smk4565

Pricing is key for them. If they price it like a Lexus ES or Acura TLX But have a better chassis and engine options, I think they can beat those cars. They probably need this car to start in the $30s to give the salespeople a compelling reason for people to buy it. And they do have to get away from the Germans with this one.

True, but the Sonata has a 1.6T and automatic right? They could use that 181 hp motor too.

If they don’t put unnecessary luxury equipment like rear heated seats in the N sport package then it shouldn’t be over $25k to add a turbo and brake upgrade and some suspension tuning to let’s say the base car plus an equipment group that costs $20k in regular guise.

If they can get an N sport with the 1.6 turbo for under $25k they could have something going there. I think it looks clever, people like crossovers and like cheap so it should sell. I like the 2 tone interior and my guess is blue and tan plastic doesn’t cost any more than gray plastic. So smart move to put some color in the interior rather than just a sea of gray and black.

Good write up. My first impressions based on pictures was that the interior was outstanding, but I saw a video from the show that showed it close up and you can see the Ford Fusion grade plastics and rubber on some of the door panels and lower parts. But you see that sort on other cars in this class. This still seems among the best interiors at it’s price point so kudos to Lincoln for that. At least these guys are trying and doing the best they can with styling, names and interiors, and they have pretty decent power in these cars too. I thought 5 years ago Lincoln would be dead by 2020.

A BMW M340i and C43 AMG are both $55k. If Cadillac is pricing CT5 like those guys, then a TT V6 CT5 needs to be in that $50k-55k range, because those cars are pretty fast. The CT5 has interior room to sell on since it is bigger than them, but it has to match them in performance too, and the C43 is probably becoming the C53 in a couple years with the new E-class engine.

I don't think they'll overprice the V6. My guess is turbo V6 is in the $50k range. Although I think interiors and brand image hurt Cadillac more than the engine. They could make the Blackwing V8 standard and price this car at $50k and the 5-series with a 250 hp 4-banger would outsell it.

0% chance of that happening. From what I read, the CT5 is going to be priced like a C-class. But even at $40k, it won't get E-class volume in the USA. The sedan market is shrinking and Mercedes has too strong a buyer loyalty.

US News has rankings of used cars by year and segment. It is pretty good at that.

I think it looks like a last gen Mazda 3 with the smiley face front. While I think the Corsair looks pretty impressive, this does not. One hit, one miss. I think any of the 7 SUVs Hyundai has is more compelling than this.

It won’t make all that torque combined, because a lot of that electric torque will be when the gas engine is under 1500 rpm before it gets into it’s torque. But you will get a crazy flat torque curve and always have it.

Well this is 2.5 liter vs 1.6. I just don’t see why they didn’t pick one and run with it, hybrid as an option and N line as an option. 3 choices in a Sonata is enough.

Tobias Moers is awesome. He gets all the performance stuff built that most bean counters at other car companies would not let see the light of day. Yeah needs the 48 volt battery with the electric compressor. But we are also talking lag on a fast car, it isn’t like a 90s Volvo that even with the turbo is like 8 seconds 0-60.

I understand how it and torque work. You usually back the NA V6 with less torque than the 2.0T when Cadillac used to have those 2. If the 1.6T is better drivability then just make the standard engine. I am not arguing one is better than the other, I just think it senseless to offer 2 engines so close in power output.

It is an 11 hp loss for a 14 lb-ft gain. I guess we’d have to see a torque curve comparison to see the difference but these engines are awfully close in power. I find it a hard sell for a salesperson to convince a buyer to pay extra for the turbo that has less horsepower and mpg, because consumers will understand the numbers not that the turbo might feel a little more responsive. Now if it was a 2.0 turbo I could see the benefit.

Yes but I can’t imagine it is that much of a difference in acceleration times and not enough that typical Sonata buyers are going to notice.

$42k for a CX-5 is pretty insane. They'll sell about 10 of these diesels

I like the Kona more. But FTW, more crossovers!!! These guys have 7 crossovers basically spanning $20k to $50k. That is a new crossover every $4,000 just about.

Probably the most boring paint color ever on the most boring car ever.

Yes please do the electric assist V8. The grab handles are probably for Nürburgring runs where this vehicle was tested.

Fusion, Focus, Impala, Lacrosse, Taurus are all dying. Sedan buyers have to go somewhere, they might as well go here as this looks like a good sedan. The fuel economy is 2 mpg worse on the 1.6T. It makes zero sense.

About half of Buick’s Chinese sales are from the Excelle which competes with the Jetta and Corolla. Buick’s China performance should be compared to VW as they operate in the same price tiers with similar products. Lexus and Acura outsell Cadillac in the USA too, do they benefit fro the German propaganda machine? As for what makes the Germans better vehicle to vehicle, first is performance, example Panamera vs CT6 or X5 M vs XT6. Next is build quality, and materials quality, next is suspension tuning, does the Escalade have active curve function that can lean the vehicle on hydraulics in a turn so it corners flat? The GLS does. Technology is next, the A8 is the only level 3 autonomous car on sale right now, Super Cruise is a level 2, what CT5 is getting next year is already behind Audi. Innovation is another, the SL and S-class have 30 laser drilled holes inside the wiper blades to dispense washer fluid so the windshield is never sprayed temporarily blinding the driver, or spraying fluid over the roof or wasting washer fluid. There is also engine refinement and interior noise level. It is a long list.

So Chinese believe European imports are better than American too? And again, that is Cadillac’s problem to fix. Cadillac knows they are at an immediate disadvantage when it comes to image, yet they don’t do a whole lot with their product line or marketing to correct it. And this has been a 25 year problem.

The Germans don’t overcharge, the top 3 selling luxury brands in the world are German, top 3 in China are German, top 3 in Europe are German and 3 of top 4 in USA are German. If they were so outrageously over priced the sales would not be that high.

I think the interior looks fantastic other than the HVAC pod shape that looks like it came off a last gen Escape. I am not a fan of the push button shifter but that is on all Lincolns. Really pretty looking interior though and definitely among the best of the 20 or so small SUVs out there. Good power out of the engines too, I like that there are 2 engines and this should move well unless it is obese.