Cadillac XT4 first drive and first impressions

The 2019 Cadillac XT4 is a small-sized luxury SUV that targets a new, younger audience

2019 Cadillac XT4 Premium Luxury

If you’re attracted to the Cadillac Escalade, but it’s too large for your needs, then the new 2019 Cadillac XT4 could be right up your alley. The Cadillac XT4 is a small-sized luxury SUV that is clearly targeting a new, younger generation of Cadillac buyers.

The 2019 Cadillac XT4 screams confidence thanks to its clean yet bold look. Its wheels have a satin finish instead of gloss, while its door handles are colored to match the body. All of these design aspects help contribute to a somewhat sporty yet purposefully sophisticated fresh new look for a Cadillac.

“With the XT4’s interior, we distilled Cadillac to its essence…. We’ve been able to be simpler and bolder than we have ever been before, giving the SUV attitude and a sporty connotation.” – Phillip Kucera, Interior Design manager.

The sport-sedan inspired seats inside the XT4 are very comfortable, and they offer some great perks. For instance, the front row not only offers heated seats, but there’s also a massage feature available.

The XT4 also comes packed with plenty of tech amenities. For starters, the XT4 comes rocking an 8-inch 768p touchscreen which is unique to the XT4; it is the best one that can be found in any GM vehicle. The touchscreen display lays at a low angle which makes it even more convenient for the driver to operate while helping keep their eyes on the road.

On the infotainment side, the XT4 offers the easiest to use infotainment system we’ve tested to date. Specifically, it comes with the latest generation of the Cadillac Cue infotainment system. Sure, you can use your iPhone or Android smartphone in Android Auto or Apple CarPlay mode, but if you forget your phone at home, you actually won’t mind using the Cadillac Cue infotainment system.

That is because, unlike most car infotainment systems that we’ve tested which tend to be unintuitive and infuriating to use, the Cue system has been designed to emulate the experience of using your smartphone. It even comes complete with popular apps like Spotify. Its navigation system is super intuitive too – it works with pinch, zoom, one-touch listings, and in general is super responsive. Best of all, it’s distraction-free.

The car also comes with a built-in 4G LTE hotspot, a wireless charging pad option, and new for Cadillac is a Bluetooth tap-to-pair feature for compatible Android phones. The XT4 also comes with a new multifunction controller that helps drivers keep their eyes on the road.

In addition, Cadillac has partnered up with Amazon to offer Amazon Key in their vehicles. That means that you can have Amazon deliver and leave a package in the trunk of your XT4.

But it’s not just that the XT4 is a new model altogether, but that the XT4 is also a big first for Cadillac when it comes to the engine. Under the hood, the XT4 comes with a brand new 2-liter turbo engine that provides a great balance between power and fuel economy, all without sacrificing one over the other. The XT4 also features an all-new electro-hydraulic braking system which has a big benefit – no matter what elevation level you’re on, the breaking will feel the same, which keeps the driver feeling comfortable with the breaking system no matter the conditions.

We took the XT4 for a ride around Seattle and discovered that the XT4 offers a phenomenally smooth ride. It even managed to handle curvy roads and sudden breaking really well during a torrential rainstorm. We test drove both the XT4 Sport and the XT4 Premium Luxury models. We especially enjoyed the XT4 sport model because we could feel the extra power behind its engine, and it was a lot of fun to drive.

It’s worth noting that the XT4 isn’t the only new thing coming from Cadillac in 2018. Cadillac plans on releasing a new vehicle every 6 months over the next several years, through 2020.

“The first-ever 2019 Cadillac XT4 expands our successful SUV lineup to a segment where Cadillac has never been before…And it sets off a dramatic expansion and elevation of the product range, that will see a new Cadillac virtually once every six months through 2021.” – Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen.

Pricing for the 2019 Cadillac XT4 starts at $35,790.

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