GM’s luxury brand sharpens its crossover game, claims to know what engine buyers want
The XT5 is the third generation of the Cadillac SRX crossover in spirit, if not in name, and it arrives on the heels of the CT6 sedan. The midsize crossover is all new inside and out, but it is staying true to the established dimensions, aiming to take on the likes of the Audi Q5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class.
It still wears a familiar face, however, as the XT5 continues on with the Art and Science design language. The crossover has adopted vertical lights integrated into the edges of the front fascia — something the automaker wants to be a signature design element for the brand — but overall, Cadillac has not altered the overall look or the elements of the exterior greatly; like the CT6 sedan, the XT5 crossover’s design is an evolutionary rather than revolutionary step.
If something has been lost, it is a little bit of weight: Cadillac shaved off 278 pounds from the outgoing model through a liberal use of high-strength steel and laser welding throughout the structure, with greater stiffness being a nice side benefit of the diet.
Boomerang-shaped taillights are now in vogue across the range.
In an age when one expects a wide array of engines for a given model, the XT5 is almost a throwback to a simpler age of beefy one-size-fits-all powerplants. There is only one engine and one transmission on the menu, with the 3.6-liter V6 sending power to the front or all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. This redesigned powerplant churns out 310 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque and features cylinder deactivation that allows it to switch down to four cylinders when the XT5 decides it doesn’t need the other two, typically during interstate cruising.
Cadillac has redesigned the interior with similar restraint, opting for a muted, conservative feel instead of bold design statements that the brand pushed a generation ago, when its rebirth began. The Cadillac of today can now relax, something evident in the quietly luxurious design of the interior — one that does not try to impress by overwhelming. The automaker focused on material quality in retrimming the cabin, offering real wood and aluminum trim elements throughout and focusing on driver and passenger comfort.
The XT5 gains the new corporate grille and fascia, complete with vertical running lights.
What’s it like to drive?
Cadillac’s latest crossover is as easy on the road as it is on the eyes, providing a quiet ride that strikes a good balance between feedback and comfort. The steering has definitely been tuned for comfort, but unlike in some of its competitors (one of which rhymes with Nexus), it’s still possible to feel things like speed bumps in this crossover.
The 3.6-liter V6 hums along nicely, never really breaking a sweat in city or highway driving. It dips into its reserves on short notice and provides just enough oomph for a dash that’s only possible in the desert parts of California, which is where Cadillac brought us to try out the XT5. This new engine is a natural choice for a crossover of this size, but it’s not a particularly exciting unit, unlike two other recent additions to the lineup: namely, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder and the 3.0 twin-turbo V6 that found their way into the CT6 sedan. The 3.6-liter here, on the other hand, does its job best when propelling the XT5 in a straight line.
The engineering brief for this engine must have gone something like: Do your job, try not to remind the driver that you’re there and avoid awkward shifts with your eight-speed auto. Judged on these parameters, it succeeds easily, and given the target audience for this crossover, that’s all it really needs to do. The entertainment is the job of the audio system in this segment, not the engine.
That eight speed, by the way, is now controlled by a shift-by-wire system, one that’s more intuitive than Chrysler’s, even though it will take new buyers a day or two to get used to.
Cadillac focused on comfort and materials in redesigning the cabin.
Speaking of entertainment, Cadillac’s updated CUE system is a breeze, featuring new tricks like a proximity sensor that brings up extra menus, though it’s mostly the ergonomics in the XT5 that impress us over the course of a day. This is one of those rare vehicles where everything is within easy reach — no need to tilt forward and stretch out your right arm to scroll through Sirius stations. Simple convenience features abound, from a storage bin arch under the gear shift that’s a good place to stow a purse, to the sliding cargo fence in the trunk that keeps small items from flying around while on the move.
One option that’s worth trying in person before you order it is the rearview mirror that’s now a screen. This newfangled item sounds like it’s an improvement, with Cadillac touting greater visibility, but it’s best to test out how quickly and easily your eyes will refocus from a hundred yards down the road to what is essentially a smartphone a foot away from your face. For rear visibility, there’s still the backup camera of the infotainment screen.
An adjustable fence will keep groceries from Whole Foods from flying around.
Do I want it?
The latest entry with a one-size-fits-all engine hits the mark with surefooted handling, a comfortable interior and excellent road manners. It’s far from exciting. but that’s not its job; there are other cars in Cadillac’s lineup that’ll gladly do that while the XT5 shuttles your parents around.
The biggest choice to make, aside from the myriad trim levels and colors, is whether you want the front-wheel-drive or the all-wheel-drive version; the latter is a $2,645 option.
The midsize crossover may have been born as an expedient for Cadillac, but it has turned into nothing short of a breadwinner for the entire brand — no doubt making the company wish it had more crossovers in more sizes rather than a fistful of similarly-sized sedans. You’ll note that the new XT5 nomenclature leaves plenty of numbers above and below. Cadillac will be filling those in the near future.
2017 Cadillac XT5 first drive: New name, new face, same unshakable formula
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