Engaging driving experience for a large luxury sedan
Priced less than many competing sedans
Cons
No V8 engine offered
Virtually no unique customizability compared to rivals
Lacks the cosseting ride quality offered by competitors
What’s new
Changes to the 2018 Cadillac CT6 are primarily technology- and convenience-based. The ability to get over-the-air updates for the vehicle's software is one notable upgrade along with a revised user technology interface, which allows for easier app manipulation. Front-seat ventilation and the heated steering wheel control can be set to automatic while the rearview camera gets its own wash system. Finally, the automatic parking assist now incorporates pedal operation to further automate the parking process.
Vehicle overview
The 2018 Cadillac CT6 can best be described as a full-size luxury sedan, but it's priced like a midsize. If you like the idea of a spacious and upscale luxury sedan with a little Detroit attitude, this Cadillac fits the bill.
Under the hood, the CT6's segment-straddling identity is apparent. Turbocharged four-cylinder power is standard, and it's the same engine that's featured in the Cadillac's midsize CTS. You won't find that combination in any of its German competitors.
But there's no doubt that the CT6 reaches new heights of luxury relative to its midsize brethren. Throw in generous rear passenger accommodations, top-shelf interior trimmings and a competitive starting price, and the CT6 becomes a legitimate challenger to the traditional leaders.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
7.4 / 10
Cadillac's CT6 offers unique exterior styling, an avant-garde interior, sporty handling, and cutting-edge driver assist technology and smartphone connectivity. It also features a spacious interior and a competitive price.
Trim tested
The ratings in this review are based on our Full Test of the 2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum (twin-turbo 3.0L V6 | 8-speed automatic | AWD).
NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current 2018 Cadillac CT6 has received some revisions, including a new nine-speed automatic transmission for 2017 and the deletion of the Premier trim level. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's 2018 Cadillac CT6.
Scorecard
Overall
7.4 / 10
Driving
7.5
Comfort
7.0
Interior
8.0
Utility
7.5
Technology
8.0
Driving
7.5
Formidable acceleration, powerful brakes and a smart transmission give the CT6 a king-of-the-road character that befits its flagship status.
Acceleration
7.5
The turbocharged V6 has strong pull from almost any rpm, and quick, smooth upshifts give the sense of virtually uninterrupted power. Zero to 60 mph takes 5.2 seconds, though, which puts this top-of-the-line CT6 midpack among top-shelf sedans.
Braking
9.0
The CT6's brake pedal is reassuringly firm and easy to modulate. Despite the car's roughly 4,400-pound bulk, the brakes hauled it down from 60 mph in just 102.4 feet in Edmunds testing, a stunning performance for a luxury sedan.
Steering
7.0
The steering effort gets artificially heavy in Sport mode without adding any tangible value for spirited driving. Left in its default mode, it's light and pleasantly accurate, if typically numb for the segment.
Handling
6.5
Body roll is held within reasonable bounds, but the CT6 feels large and long. Some cars shrink around you at speed; this isn't one of them. The CTS on which it's based is a great athlete, but the CT6 is unremarkable, like a stretched CTS on novocaine.
Drivability
7.0
Throttle modulation is intuitive, but the transmission sometimes feels as if it has only two modes: "stay in current gear" or "redline ho!" An in-between step would be appropriate for a dignified luxury car.
Comfort
7.0
The CT6 has potential in this category, but our test car's jittery ride held it back. Put the ride aside, and you've got a roomy, well-appointed sedan with a quiet cabin and massaging seats front and rear.
Seat comfort
7.5
The wide front seats don't offer much lateral support but are plenty comfortable on long hauls. Massage controls are finicky, but the multiple massage programs are addicting. The rear outboard seats feel first-class and offer massage functions of their own.
Ride comfort
4.5
Even on roads we know to be fairly smooth, our CT6 Platinum quivered uncomfortably. The ride was also a bit flinty over impacts, so we never really felt as if it was dialed in the way a car in this class should be.
Noise & vibration
7.0
The CT6's 3.0-liter V6 sends vibrations through the steering wheel at 4,500 rpm, which is common for a V6 but unwelcome at this price (e.g., Audi's V6 doesn't do it). The highway ride is hushed, with little wind, road or tire noise to speak of.
Climate control
7.5
Strong A/C performance and quiet fan. User-friendly touchscreen interface for climate controls with redundant controls below. Separate controls for rear passengers look like the redundant ones in front. Effective seat heating and cooling front and rear.
Interior
8.0
High-end materials are just about everywhere you look and touch, and the Platinum model we tested has every available feature. A good showing for the price, although customization options are limited.
Ease of use
8.0
Cadillac's infotainment interface has been improved since its introduction. The 10.2-inch touchscreen features large, easy-to-understand icons and a sensible menu structure. Other controls are mostly user-friendly as well, so it's an easy car to live with.
Getting in/getting out
8.0
Large doors afford wide openings all around, and the CT6's seats are at the perfect height to slide right in. Convenient and welcoming for all ages and stages.
Driving position
7.5
The CT6's power-adjustable wheel doesn't telescope out far enough, so it'll be a reach if you need to slide the seatback a ways. The wheel itself feels substantial in your hands, and gauge visibility is excellent. Up and down range for the seat is ample.
Roominess
8.5
Tons of rearward travel for the front seats, and generous room in all other directions. Taller drivers have plenty of space. Rear-seat room is also ample, even for larger folks, but there are no footrests as in some competitors.
Visibility
7.5
The view out is satisfactory front and rear. You don't feel as if you're peering out of a bunker. The streaming-video rearview mirror had us seeing double due to the different focal point, but it shows a wider view of what's behind (and can be turned off).
Quality
7.5
The CT6 Platinum's cabin is swathed in leather and chrome interior trim is thankfully sparse. Overall, the effect isn't quite as nice as what you get from Audi or Mercedes-Benz, but it's getting harder to pinpoint the flaws.
Utility
7.5
At heart, the CT6 is a stretched version of a midsize sedan (the CTS), and that shows in its relatively short and small trunk. Cadillac could also do a better job at providing interior storage options; the stylishness of the dashboard and center stack seem to have taken priority.
Small-item storage
6.5
The touchpad on the center console takes up some space that might otherwise be used for phone storage. You'll manage in the CT6, but your phone might end up in one of the cupholders. Decent room for other stuff under the center armrest.
Cargo space
7.5
The trunk has a wide opening that's great for loading large items such as golf bags. The trunk narrows abruptly at the rear wheelwells, however, and overall volume is modest at 15.3 cubic feet.
Child safety seat accommodation
8.0
The CT6's long rear doors and large back seat give it an inherent advantage compared to smaller sedans. A rear-facing child seat should fit with no need to adjust the position of the corresponding front seat. The two sets of LATCH anchors are easy to access.
Technology
8.0
Technology is a strong suit for the CT6, especially now that the user interface has been revised with a beautiful 10.2-inch display and quicker response times. If you're looking for high-tech features that are also user-friendly, the CT6 is a good pick.
Audio & navigation
8.0
Cadillac's CUE system has been improved. The touchscreen looks great and responds promptly to commands. The redundant touchpad between the seats provides odd haptic vibration feedback. Bose Panaray system sounds rich and full.
Smartphone integration
8.0
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on the CT6. Cadillac's got you covered with four USB charge ports, three USB audio ports and wireless charging to boot. Bluetooth phone pairing is quick and painless.
Driver aids
8.0
The CT6 Platinum comes standard with adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, lane departure intervention, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a night vision system. There's also a streaming-video rearview mirror.
Voice control
7.0
Our repeated attempts to change iPhone playlists were unsuccessful even though we used the proper voice command structure ("Play playlist [name]"). Instead, a sustained press of the voice button accesses the iPhone's Siri voice commands, which work quite well.
Which CT6 does Edmunds recommend?
Thanks to its price advantage, the CT6 Platinum, would be our choice. Its impressive standard features list, such as rear-wheel steering, night vision, massaging seats, rear-seat entertainment, and quad-zone climate control, exceed anything from its competitors at a similar price level.
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
2018 Cadillac CT6 models
The 2018 Cadillac CT6 is a large luxury sedan available in four main trim levels. The base CT6 is well equipped, while the Luxury trim adds high-end safety and convenience features. Next, the Premium Luxury adds even more technology, followed by the Platinum,which makes all options standard.
The base CT6 comes standard with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine (265 hp, 295 lb-ft) and includes 18-inch wheels (19s with the V6), front and rear parking sensors, LED headlights and taillights, heated mirrors, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats (with two-way power lumbar), driver-seat memory settings and dual-zone automatic climate control. Also standard on the technology front are GM's OnStar system (with 4G LTE connectivity and Wi-Fi hotspot capability), Bluetooth, a 10.2-inch touchscreen with Cadillac's CUE interface, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, a rearview camera, voice controls, four USB charge ports, wireless charging and an eight-speaker Bose sound system with satellite radio and three audio USB ports.
An optional Driver Awareness and Convenience package adds a panoramic sunroof, automatic high-beam headlights, automatic wipers, power-folding mirrors, heated front seats, a navigation system and an array of extra safety features (see Safety section for details). There's also an optional V6 engine rated at 335 hp and 284 lb-ft.
The Luxury trim starts with all of the above equipment and adds another engine choice, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 (404 hp, 400 lb-ft), automatic parking system, auto brake hold (prevents forward/rearward creep when your foot is off the brake), a hands-free trunklid, four-way power lumbar for the front seats, front passenger-seat memory settings, a top-down 360-degree parking camera system, rear side window shades, upgraded interior lighting and a 10-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system.
The optional Comfort package adds ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. There is also an Enhanced Vision and Comfort package with those upgraded seats plus a unique rearview mirror that displays streaming video from a special rearview camera.
Moving up to the Premium Luxury gets you an upgraded gauge cluster display, a head-up display, and the Enhanced Vision and Comfort package as standard.
For both the Luxury and Premium Luxury trim levels, an available Rear Seat package bolsters the CT6 Luxury's feature list with a rear entertainment system and four-zone automatic climate control. An available Active Chassis package (not available with the 2.0-liter engine) bundles adaptive suspension dampers, active rear steering and 20-inch wheels. A 34-speaker (yes, 34) Bose Panaray premium audio system is also optional. For the Premium Luxury trim only, an optional Driver Assist package adds adaptive cruise control, a night vision camera system and enhanced safety-related automatic braking.
At the top of the totem pole is the Platinum, which adds all of the above as standard equipment plus 12-way power-adjustable front seats with massage functions, premium leather upholstery, and eight-way power-adjustable outboard rear seats with ventilation.
The Plug-In variant takes many of the options available in the Premium Luxury and Luxury configuration and makes them standard, along with a new 2.0-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain (335 hp, 432 lb-ft). The Driver Awareness and Convenience and the Enhanced Vision and Comfort packages are all standard. The Hybrid comes with 18-inch wheels and is only available in rear-wheel drive. Due to the large battery pack, you do lose significant trunk volume.
The 2018 Cadillac CT6 has a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic warranty and 2 recalls. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Recalls
2 recalls found
Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.
If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).
Recall Number:
18V673000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
18315
Manufactured from:
2018-06-01 to 2018-09-05
Number of vehicles affected:
15800
Defect Description:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Defect Consequence:
If the child seat is not properly secured in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Corrective Action:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18315.
Recall Number:
18V437000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
18228
Manufactured from:
2015-09-04 to 2017-09-21
Number of vehicles affected:
22043
Defect Description:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CT6 vehicles. The inboard child seat anchorage bars may have had excess structural adhesive applied during assembly, which can interfere with the installation of a child seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Defect Consequence:
If the child seat cannot be attached correctly to the anchorage bar, there is an increased the risk of injury.
Corrective Action:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, remove any excess adhesive, and apply anti-corrosion primer to the inboard child seat anchorage bars, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 18228.
I absolutely love this car. I have owned 6 cars and 3 SUV's and the CT6 hybrid is by far the best. The ride is incredible. The ride is so smooth it feels as though you are floating. The seats hug you as you drive and it feels as though they were made just to fit your body. The technology in this car is amazing and surprisingly easy to navigate.
2018 3.6 AWD
4 out of 5 stars
Anguyen, 05/01/2018
2018 Cadillac CT6 Luxury 4dr Sedan AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
I haven't experienced the jerky transmission shift problems at low speed. Perhaps because I also turn off the auto stop/start function which is unrefined (very similar to our 2016 Audi A6 3.0T). The driving dynamics, technology and value have been as advertised. But fit and fitness needs work (loose rear quarter rubber seal, climate control panel popping out). At least my dealership … experience has been excellent. The car lacks the blistering speed of our 2016 Audi A6 but just as buttery smooth (perhaps slightly more than that A6). And the hushed cabin, technology and the way this large car handles a twisty road, on the standard steel suspension, are rather impressive.
I am having issue that involves the transmission on this vehicle. On occasion the transmission shifts/lurches so hard that it feels like the vehicle was struck from the rear. I did take the vehicle in for service and dealership stated that they upgraded the computer and the problem should not re-occur. Wrong! The same issue has occurred several more times and one time my grandkids … were in the vehicle and it actually scared them when the vehicle lurched. Reading other reviews involving the Cadillac CT6 shows that I am not alone with this issue. I know that there is no perfect vehicle available on this planet but, what I fear is that the lurching may occur and cause an accident or transmission will not last long and will need to be replaced (hopefully, while under warranty).
This transmission issue is still an issue, as I have taken the vehicle back to the dealership and the dealership cannot "duplicate" the hard shift. Interesting fact is that every single person that has been in my vehicle has felt this problem and I have had it occur before and after taking the vehicle for service.
No more review necessary. GM repurchased this vehicle as of 11/15/2018 due to the issue with the transmission and their inability to either replace or repair it.
The 8 speed transmission on the CT6 is just plain awful. The first to second shift feels at times as if you have been hit from behind by another car. Other times it takes seconds for the car to shift from first to second and during that time the car has no power applied to the wheels. GM and the dealerships appear to do nothing about this after several complaints and tell me its … normal (no...it's not normal for a $70+ car to shift like a 30 year old truck).
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Cadillac CT6, so we've included reviews for other years of the CT6 since its last redesign.
Cadillac Super Cruise vs Tesla Autopilot | Comparison Test
Tesla's Autopilot and Cadillac's Super Cruise are the most capable driver assistance systems available and provide a glimpse toward the future of self-driving cars. These semi-autonomous driving modes aren't the same, though. And while Tesla's Autopilot has been deployed on the Model S, Model X and Model 3, Super Cruise debuted this year and is available only on the… Cadillac CT6. We drove an Autopilot-equipped Tesla Model 3 and a Super Cruise-equipped Cadillac CT6 to explore the system's similarities and differences in the real world.
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Scorecard
