The Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport trims come with the 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine as standard. While no slouch, this power plant develops only 237 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It comes mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, which sends outputs to either a rear- or all-wheel drivetrain, Overall performance is adequate, if not thrilling, but getting up to highway speed is quick and easy, and overtaking takes little effort. There is room for improvement, though, especially if you want to go toe to toe with the Germans.
To get the most out of your 2021 CT4, you’ll want the 2.7-liter turbo-4 gas engine, which is good for 310 hp and 350 lb-ft. It’s only available on the Premium Luxury model, so you’ll need to be willing to pay. It’s a significant improvement, though, enabling a 0-60 mph sprint time of just 4.8 seconds. It gets the 10-speed auto box, which gives you a few more ratios to play with and better manage fuel economy, but the lack of refinement means that it sometimes fumbles when selecting the right gear for the situation.