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2026 Cadillac CT5-V Gets This Grille Change

This may have been easy to miss for anyone not following this saga, but there’s been some drama surrounding the grille of the Cadillac CT5-V since its 2025 facelift. When the configurator for the 2025 CT5-V first came out, it showed the car with an all-black grille surround rather than a chrome lower trim piece like on the 2020-2024 models. However, the units arriving in dealerships had the chrome trim. Now, a change has been made to the 2026 Cadillac CT5-V to make it look a little more like the mightier Blackwing model.

2025 Cadillac CT5-V front end.

2025 Cadillac CT5-V

2026 Cadillac CT5-V front end.

2026 Cadillac CT5-V

For 2026, the CT5-V sport sedan now, indeed, has an all-black grille surround, similar to the one on the CT5-V Blackwing. That’s how the car appears in the 2026 Cadillac CT5-V configurator, and we’ve reached out to Cadillac to confirm its accuracy. Therefore, the 2025 Cadillac CT5-V is the only model year for the post-facelift V-Series model that has the chrome lower trim piece around the grille.

The all-black surround brings a little more continuity to the face of the 2026 Cadillac CT5-V. It matches nicely with the upper black trim piece that spans the upper part of the grille and the mesh-style grille insert. There’s lots of other black trim on the front end of the CT5-V, so the whole look comes together a little better to complete the aesthetic of a menacing sport sedan.

2026 Cadillac CT5-V front three quarter angle.

2026 Cadillac CT5-V

The online configurators are up on Cadillac’s website for both the 2025 and 2026 model years of the CT5-V. As of this writing, they both show the accurate trim around the grille that appears on the real-life cars. The way you configure your 2026 Cadillac CT5-V on Cadillac’s website will be an accurate representation of what the front end will look like when the car is ready for delivery.

The 2026 Cadillac CT5‘s start of regular production (SORP) kicked off on Thursday, May 29th. Dealer orders opened on May 1st of this year.

2026 Cadillac CT5-V grille.

For those who may have missed it, the Cadillac CT5 was refreshed for the 2025 model year, debuting a long list of important updates. Among these was a redesigned front fascia with updated lighting signatures and a significantly enhanced interior packed with fresh tech. These changes are expected to carry over into 2026 largely unchanged, with the exception of the grille surround on the V trim.

The 2025-model-year refresh also introduced a new 33-inch curved digital display, mating the instrument cluster and infotainment functions into a single expansive screen. Other highlights include a premium AKG audio system, plus Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free semi-autonomous driving assist feature.

George is an automotive journalist with soft spots for classic GM muscle cars, Corvettes, and Geo.

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Comments

  1. I think I like the bright trim better. It looks more finished.

    Reply
  2. Not a fan of the darked-out treatment. At least the trim isn’t gold or bronze which is just as bad.

    Reply
  3. Wow, a chrome trim change to black, i suppose i will have to be excited about that, at least it got a grille change. Gone are the days when cars got at least a grille and tail light change every year, cars between 57 and 66 got all new sheet metal each year, a full major refresh every year. Every car company changed all their cars extensively each year, gave people some thing to look forward to every November to what the new models look like.

    Reply

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