With the rise of SUVs dominating the American market, there aren’t all that many sedans still built by U.S. automakers. The ones that are still around, however, are pretty alluring, taking the fight to their foreign competitors with muscular good looks and power engines under the hood.
However, nobody wants to buy a car that is going to make constant visits to your local mechanic, and American brands don’t have the cleanest reputation for reliability. Despite this, there are still a handful of choices which manage to deliver when it comes to classic red, white, and blue style and remain reliable at the same time.
By exploring the few American sedans left on the market, we’ve found an option that has a better reputation for reliability than most of the cars in its class. It is a sporty, luxurious compact car that has a ton to offer, with a couple of sturdy powertrains to choose from. We also dive into its smaller sibling, which scores pretty close when it comes to reliability.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including J.D. Power, Consumer Reports, CarEdge, RepairPal, the EPA, and TopSpeed.
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The Cadillac CT5 Scores Higher Than Any Other American Sedan
There are very few American automakers that still make sedans. Many of those that still do, make electric vehicles, which still haven’t quite caught up to ICE vehicles when it comes to reliability. Cadillac, however, still produces more than one sedan, with their flagship CT5 being the sturdiest on offer.
Reliability Scores
J.D. Power is an authority on reliability, scoring vehicles based on the rating of verified owners. They collate data from a number of different sources to rate vehicles. The 2025 CT5 is one of the higher rated sedans on their site, with an 81 out of 100 overall and an 86 out of 100 for quality and reliability.
Finding owners who have negative opinions of the current generation CT5 is a difficult task. Every model year since 2020 has scored above four out of five stars for reliability on Cars.com. Many owners are also repeat Cadillac buyers who have nothing but praise for the American brand.
This my 18th Cadillac and by far the best one yet. It has all of the modern conveniences. Very classy, stylish and responsive. When stopped for gas or at a stop light I get complimented on the beauty of the car.
Recalls are usually something that you can’t really get away from in a modern vehicle, unfortunately. However, there have been zero recalls issued for the 2025 and 2024 model years of the CT5. The 2023 model year has a minor recall for the daytime running lights, which may not turn off properly.
Maintenance Costs
It is important to note that the CT5 is a luxury sedan, as you’d expect from Cadillac. While its reliability scores are impressively high, and it has an excellent reputation among owners, it is going to cost more than the average car when it comes to maintenance and repairs. No matter how reliable a car is, at some point it will need to be fixed.
You can expect maintenance costs on your CT5 to be about average compared to other luxury sedans. CarEdge estimates that you’ll spend around $9,639 on maintenance in your first ten years of ownership. This is $86 lower than the average for its segment. There is also a 27 percent chance that it will need a repair costing more than $500 during the same period of time.
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There Are a Number of Different Powertrains to Choose From With the CT5
Action shot of a 2025 CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing
When choosing your CT5, there are four different options when it comes to engine output. These range from an overachieving four-cylinder to a supercharged V-8. Each engine delivers an impressive amount of performance, but some are considered to be more reliable than others.
Performance Specifications
|
Engine |
2.0-Liter Turbocharged Inline-Four |
|---|---|
|
Transmission |
10-Speed Automatic |
|
Horsepower |
237 HP |
|
Torque |
258 LB-FT |
|
Driveline |
RWD or AWD |
|
0-60 MPH |
6.6 Seconds |
|
Top Speed |
130 MPH |
The base engine available in the CT5 is the four-banger, detailed above. It performs pretty well, with an impressive amount of go when you put your foot down. You can instead upgrade to a three-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 if you like, which can make 335 horsepower. The more performance-oriented V model pushes the output of the V-6 up to 360 horsepower. Finally, a brilliant supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 is available in the CT5-V Blackwing model, making 668 horsepower.
If reliability is your number one priority, then you’re going to want to upgrade to the twin-turbo V-6. The turbocharged inline-four has some reported issues of oil consumption and timing belt failures. The supercharged V-8 takes a lot of strain and requires much more vigilance when it comes to maintenance. The V-6 has the fewest reported issues and offers the best balance of reliability and performance.
Fuel Economy
|
Model |
City |
Highway |
Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Turbo-Four RWD |
23 MPG |
32 MPG |
26 MPG |
|
Turbo-Four AWD |
21 MPG |
30 MPG |
25 MPG |
|
Twin-Turbo V-6 RWD |
19 MPG |
28 MPG |
22 MPG |
|
Twin-Turbo V-6 V RWD |
18 MPG |
27 MPG |
21 MPG |
|
Twin-Turbo V-6 AWD |
18 MPG |
26 MPG |
21 MPG |
|
Twin-Turbo V-6 V AWD |
17 MPG |
26 MPG |
20 MPG |
|
Blackwing Automatic |
13 MPG |
20 MPG |
15 MPG |
|
Blackwing Manual |
13 MPG |
20 MPG |
15 MPG |
If you value fuel efficiency, then you’re going to want to stick with the turbocharged four-cylinder. It is much more efficient than models equipped with the V-6 or V-8. However, if you crave the performance of the V-6, you’ll find that there is little difference between the V and non-V models.
The CT5-V Blackwing is the only model that can be fitted with a manual transmission, while all others get the ten-speed automatic. The V-8 absolutely guzzles gasoline, but models with the manual and automatic perform identically to one another.
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Cadillac Offers Plenty Of Value Through Their Warranty Package
Front 3/4 shot of a 2025 Cadillac CT-5
Having a car that is reliable is super important, knowing that you won’t have to deal with too many issues in its first couple of years on the road. However, there is always a chance that something will go wrong, which is where warranties come into play. Luckily, Cadillac has you covered in this department.
Warranties and Complimentary Maintenance
Cadillac offers a pretty comprehensive warranty plan, giving you peace of mind when you drive off the dealership floor. Your limited warranty, which covers general parts, covers the CT5 for four years or 50,000 miles. The powertrain warranty extends for longer, covering you for six years or 70,000 miles. This is more generous than the plans offered by German competitors, especially in the powertrain department, beating some rivals by two years or 20,000 miles.
Cadillac also offers your first scheduled maintenance visit for free. This may not seem like a lot, but at least you won’t have to fork out too much for maintenance in your first year.
Cadillac’s CT4 is The Second Most Reliable American Sedan
Front 3/4 shot of a 2024 Cadillac CT4-V
It is impressive that Cadillac holds the top spot when it comes to reliability. Even more impressive is that their smaller sedan, the CT4, sits just below the CT5 when it comes to reliability. If you’re looking for a sturdy sedan built by an American company, it is clear that Cadillac is the way to go.
Reliability and Performance
The CT4 scores exceptionally high on J.D. Power, with an 82 out of 100 overall and an 85 out of 100 for quality and reliability. The next closest American sedan is the Chevrolet Malibu, which scores 84 out of 100 for quality and reliability.
Cadillac’s smaller sub-compact CT4 comes standard with the same turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the CT5. If you’re looking for a boost in performance, you can upgrade to a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder instead. The latter engine makes 310 horsepower. You can also get a twin-turbo V-6 that makes 472 horsepower in the CT4-V Blackwing.
If reliability is your top priority, then the base four-cylinder or the twin-turbo V-6 are the options you should stick to. The LSY four-cylinder is widely used in General Motors vehicles and is considered super robust. The LF4 V-6 is just as sturdy but requires more maintenance. The 2.7-liter L3B engine is known to have some issues with oil consumption and carbon buildup.
