Slowly but surely, Cadillac is bolstering its crossover lineup, and the compact XT4 is finally here to slot beneath the midsize XT5. Like all of its competitors, the XT4 packs turbocharged power, a choice of front- or all-wheel drive and a full suite of the latest and greatest onboard tech. It doesn’t revolutionize the small luxury CUV space in any way, but it’ll likely find many happy homes with hungry crossover shoppers. Better late than never, right?
The 2019 XT4 will start at $35,790, including destination. That makes it a few thousand dollars cheaper than traditional midsize luxury-utes like the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC300 and Volvo XC60, but the Cadillac is also a bit smaller in size than these competitors. On the other hand, the XT4 is larger than the subcompact BMW X1, Mercedes GLA and Volvo XC40, but commands a few thousand dollars more than these rivals. Instead of nicely slotting into a pre-established segment, the XT4 stands out as a bit of a ‘tweener.
Cadillac will offer the XT4 in three trim levels: Luxury, Premium Luxury and Sport. All XT4s come standard with 18-inch wheels, though larger 20-inch rollers are available on Premium Luxury and Sport models. Other standard equipment includes LED headlights and taillights, an 8-inch Cadillac User Experience (CUE) infotainment system (more on that in a sec), four USB ports and front-wheel drive.
A 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 engine powers all XT4 models, producing 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That engine is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission, and Cadillac is estimating fuel economy numbers of 25 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined. Any XT4 model can be spec’d with an optional twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system, which decouples the drivetrain from the rear wheels when AWD isn’t needed, resulting in better overall efficiency. The XT4 Sport is the only model that offers an optional sport suspension, featuring continuous damping control.
Inside, it’s more of what we expect from Cadillac. Front and center is an 8-inch touchscreen that houses the CUE infotainment system, and the XT4 is the first Cadillac to come with a rotary control knob in the center console, you know, if you want to keep greasy fingerprints off that high-res display. The XT4 can be had with 4G LTE Wi-Fi as well as 15-watt wireless smartphone charging.
The XT4 offers seating for five passengers, with as much as 48.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats. Once again, the XT4 is a bit of a middle child within the luxury SUV space, its interior dimensions putting it somewhere between the compact and subcompact offerings from other automakers.
If you absolutely can not wait to get your hands on the new XT4, pre-orders will start in the weeks following the XT4’s New York Auto Show debut. Otherwise, look for the 2019 XT4 to roll into Cadillac dealers this fall.
