SUVs and crossovers keep posting healthier sales every year around the globe. Despite the clear consumer sentiment, Cadillac feels there is still potential in the compact saloon segment. As such, the 2020 Cadillac CT4 is the American carmaker’s contender in the market.

And it’s not as if the CT4 hasn’t something unique to offer. The same platform that underpins the Chevrolet Camaro can found doing duty under the saloon. This means that the CT4 has the potential to offer a sporty, involving drive.

Cadillac will be offering the CT4 in various trims with different power outputs and performance enhancements.

Cadillac believes that compact luxury saloons are very much in vogue, aiming to attract a younger clientele with the luxurious, sporty CT4.

Design

Replacing the ATS, the Cadillac CT4 retains the four-door, five-passenger, rear-wheel-drive formula. It sits lower to the ground than the outgoing ATS. The sportier dimensions are aimed at a younger audience, while 11 different exterior colours and eight interior trims are offered to sweeten the proposition.

The 2020 Cadillac CT4 features different grilles for the Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, and V-Series variants. The signature vertical lights in all four corners are full-LED. Both the taillamps and headlamps are joined by a prominent shoulder line that gives the car a definitive American personality. A swoopy C-pillar melding into the rear end rounds off the CT4’s overall design tastefully.

Interior

Inside, the instrument cluster is a full-colour digital unit, with an 8.0-inch touchscreen handling all infotainment duties. A high-definition rear-view camera relays video to the screen, and Cadillac also offers its Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving technology.

The CT4's future-forward cabin is equipped with all-digital displays, rich upholstery available in various colours, and a premium audio system.

Standard features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry, push-button start, leather-wrapped steering wheel, LED interior lighting, dual-zone climate control with humidity sensor, and a premium audio system.

Cadillac has also packed the 2020 CT4 with the latest in safety and driver assistance. Some of the available safety systems include forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, and lane departure warning.

Drivetrain

The 2020 Cadillac CT4 comes with a choice of both engines and transmissions. Base trims will be equipped with a 2.0-lite turbocharged inline-four petrol engine making 237hp and 350Nm, paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The Premium Luxury trim can be specified with a 2.7-litre turbocharged four-cylinder motor good for 309hp and 472Nm. Finally, the CT4-V extracts 325hp and 515Nm from the 2.7-litre engine, and pushes power to the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel-drive is an available option.

With selectable driving modes, standard Brembo brakes on the Sport and V-Series, and an exhaustive safety net, the 2020 Cadillac CT4 makes a compelling case for itself.