The 2025 Cadillac CT5 refresh is mainly screen-deep

The most vocal complaints made from the automotive media concerning Cadillac’s midsize luxury sedan, the CT5, have chiefly targeted its wimpy base engine and its underwhelming interior. Five years into the car’s life, Cadillac has addressed one of those shortcomings.

Before you get your hopes up—this piece will not discuss the 2025 CT5-V Blackwing, for the simple reason that we know nothing about it: Cadillac refused to stray the least bit off-topic in the press briefing we attended for the four- and six-cylinder models. PR reps would not even discuss the six-cylinder V-Series model.

What was discussed: the revised front end, the two new paint colors, and the standard, 33-inch touchscreen on the 2025 CT-5.

Let’s start with the outside. Compared with the 2024 model, the new CT5 looks more chiseled, textured, and aggressively LED-lit. The most obvious change is in the headlamp area: The vertical, blade-like daytime running light—a design cue shared from XT4 to Escalade—is now unbroken. The LEDs that provide the main illumination are now stacked on top of, rather than next to, each other. Body-colored blades extend down and out from the grille, which is no longer framed below by a painted edge: In its place is more black trim and a lashing of satin-finish metal.

Both regular and Sport trims receive new textures for their grilles: One made of chrome details against gloss-black accents, the other a black mesh panel that extends below the body-color section that hides the mandatory pedestrian-protecting bumper. Out back, the only changes are a dose of new LEDs in the taillights.

Normally we’d breeze past paint colors; in the case of Typhoon, a newly available blue-green for 2025 on the CT5, we’d like to take a moment. Normally we’d breeze past paint colors; in the case of Typhoon, a newly available blue-green for 2025 on the CT5, we’d like to take a moment. A moment to complain, really, because Cadillac showed it to us only on the condition we not share it publicly, It looks very close to jade, a cool and glam sort of Sea Foam that Volvo fans will remember from the ’70s. That’s a compliment. The other new color is the metallic blue shown here; it’s pretty, but not as unusual.

For 2025, the two engines carryover with unchanged power numbers: 237 hp for the four-cylinder turbo, the default engine; and 335 hp for the twin-turbo V-6, for which you’ll pay extra—how much extra, we’re not sure.

If you found the four-pot underwhelming, Cadillac is happy to capture your attention elsewhere, up to the now-standard sunroof (previously a $1450 option), and to the front of the cabin, whose dashboard is now dominated by a 33-inch digital display. Capable of 9K resolution, the unit incorporates both instrument cluster (not touch-sensitive) and infotainment screen (touch-sensitive) into one blade-like, sharp edge element. Other luxury-focused updates to the interior include a heated steering wheel, which now comes standard and was before only available as part of the $1090 Climate Package. The CT5 gains Google built-in, a suite of now-native Google apps that began to roll out in GM vehicles beginning with the Hummer EV. The Super Cruise system, which is a cost-add option, adds an additional camera. Placed on the top of the steering column, it tracks the driver’s attention by watching with a camera where their eyes are looking.

Cadillac is staying mum on trim-specific equipment, and even which trims will be offered on the 2025 vehicle. We do know that pricing of the new-ish CT5 will be announced in early 2024. Tune back in to find out full details.

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