Compare the2024 Mercedes AMG C-Class SedanVS 2024 Cadillac CT4-V

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes AMG C-Class Sedan have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Cadillac CT4-V doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The AMG 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-V doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes AMG 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-V doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the AMG C-Class Sedan. But it costs extra on the CT4-V.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The AMG C-Class Sedan offers optional Car-to-X Communication, a system that seemlesly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The CT4-V doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

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

The AMG 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-V doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the AMG C-Class Sedan and the CT4-V 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 and rear cross-path warning.

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 AMG C-Class Sedan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CT4-V has not been tested, yet.

The AMG C 43’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 77 more horsepower (402 vs. 325) than the CT4-V’s standard 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder. The AMG C 63 S E’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 199 more horsepower (671 vs. 472) and 307 lbs.-ft. more torque (752 vs. 445) than the CT4-V Blackwing’s standard 3.6 turbo V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the AMG C 43 is faster than the Cadillac CT4-V turbo 4 cyl. (automatics tested):

The AMG C 63 S E can travel with zero emissions for 7 miles. The CT4-V can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

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

Regardless of its engine, the AMG C-Class Sedan’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The CT4-V Blackwing doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The AMG C-Class Sedan has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the CT4-V. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The AMG C-Class Sedan offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The CT4-V doesn’t offer an SMG.

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

The AMG C-Class Sedan stops much shorter than the CT4-V:

For better traction, the AMG C-Class Sedan has larger standard tires than the CT4-V (245/45R18 vs. 235/40R18). The AMG C 63 S E’s optional front tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CT4-V (F:265/35R20 & R:275/35R20 vs. F:255/35R18 & R:275/35R18).

The AMG C-Class Sedan’s optional 265/30R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CT4-V’s optional 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the AMG C-Class Sedan offers optional 20-inch wheels. The CT4-V’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The AMG 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-V doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

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

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the AMG C-Class Sedan is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the CT4-V.

The AMG C 43 handles at .95 G’s, while the CT4-V AWD pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The AMG C 43 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CT4-V (24.9 seconds @ .76 average G’s vs. 25.4 seconds @ .73 average G’s).

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the AMG C 63 S E is quieter than the CT4-V (78 vs. 79 dB).

The AMG C-Class Sedan has 2.7 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 2.6 inches more rear legroom and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the CT4-V.

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

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

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

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the AMG 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-V doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the CT4-V, the AMG 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 AMG 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-V’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the AMG 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-V can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the AMG C-Class Sedan to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The CT4-V doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The CT4-V’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The AMG 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.

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the AMG C-Class Sedan third among compact premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The CT4-V isn’t in the top three.

The Mercedes C-Class outsold the Cadillac CT4 by almost four to one during 2023.