Compare the2023 Mercedes C-Class SedanVS 2023 Cadillac CT4

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes C-Class Sedan have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac CT4 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The C-Class Sedan’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The CT4 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes C-Class Sedan are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Cadillac CT4 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The C-Class Sedan has a standard Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The CT4 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the C-Class Sedan and CT4 offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the C-Class Sedan with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert also has Active Brake Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The CT4’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The C-Class Sedan’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The CT4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the C-Class Sedan and the CT4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the C-Class Sedan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CT4 has not been tested, yet.

The C-Class Sedan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 18 more horsepower (255 vs. 237) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 258) than the CT4’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mercedes C-Class Sedan is faster than the Cadillac CT4 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the C-Class Sedan gets better mileage than the CT4:

Regenerative brakes improve the C-Class Sedan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CT4 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes C-Class Sedan higher (7 out of 10) than the Cadillac CT4 (6 to 7). This means the C-Class Sedan produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CT4 every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the C-Class Sedan’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CT4:

For better traction and acceleration, the C-Class Sedan has larger standard rear tires than the CT4 (245/40R18 vs. 225/45R17). The C-Class Sedan’s optional rear tires are larger than the largest rear tires available on the CT4 (255/35R19 vs. 235/40R18).

The C-Class Sedan’s standard 245/40R18 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CT4 Luxury’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the C-Class Sedan has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CT4 Luxury.

The C-Class Sedan’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The CT4 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the C-Class Sedan’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the CT4 (112.8 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the C-Class Sedan is 2 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the CT4.

The C-Class Sedan has 3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CT4 (93 vs. 90).

The C-Class Sedan has 5.1 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 2.6 inches more rear legroom, 5.6 inches more rear hip room and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the CT4.

The C-Class Sedan has a much larger trunk than the CT4 (12.6 vs. 10.7 cubic feet).

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the C-Class Sedan’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The CT4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the C-Class offers cargo security. The CT4’s non-lockable folding seat defeats cargo security.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the C-Class Sedan’s power trunk can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CT4 doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

The C-Class Sedan uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The CT4 uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the CT4 Premium Luxury/Sport, the C-Class Sedan has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The C-Class Sedan’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The CT4’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the C-Class Sedan the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the CT4 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The C-Class Sedan has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The CT4 doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The C-Class Sedan’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 CT4’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the C-Class Sedan’s headlight performance “Excellent,” a higher rating than the CT4’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The CT4 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The C-Class Sedan’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the C-Class Sedan to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The CT4 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The C-Class Sedan has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The CT4 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The C-Class Sedan’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The CT4 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Mercedes C-Class comes in coupe, convertible and sedan bodystyles; the Cadillac CT4 isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

The Mercedes C-Class outsold the Cadillac CT4 by almost three to one during 2022.