Against All Odds, The Cadillac CT5 Will Live To See A New Generation

The sedan market is a mere shadow of what it used to be. While cheap, affordable four-doors from brands like Kia and Nissan continue to deliver sales wins, bigger, luxurious sedans haven’t been so lucky. That space has mostly been filled by crossovers, resulting in many sedans exiting the market this year with no clear replacements (Acura TLX, BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe, and Volvo S90, just to name a few).

Many expected Cadillac’s CT4 and CT5 sedans to go the way of the Dodo bird, just like many of its competitors. But it turns out that won’t be the case – for one of those cars, anyway.

In a statement emailed to owners and published by the Cadillac V Club, Cadillac vice president John Roth confirmed the company would be retiring the current CT4 and CT5 models next year:

Today, Cadillac will announce that after six strong years, the current generation Cadillac CT4 and CT5 will be retired after model year 2026. The CT4 will continue through June 2026 and the CT5 until the end of 2026.

Over recent years, these vehicles have consistently delivered on our expectations through exceptional performance, cutting-edge technology, and superior craftsmanship earning many accolades. This success has led to an underscoring strong demand that cements the brand’s legacy for generations to come.

All pretty normal so far. I was ready to pour one out for Cadillac’s wonderful sedans, but then I kept reading:

Therefore, I am thrilled to confirm that the legacy of the CT5 will continue as a next-generation internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle in a future model year. The next-generation CT5 will be manufactured at GM’s Lansing Grand River Assembly plant. It will be available for purchase in the United States and Canada. We’ll share more details as plans are finalized.

Cadillac is well positioned to adapt its portfolio to meet customer demand by offering the luxury of choice and this is the next proof point of that flexibility.

I, like many in this industry, expected Cadillac to simply kill off both CT-badged sedans without much fanfare, eventually replacing them with the company’s growing lineup of SUVs, so to hear that one of them is surviving is excellent news. Knowing it’ll stay ICE-powered and be sold in North America are just the cherries on top.

The current CT5 can be had with a V Blackwing badge, which adds a 668-horsepower supercharged V8 with an available six-speed manual transmission. It is, in this humble author’s opinion, the best-driving sedan on the planet. Whether the new CT5 will get a Blackwing trim is unclear at this time (Cadillac verified the authenticity of the letter above to me, but declined to share any specifics about trims or powertrains). Either way, I think this is good news if you enjoy seeing cars on the road that aren’t dull, lifeless SUVs.

Sadly, the smaller, more agile, more affordable CT4 isn’t so lucky. While I’m sad to see it go, I’m not surprised Cadillac chose to keep the CT5 alive, but not this car. Despite being a sedan, the CT5 has managed to outsell the company’s three-row XT6 SUV and the smaller, more affordable XT4. The CT4, meanwhile, has been in dead last, with just 4,066 units sold so far this year, representing just 3% of all Cadillac sales in 2025.

As depressing as it may be to see yet another sedan bite the dust, at least Cadillac hasn’t totally given up on the body style just yet.