2025 Cadillac CT4

Cadillac is the only American luxury automaker still making sedans, and the 2025 Cadillac CT4 is the smallest sedan it makes. The CT4 brings sporty performance to the table, with good standard power and fun performance V-Series variants, the CT4-V and CT4-V Blackwing. Unfortunately, the littlest Caddy comes up short compared to its rivals in terms of refinement, comfort, luxury and even value.

There's plenty of power from any of the CT4's available engines, whether it's the base 237-horsepower engine, the 325-hp CT4 V-Series engine or the 472-hp V-Series Blackwing. While the power is nice, the standard CT4 and CT4-V come up woefully short when it comes to luxury-brand expectations. The sport-tuned suspension is too stiff in the day to day, and there isn't a noteworthy handling payoff. There's also quite a bit of hard plastic inside, even compared to similarly priced competitors. That said, the Blackwing's adaptive suspension and available manual transmission make it a much more compelling choice.

If you're shopping for a compact luxury sedan, you have options outside the CT4. Things start off with the BMW 3 Series, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A4. Those cars cost quite a bit more, though, but even when you compare it to less expensive entry-level luxury sedans from Acura and Lexus, the CT4's interior comes up short. The exception to this is the well-rounded CT4-V Blackwing, but that could be too much of a budget stretch for some.