When a car company tells me exactly what their goals were for a new vehicle, it makes it easy to review the product. It leaves just two questions to answer: How well did they do; and was it worth doing in the first place. Cadillac came right out and said that their goal with the 2019 Cadillac XT4 crossover vehicle was to build “a solid, fun-to-drive vehicle that connects the driver to the road.”
Before I try to answer the two key questions, I feel compelled to add another layer of complexity. I have to ask “why.” I know I’ll be able to figure out “how” from the vehicle specifications, descriptions and a test drive, but “why” is important here, too.
Car companies forever benchmark and classify vehicles and features. They divide vehicles into segments and categories, and they decide which features they have to include to keep up. They decide which specifications are the minimum to compete, and which ones they’ll have to surpass. Some features are ignored or eliminated, with the explanation being “the segment doesn’t require it.” Benchmarking and building to a segment is the engineer’s approach. The artist’s approach would be “let’s build the very best car we can build, bar none.” Neither approach is ideal, and Cadillac has recognized this dichotomy as a cadence of innovation. They’ve looked at a timeline of the brand’s 113-year history, and noticed some significant milestones and gaps. Cadillac innovations over the years have included the implementation of standardized and interchangeable parts (1908), the Synchromesh transmission (1929), tailfins and curved windshields (1948), tilt-and-telescope steering wheel (1965) and many others. But there was a big innovation gap, 23 years between 1974 and 1997, when the company coasted. Not coincidentally, those years corresponded with a decline in Cadillac’s prestige and dominance of the US luxury car market. Cadillac lost its place as the top luxury automotive brand by volume in the US in 1998, and has yet to regain it. Cadillac President Steve Carlisle wants to change that (obviously), and he believes that innovation will help.
Cadillac, along with the rest of the automotive industry, faces a dual-pronged challenge going into the future. How will they retain their loyal, yet aging, buyers, while at the same time attracting the elusive younger buyers who will sustain the brand into the future?
One of Cadillac’s answers is to introduce an innovative approach to trim levels. The traditional approach is a ladder, where trim levels build upon each other. Paying more for a higher trim level gets you more features and upgrades. Often this has meant that in order to get more performance features, you had to select a higher trim level that also included more luxury features. This hasn’t appealed to younger buyers who prize performance over luxury. Cadillac’s new approach is a “Y.” A Luxury model sits at the base of the Y. From there, buyers can choose Premium Luxury (on one arm of the Y) or Sport (on the other arm of the Y). In the case of XT4, an additional step up from Premium Luxury might be available later in the production cycle – Platinum; and an additional step above Sport is rumored – V-series. Interestingly, the starting prices for Premium Luxury and Sport trim levels of XT4 are identical: $40,750.
So, the “why” of XT4 is plain to see. XT4 is designed to attract younger, sport-oriented drivers to the Cadillac brand, while still retaining the older, luxury-motivated buyers, by giving Cadillac a viable, innovative entry into the fast-growing compact luxury crossover class that includes such vehicles as the Acura RDX, Audi Q3, BMW X2, Infiniti QX30, Lexus NX, Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, Volvo XC40 and others.
Which brings us to how well they did.
XT4 is good-looking in a class of similar-looking vehicles. Distinctive LED lighting front and rear, along with a prominent grille and sculpted presence, gives XT4 a bit of character, and high levels of fit and finish on the exterior elevate the luxury quotient a bit. The Sport trim level gets racy gloss-black finishes in place of the chrome on Premium Luxury, just enough to differentiate the two trim levels. Inside, the clean and functional dash is a knockout, and the new Cadillac User Experience system is loaded with connectivity and functionality. The second row is roomy and comfortable (for outboard passengers, at least), and cargo space is abundant.
Driving the XT4 is the real test, though. There’s just one powertrain/transmission combo available: a new 237-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder gasoline engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. The turbo maintains peak torque (258 lb-ft) from 1,500 – 4,000 rpm, which makes for good grunt all around without a hint of lag. Suspension, steering and braking are all good, amplified by superb balance. You can upgrade to Active Sport Suspension with Continuous Damping Control ($1,200) on Sport for even better handling and road feel.
How well did they do? Pretty darned well. XT4 is a fun-to-drive compact luxury crossover that is right in the mix with its competition. Prices start at $34,795.
Which brings us to the ultimate question: Was it worth doing in the first place? That brings a tougher answer. It’s obvious that Cadillac had to build a crossover to fill the white space in their lineup, especially since so many of their competitors already had vehicles on the road. Did they have to build one that so closely benchmarks and resembles their competition? The engineer on my shoulder says that it’s the smart thing to do, but the artist on my other shoulder was hoping that all that talk about innovation might lead to something more exciting, more special than the 2019 Cadillac XT4.
Disclaimer: The manufacturer provided the vehicle used to conduct this test drive and review.
