Compare the2025 Cadillac CT4VS 2024 Volkswagen GTI

Both the CT4 and GTI 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 GTI’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.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the CT4 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GTI doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Cadillac CT4 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The GTI doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The CT4 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The GTI doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The CT4 Premium Luxury/Sport offers an optional HD Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The GTI only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the CT4 and the GTI have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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 and rear cross-path warning.

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the CT4 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the GTI. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the GTI ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

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 GTI’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the CT4’s reliability 16 points higher than the GTI.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the CT4 second among compact premium cars in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The GTI isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 27 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Cadillac higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen With 71 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Cadillac higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Cadillac 11 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The CT4’s optional 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder produces 69 more horsepower (310 vs. 241) and 77 lbs.-ft. more torque (350 vs. 273) than the GTI’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cadillac CT4 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Volkswagen GTI (automatics tested):

Regardless of its engine, the CT4’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. Volkswagen only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the GTI Automatic.

The CT4 has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GTI (17.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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 GTI doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system or a tether to prevent losing the cap.

The Cadillac CT4 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the GTI.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac CT4, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the GTI.

The CT4 stops shorter than the GTI:

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 GTI 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 GTI doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CT4’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the GTI (109.3 inches vs. 103.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CT4 is 2.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the GTI.

The CT4’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (54% to 46%) than the GTI’s (60.9% to 39.1%). This gives the CT4 more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the CT4’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the GTI’s (37.1 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The CT4 AWD’s turning circle is .1 feet tighter than the GTI’s (38 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

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 GTI doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CT4 has 1.2 inches more front legroom and 6.2 inches more rear hip room than the GTI.

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

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

The engine in the CT4 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the GTI. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac fifth in service department satisfaction. With a 64% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 29th.

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 GTI doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

On a hot day the CT4’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the GTI can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CT4’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. Push-button Start standard on the GTI only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the car. Push-button Start is not available on the GTI SE/Autobahn.

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 GTI.

The CT4 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the GTI Autobahn.