By Tony C. Lesesne
@autofocusworld
Taking the gorgeous Cadillac XT4 for a drive through Wynwood, Miami
This one was love at first sight for me. I’m a design freak and the lines, angles, stance and attitude of the Cadillac XT4 hit all the marks. The XT4 is a new entry-level luxury crossover from Cadillac fighting for a piece of the increasingly competitive class. The XT4 is positioned below the XT5 with a lower starting price of $35,790, and is available with front- and all-wheel drive.
DESIGN
The design is nothing short of stunning and it has to be to mark a mark in such a fiercely competitive segment. It all starts with the face; the bold front grill accented by the innovative vertical LED headlights on the edges of the front that remain distinctively Cadillac. The face is framed by lower front spoilers and wide shoulders.
SAFETY
For me, the best safety feature, and there were plenty, is the available Rear Camera Mirror that streams rear-facing video while driving that expands to provide a wider, less obstructed rear field of view than a traditional mirror. Amazing right? Tap a button to revert back to a traditional rear view mirror. And there are multiple Intuitive controls that allow you to adjust your drive. You even get a vibration in the seat to alert you when there are inadvertent lane changes. The XTS offers a full suite of active safety tech with emergency automatic braking. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard, with 20’s available, 8 airbags and a high strength steel structure underneath the skin.
Behind the wheel: a thrill.
THE DRIVE & PERFORMANCE
What I discovered about the XT4 is that this is a quick, agile, powerful sports performance vehicle disguised as a luxury SUV. It does little to hide that fact once you get it on the road, so for me, I shifted my mindset.
The XT4 is powered by a 237-hp turbo-four with 258 lb-ft of torque and use a nine-speed automatic. We generally got 30 mpg on the highway taking full advantage of the selectable drive modes, and enjoying the two clutch all wheel drive with the sporty, but not always smooth 9 speed transmission.
INSIDE THE XT4
A thoughtfully created interior provides segment-leading rear leg room and knee clearance for backseat passengers. In fact the 39.5 is best in class when it comes to legroom. The smart safety technology is impressive. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is offered in an interior that uses the latest version of Cadillac’s CUE infotainment system.
THE FINISH LINE
I actually enjoyed the XT4 and I totally “get it” with the addition of this model to the Cadillac SUV lineup. They certainly have a player in the segment and will get boomers and beyond, but hey, Cadillac may even siphon off a few millennial’s with the starting price the design, tech and performance. With so much of Cadillac’s current sales relying on the XT5, having another crossover in the fleet should help the automaker balance out its portfolio. A subcompact crossover that lacks the luxury characteristics that define most of its classmates.