Compare the2023 Cadillac CT4VS 2022 Toyota Avalon

Both the CT4 and Avalon have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The CT4 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 Avalon’s 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 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Avalon doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the CT4 and the Avalon have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, 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 and available around view monitors.

The CT4 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car. The Avalon’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the CT4 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Avalon. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Avalon ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The CT4’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Avalon’s (6 vs. 5 years).

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in initial quality. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

The CT4’s optional 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (310 vs. 301) and 83 lbs.-ft. more torque (350 vs. 267) than the Avalon’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cadillac CT4 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Toyota Avalon:

On the EPA test cycle the CT4 gets better mileage than the Avalon:

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

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the CT4’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 Avalon doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The CT4 has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Avalon XLE’s standard fuel tank (17 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The CT4 has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Avalon Limited/Touring’s standard fuel tank (17 vs. 15.8 gallons).

The CT4 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 Avalon doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Cadillac CT4 higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Toyota Avalon (5). This means the CT4 produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Avalon every 15,000 miles.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac CT4 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Avalon.

For better stopping power the CT4 Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Avalon:

The CT4’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Avalon are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the CT4 has larger standard tires than the Avalon (225/45R17 vs. 215/55R17).

The CT4 Luxury’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Avalon XLE’s standard 55 series tires. The CT4’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Avalon Touring’s 40 series tires.

The CT4 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 Avalon doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the CT4 can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Avalon doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The CT4 Premium Luxury AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Avalon Touring pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the CT4’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Avalon XLE’s (37.1 feet vs. 37.7 feet). The CT4 AWD’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Avalon Limited/Touring’s (38 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The CT4 is 8.7 inches shorter than the Avalon, making the CT4 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the CT4 Premium Luxury uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Avalon doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CT4 has .9 inches more front headroom and .3 inches more front legroom than the Avalon.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CT4. The Avalon doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The CT4 has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Avalon has no towing capacity.

The engine in the CT4 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Avalon. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 32% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

The CT4 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Avalon doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The CT4’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 Avalon’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The CT4 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Avalon’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Cadillac CT4 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Avalon.