Cadillac CT4-V is a worthy representative of the brand

This review first appeared in the August 2021 edition of the Cruisin' News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California ­– When I was growing up in Dayton, Ohio, the Cadillac brand meant something.

For starters, Dayton was a General Motors town, home to a major assembly plant, GM subsidiary Frigidaire and multiple GM suppliers.  The old joke used to be: If GM gets a cold, Dayton gets pneumonia.

And the swankiest dealership in town was the Cadillac store, with gleaming models visible through the storefront glass. Many folks would stroll by and just stare, perhaps dreaming of the kind of status such luxurious cars could command.

Fast forward decades to my recent week in the 2021 Cadillac CT4 V-Series compact luxury/sport sedan. I'm lucky in that the V-Series is considered the cream of the CT4 crop.

And more to my interests, this ride more than lived up to the Cadillac brand reputation that imprinted itself on my brain all those years ago.

For starters, it looks classy and sporty at first glance.  Nice angular cuts on the side and a sweetly sculpted grille make for an easy on the eyes package.  My ride wore Shadow Metallic paint with a Sangria/Jet Black interior.

Power comes from a 2.7-liter turbo-4 rated at 325 horsepower. Matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission, the turbo power plant blasted the CT4-V around with serious authority, with the bonus of a throaty exhaust note in the deal.

Freeway cruises were silky smooth, and the CT4 was decidedly agile in dicey urban settings.  Good acceleration from a standing start came in handy on numerous occasions, jetting me out of harm's way and freeing up driving room in a pinch.

Cadillac was wise to emphasize performance in the V-Series as this sedan stacks up very well against similarly sporty compact sedans made by rival automakers.

Inside, I was comfortable and surrounded by a wealth of comfort and convenience features.  Some critics have bashed Cadillac for not putting enough luxury in the CT4, but I was not buying that. My ride was nicely appointed for the starting fare of $44, 895.  Option packages on the tester pushed the sticker's bottom line to $50,015, but the extras were heavy on safety.  They included rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, blind zones alert and following distance indicator.

Fuel mileage was OK at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.

So, in the final analysis, does this CT4 V-Series uphold Cadillac's legacy in this modern age, in a world of numerous small crossover SUVs and increasing numbers of hybrid/electric cars?

In my estimation, the CT4 V-Series wears the Cadillac badge with honor.