The Cadillac CT5-V is a somewhat unusual model, as it attacks two different sports sedan markets at once. While its size, luxury, and performance elements put it up against cars like the 2024 BMW 540i and 2024 Mercedes-Benz E450, its significantly lower price is closer to models such as the BMW M340i and Audi S4. Despite being larger than the cheaper and smaller sports sedans of the world, its commanding grunt keeps it competitive in the performance stakes.
CarBuzz decided to look into how the CT5-V stacks up against its rivals on the used market, and how much you could expect to lose should you fancy trying something different.
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The cars featured in this piece are rivals to the Cadillac CT5-V. All pricing and technical data for each vehicle was sourced through trusted providers such as the respective manufacturers and consumer site Kelley Blue Book.
The CT5-V Combines Plush Luxury And Tire-Smoking Performance
2024 Cadillac CT5-V Specifications
Engine
Twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6
Power
360 hp
Torque
405 lb-ft
0-60 mph
4.6 seconds
The CT5-V made its debut for the 2020 model year, though it wasn’t offered as a straight replacement for the outgoing CTS-V model. This honor instead went to the V8-powered 2024 CT5-V Blackwing, which took on the likes of the BMW M5 and E 63 AMG. The CT5-V instead was left to take on more luxury-focused models like the 550i, as well as more compact sports sedans.
The beauty of this approach was that buyers could expect more luxury and space than models like the Audi S4 and BMW M340i, but with the same sort of cost and performance. The CT5-V comes with a twin-turbocharged V6 that provides 360 hp, grunt that is transmitted to the rear wheels via a rapid-fire 10-speed automatic gearbox. This puts it at a similar level to the likes of the M340i, the Mercedes C43 AMG, and the Audi S4 in the power stakes, with these coming with 349 hp, 381 hp, and 401 hp respectively.
The CT5-V Is More Luxurious Than Its Similarly-Priced Rivals
The CT5-V offers leather trim, an intricate infotainment system that includes an HD rear camera, and Cadillac’s Super Cruise control system. This allows drivers to sit back while the car takes care of everything on the highway, with the system not only controlling the speed but also when to change lanes and brake for surrounding obstacles.
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Expect The CT5-Vs Value To Steadily Drop On The Used Market
As with any brand-new car, the Cadillac CT5-V will lose a significant chunk of its value the moment it leaves the dealership for the first time. Some models built by different manufacturers fare better than others in this regard though, but the CT5-V faces a steep drop-off in value when it goes home with its new keeper.
Gearheads purchasing a brand-new example will have to part with at least $56,995, with options adding even more of a premium. According to Kelley Blue Book, the CT5-V will lose nearly $7,000 the moment it leaves the showroom for the first time, a value which drops by a further $5,000 to $45,446 a year later. From there, expect to lose another $10,000 across the next three years as depreciation takes its toll.
Therefore, expect the CT5-V to lose around $22,000 of its value across five years of ownership. While this may sound like a fair chunk of change, the CT5-V performs similarly to its close rivals.
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The Cadillac’s Rivals Outperform It In Short-Term Depreciation
Model
MSRP
Value When It Leaves Showroom
Value After One Year
Total Decrease
2024 Cadillac CT5-V
$56,995
$50,197
$45,446
$11,549
2025 Mercedes-AMG C 43
$62,500
$56,772
$46,191
$16,309
2024 BMW M340i
$59,600
$55,079
$45,430
$14,170
2024 Genesis G70 3.3T
$50,450
$48,337
$34,263
$16,187
2024 Audi S4
$54,900
$53,371
$44,544
$10,356
When pitched against its closest rivals, the CT5-V offers solid value. The cheapest Audi S4 available, the Premium, starts a little cheaper at $54,900, while the standard rear-wheel drive BMW M340i will set its buyer back $59,600. Even this is a bit of a bargain when compared to the Mercedes-AMG C 43 sedan, which won’t leave the showroom for any less than $62,500. The 2024 Genesis G70 3.3T, meanwhile, is a bit of a steal, the 365 hp Korean challenger coming in at just $50,450.
As far as depreciation from the showroom goes, the CT5-V performs the worst of its rivals according to KBB. The closest is the Merc, which loses a little under $6,000 shortly after purchase. The BMW is next up with a loss of around $4,500, while the Genesis and Audi lose just $2,000 and $1,000 apiece.
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The Cadillac Performs Better Longer Term
While the Cadillac’s loss of value is a bit of a bit of a kick in the teeth in the short-term, its value over a few years does perform better than most of its rivals. The Mercedes performs the worst of the lot, as it loses another $10,000 of value a year by the time it is just a year old. This adds up to a total of a little over $18,000, which is significantly worse off compared to the Cadillac’s $11,000 drop after a year.
Despite being cheaper than all its rivals, the Genesis also performs poorly in this regard. The G70 is worth just $34,263 after a year, which translates to a drop of $16,000 from its list price. The BMW and Audi perform similarly to the Cadillac, with the former dropping off by $11,000 over a year while the Audi loses $10,000. Going back further, this pattern remains pretty consistent.
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The BMW and Genesis were facelifted for the 2022 model year, and by this point, both models can be expected to lose $17,000 and $19,000 compared to their new values respectively. The Audi will likely drop by around $15,000, with the Caddy losing around $17,000.
All in all, the Audi S4 will be the car to buy for any gearheads concerned with losing as little money as possible on their new sports sedan. Its rivals aren’t a million miles behind overall though, and making sure you spec whichever you choose properly to ensure they are worth a good chunk of cash when you offload them will be more important.
The First-Generation Cadillac CTS-V Represents An Excellent Bargain In 2024
2004 Cadillac CTS-V Specifications
Engine
5.7-liter V8
Power
400 hp
Torque
395 lb-ft
Original MSRP
$49,995
KBB Used Value
$10,250
Rather than worry about how much your brand-new CT5-V will depreciate over the next few years, why not just purchase a modern classic that has already got it out of the way? The first-gen Cadillac CTS-V is the knight in shining armor in this regard, the vehicle even coming with more grunt. The 5.7-liter V8 shoehorned under the CTS-Vs hood affords it 400 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque, which, like in the CT5, is sent to the rear wheels. Unlike its contemporary cousin though, the 2004 CTS-V gets a more engaging six-speed manual gearbox.
It also comes loaded with all the refinements you’ll need, such as air conditioning, heated and powered leather front seats, and satellite navigation. According to KBB, a 20-year-old CTS-V in good condition should set you back around $10,250, which should be a bit of a steal in anyone’s book. It’s around $47,000 cheaper than a new CT5-V, and a little under $40,000 less than its original MSRP of $49,995.
Given the CTS-Vs sporting pretensions, you’ll likely not have to worry about much more depreciation over the coming years. As long as you don’t get a too little too excited while exploring the limitations of your bargain sports sedan, you should be able to sell it for a similar price to what you bought it for. Or you could keep it and purchase a similarly aged S4 and M5 to go along with it. Yep, that’s definitely the more exciting option.
Sources:
Cadillac
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Kelley Blue Book
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BMW
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Genesis
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Mercedes-Benz
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Audi