Better late than never. Cadillac is finally diving into the compact premium crossover game with the 2019 XT4, an XT5 that’s been given the Honey I Shrunk The Kids treatment.
Blessed with clean, stylish lines, the XT4 is a sharp looking crossover that should stand out from the pack. The wide grille, sharp headlights, and wreathless Cadillac shield give it a distinctive face, while the tail’s handsome LED taillights look fantastic, especially in the Sport trim’s clear treatment.
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The cabin is simple and stylish, with two rows of buttons sitting beneath an 8.0-inch touchscreen display. There’s a concept-car-like layout to the cabin, with the wide display sitting lower than we’d expect and its housing almost merging with the instrument cluster. It’s not as dramatic as the combined 24-inch setup in the Mercedes-Benz C-, E-, and S-Class, but it’s arguably more attractive and fluid.
The cabin should be good for passengers too. There’s up to 39.5 inches of second-row leg room, a figure Cadillac says tops the competition.
All XT4s use a 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder with a 9-speed automatic. Its 237 horsepower is comparable for the class, although a manufacturer-estimated 30 mpg highway beats most of the competition. The powertrain is an increasingly familiar one, finding a place in other recent GM products, like the new Buick Regal and Chevrolet Malibu.
CHECK OUT: Cadillac XT4 will add Super Cruise (eventually)
While automatic emergency braking is available, it’s not standard. Surprisingly Cadillac’s impressive Super Cruise hands-free driver assist system is not available. In fact, only blind-spot monitoring is available as standard, and then only on the mid-range Premium Luxury and the range-topping Sport. Lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control will likely end up on the options list.
Priced from $35,790 the XT4 goes on sale this fall.
