How Reliable Are New Cadillacs? Here's What Consumer Reports Says

Few companies have faced the kind of descent that Cadillac has seen. The company called itself the standard of the world for its precision engineering in 1908, but today it's essentially dead last in terms of new car predicted reliability. That's according to the Consumer Reports (CR) list of most reliable new car brands, which ranked Cadillac 21st out of 22 automakers and included it with brands that make the least reliable cars.

There are disclaimers, though. First, CR didn't have enough data to rank 15 brands, including the likes of Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, and Ram. So, we don't know how Cadillac stacks up against those competitors. Additionally, CR's 2025 study only included two Cadillac models — the XT5 and the Lyriq. There's also the fact that the data CR uses is drawn from driver surveys, which can introduce a dose of subjectivity. As Inc. points out, "surveys rely on feelings and nuance as opposed to hard data." 

Furthermore, CR specifically calls out EVs and plug-in hybrids for "continuing reliability problems." This matters because Cadillac has been pushing hard into the EV space with multiple fully electrified models, including the Cadillac Lyriq, which had the absolute worst predicted reliability score in its class.

For what it's worth, Cadillac ranked number five in the 2025 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study and tied with Toyota for the 19th spot in the Initial Quality Study. However, we certainly can't ignore CR's results, so let's look at some of the ugly details.

The news isn't all bad, as four 2025 Cadillac models earned recommendations from CR. Among the recommended models are the Cadillac XT5 and XT6 SUVs — which are some of the most forgettable cars in the country — and the CT4 and CT5 sedans. Each of the SUVs had what CR calls average predicted reliability ratings, with the XT6 checking in with the same score as the Volvo XC90. That score allows the XT6 to tie for the ninth spot in its class for predicted reliability, although the comparable Lexus TX – another three-row luxury SUV — has a score more than 50% higher than the Cadillac.

The two-row XT5 fell short of making its segment's top 10, ranking 11th, just behind the BMW X3. Note that this is the only recommended Cadillac for which CR provides reliability info for previous model years, and the car has put up solid numbers in the areas of powertrain, steering/suspension, brakes, and, importantly, in-car electronics.

The situation with the CT4 and CT5 is about the same as for Cadillac's recommended SUVs. The predicted reliability for both sedans is expected to be average. That said, the compact CT4 is much closer to others in its class than the midsize CT5, which comes in considerably lower than competitors like the Audi A4. 

You might have noticed something similar about those vehicles — the only Cadillacs with at least average reliability have internal-combustion engines. On the other hand, two of the Cadillacs that didn't meet that mark also have gas-only powertrains. The Escalade is likely to be less reliable than average, according to CR — although it has a higher reliability score than others in its class, like the Land Rover Discovery and the Mercedes-Benz GLS, among others. Not much good can be said for the XT4, either, which was dead last for predicted reliability in its segment.

Next, consider that CR has not yet completed testing of the Cadillac Vistiq, the Escalade IQ, or the Cadillac Optiq, which may be the car to finally attract young buyers to the brand. That leaves us with the Cadillac Lyric, which, as mentioned, brought up the rear for CR predicted reliability. 

Now, we can't really delve into the details of the CR scoring methodology, because it's proprietary to CR, but we can say that the Lyriq's predicted reliability score literally cannot get much lower. When you consider that CR also says, "New car reliability across the brand is average," it's easy to see how much influence the Lyriq had on the brand's overall score.