Cadillac CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing buying guide

The 2022 CT5 range, per J.D. Power, also includes a 237-hp 2.0-liter turbo four and V6 models with 335 and 360 hp. The CT5-V is the 360-hp V6 car. The Blackwing is the V8, and it has launch control, Magnetic Ride Control, a selectable V drive mode and an electronic limited-slip rear differential.

Against the base CT5-V, CarMax lists the Blackwing as adding front seat heaters, ventilated seats, parking sensors, leather, a heated steering wheel and the manual gearbox. Its Brembo brakes are 15.7-inch discs at the front and 14.6-inch at the rear, with 6-piston front calipers. MotorTrend found the Blackwing's carbon brakes held up well after repeated stops from triple-digit speeds, though the pedal felt firm.

Model year matters mostly on the base side. Kestrel says a 2022 is preferable to a 2020 or 2021 CT5 because it avoids the ten-speed transmission recall, which stops at the 2021 model year. For the Blackwing, the sources we have don't separate one year from another.

The record is thin, so treat these as things to check rather than a pattern.

Blackwing engine failure

Car and Driver lost cylinder number six on its Blackwing test car early in its life, during hard use. The engine showed melted piston edges and deeply scored bores, and only the even cylinder bank overheated. GM's teardown found no cause, and GM says it was the first and only failure of its type in the supercharged LT4. The engine was replaced under warranty over a six-week dealer stop.

Break-in rules

Car and Driver's test car came with a 1500-mile break-in protocol: no more than 4000 rpm and no full throttle. A used Blackwing with a short history should have its early life explained, so ask how it was run in.

Door handle touch pads

Kestrel reports that the outside touch pads quit, typically on a single door, with some cars as low as 30,000 miles. The door then will not open from outside, and owners resorted to pressing a particular corner or pressing repeatedly. Repair is estimated at $400 to $900 per door.

Airbag warnings

Owners' airbag complaints for the 2022 CT5 included a Service Restraint System message, with an airbag sensor needing replacement. A recall for roof rail side-curtain airbags that may have been installed incorrectly also covers the CT4 and CT5.

Daytime running lights

A recall for 2020-2023 CT4 and CT5 models covers daytime running lights that may not switch off when they should. The fix is a body control module software reflash.

Small Blackwing niggles

The Car and Driver Blackwing had a frayed steering wheel stitch, creaking carbon-fiber-backed seats and an occasional grind on a gentle six-five downshift. All minor, but the downshift is worth testing on any manual car.

Car and Driver ran its Blackwing's oil changes at roughly 7500-mile intervals using the oil-life monitor. Nine quarts of 0W-40 Mobil 1 typically cost about $180. The cabin air filter and non-OEM wipers added smaller bills, with the wipers needing replacement every 15,000 miles. Kelley Blue Book lists tire rotation and oil changes at 7,500-mile intervals.

Tires are the line to watch. The factory Michelin summers lasted 15,000 miles on the Blackwing, fronts first, and Cadillac-spec tires and winter tires in the stock sizes were hard to find. Kestrel puts a door handle repair at $400 to $900 per door.