Compare the2026 Cadillac CT4-VVS 2025 Lexus IS

Both the CT4-V and IS have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The CT4-V has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The IS’ child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The CT4-V’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the front seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The IS doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the CT4-V and the IS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

There are over 2 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CT4-V’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CT4-V’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the IS’ camshafts. If the IS’ belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

The battery on the CT4-V is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the CT4-V’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The IS’ battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The CT4-V has more powerful engines than the IS:

	Horsepower	Torque
CT4-V 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder	325 HP	380 lbs.-ft.
CT4-V Blackwing 3.6 turbo V6	472 HP	445 lbs.-ft.
IS 300 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	241 HP	258 lbs.-ft.
IS 300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	260 HP	236 lbs.-ft.
IS 350 3.5 DOHC V6	311 HP	280 lbs.-ft.
IS 500 5.0 DOHC V8	472 HP	395 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cadillac CT4-V turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Lexus IS (automatics tested):

	CT4-V	IS 300 AWD	IS 350
Zero to 60 MPH	5.1 sec	5.7 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	13.6 sec	14.3 sec	14.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	104.1 MPH	97.6 MPH	100.1 MPH

In a Car and Driver racecourse test, the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing was clocked 9.3 seconds faster than the Lexus IS 500 Performance (175.6 sec. vs. 184.9 sec.).

On the EPA test cycle the CT4-V gets better mileage than the IS:

			MPG
CT4-V
RWD	Auto	2.7 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/29 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.7 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/28 hwy
IS
RWD	Auto	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/28 hwy
		5.0 V8	17 city/25 hwy
AWD	Auto	350 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CT4-V’s fuel efficiency. The IS doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the CT4-V (except Blackwing)’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The IS doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The CT4-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The IS doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The CT4-V offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The IS doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac CT4-V, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the IS.

The CT4-V’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The IS doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the CT4-V Blackwing’s brake rotors are larger than those on the IS:

	CT4-V Blackwing	IS	IS 500 Performance
Front Rotors	15 inches	13.1 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	13.4 inches	11.7 inches	12.7 inches

The CT4-V stops much shorter than the IS:

	CT4-V	IS
100 to 0 MPH	301 feet	320 feet	Car and Driver
70 to 0 MPH	152 feet	159 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	104 feet	117 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the CT4-V Blackwing’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the IS (F:255/35R18 & R:275/35R18 vs. F:235/40R19 & R:265/35R19).

The CT4-V’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the IS 300’s standard 45 series tires. The CT4-V’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the IS F Sport’s 40 series front tires.

The CT4-V has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The IS doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the CT4-V can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The IS doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The CT4-V’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52.3% to 47.7%) than the IS’ (54% to 46%). This gives the CT4-V more stable handling and braking.

The CT4-V Blackwing handles at 1.04 G’s, while the IS 500 Performance pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CT4-V executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the IS 300 AWD (25.4 seconds @ .73 average G’s vs. 25.9 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

The CT4-V has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the IS.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the CT4-V’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the IS’ useful trunk space.

The CT4-V’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the IS.

The CT4-V offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The IS doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the CT4-V and the IS have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the CT4-V is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The IS prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The CT4-V’s standard Keyless Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Access standard on the IS doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The CT4-V’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The IS’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The CT4-V’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The IS’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the CT4-V has standard extendable sun visors. The IS doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The CT4-V has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the IS.

The CT4-V offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the IS.

The Cadillac CT4-V has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the overhead console. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Lexus charges extra for Homelink® on the IS.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Cadillac CT4-V has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The IS doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Cadillac CT4-V, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Lexus IS isn't recommended.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its June 2025 issue and they ranked the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing higher than the Lexus IS 500 Performance Premium.

The CT4-V Blackwing was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 3 more times in the last 4 years. The IS has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.