbon-fiber trim accents. Some might also contend that the Sport is not sporty enough, in which case the special order V8-powered CT6-V should satisfy. Platinum models have a rearview camera in place of the usual mirror, head-up display, 20-way/ventilated/massaging front seats, heated/massaging/reclining outboard rear seats, and the Active Chassis package.

There’s a choice of engines for the 2020 CT6. The standard powerplant is a naturally aspirated (not turbocharged or supercharged) 3.6-liter V6 in the Premium Luxury model. Making 335 horsepower, it drives all four wheels (AWD).

The Platinum and V-Series CT6s are powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.2-liter V8 built in the same plant as the Corvette’s engine. It produces a whopping 550 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque. In the CT6 V-Series, the twin-turbo V8 puts out even better power: 550 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 640 lb-ft of torque at 3,400 rpm.

The turbocharged engines require premium gasoline, the non-turbo V6 is fine with regular. All have a fuel-saving engine stop/start feature. Consumption is generally average; if anyone wanted to cut down on emissions while staying in the luxury-sedan realm, a few rivals offer hybrid/plug-in hybrid variants.

3.6-liter V6
335 horsepower @ 6,800 rpm
284 lb-ft of torque @ 5,300 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/27 mpg

4.2-liter twin-turbocharged V8
500 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm, (V-Series: 550 @ 5,000 rpm)
574 lb-ft of torque @ 3,400 rpm, (V-Series: 640 @ 3,400 rpm)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/25 mpg