Used 2018 Cadillac CT6 Luxury Sedan Review

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.

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 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.