Cadillac CT5 Sedan Leads Strong 2023 Sales; SUV Lags Behind

In addition to the CT5 news, Cadillac addresses overall sales, future models, and their EV strategy.

Cadillac is experiencing a bit of a resurgence, and with that so is the sedan. With the rise in SUV popularity over the years, the traditional sedan is nowhere near as popular as it once was. That is not Cadillac-specific, that goes for the automotive market overall. Buyers flock to SUVs while sedans sit on the sidelines. That is one reason why the Cadillac Escalade has been such a strong seller over the years. But in a recent Cadillac press conference reported on by Carscoops, it was announced that the CT5 sedan was Cadillac’s best-selling model worldwide. The CT5 is a fine automobile but it is still surprising to see any sedan take the sales crown from an SUV.

We will get back to the CT5 sedan in a moment. But that was not all that Cadillac covered in the recent press conference. Overall Cadillac sales in the U.S. climbed 9.3 percent for a total of 147,214 vehicles. That is close to the sales numbers the brand saw before the pandemic. It is also more than both Acura and Volvo. The vice president of global Cadillac, John Roth, also touched on the strong sales of the Lyriq. In 2023 9,154 units were sold in the U.S. Roth pointed out that the Lyriq is the “best-selling compact luxury EV with a 33.5 percent retail share.”

CT5 Sedan

Getting back to the CT5. It is quite a feat to take the global sales crown considering the popularity of the Escalade SUV. In the U.S. Cadillac sold 41,689 Escalades in the U.S. last year. That is more than double the number of CT5s that were sold here. However, globally the CT5 is a strong seller. Global sales of the car jumped 23.7 percent in 2023. In addition, the hot CT4-V and CT5-V sedans saw sales climb in the U.S. by 20 and 31 percent, respectively. It was the strongest year of Cadillac sedan sales in the U.S. since 2018.

EV Sales

The Lyriq, as we already mentioned, had a strong 2023. And to help keep sales strong in 2024 Cadillac is offering a $7,500 incentive to make up for the federal tax credit that is no longer available for this model. There have been a lot of news stories lately about the slowdown in EV sales, but Cadillac feels that their new models will buck the trend. They specifically mentioned the new Escalade IQ which has a reported range of 450 miles on a single charge. Cadillac also feels that luxury car buyers are more open to purchasing EVs.

Future Models

Cadillac is moving quickly to revamp their lineup. And as you would expect in the year 2024, the new lineup will be centered around EVs. In addition to the Escalade IQ there is the ultra-luxury Cadillac Celestiq that should arrive later this year. The Optiq and Vistiq EV SUVs should be coming out in 2025 and 2026 respectively. And the beloved V-Series of vehicles will also see electrification. Times are changing for sure, but it is good to see an American brand having strong sales success.

Photos: Cadillac

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the 1970s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.