Cadillac XT5 Achieves Interior XTC

Cadillac might be struggling in the sales race with Lexus and Germany’s three luxury brands in certain segments, but not in the area of midsize CUVs. The SRX has been a mainstay for years, and now it’s being replaced with the ’17 XT5, a premium ute that is better in every regard.

Let’s look more closely at the cabin, which earns a 2016 Wards 10 Best Interiors trophy amid a flood of premium CUVs this spring.

Materials are impeccable, from the rosewood trim on the instrument panel, doors and heated steering wheel to the creamy microsuede overhead and also meticulously applied to the pillar trim and IP. The semi-aniline Maple Sugar leather seats are firm, comfortable and supportive.

Metallic bits are used sparingly but to great effect, applying a satin sheen to the XT5’s doors, steering wheel, center console and the bezel surrounding the central display screen.

Two strips of this same brushed metallic trim angle downward along the lower edge of the instrument panel and come to a point, like two swords about to meet below the center stack.

The overall design aesthetic would please Bo Andersson, the former General Motors purchasing chief who talked frequently about the need for cohesive interiors that reflect “design harmony” among the many components: The elements of the door trim need to flow into the instrument panel and vice versa. The center stack needs to appear like an extension of the center console and vice versa.

The XT5’s interior accomplishes these objectives, while retaining the edgy design language Cadillac has been establishing over the past decade. Plus, the cabin feels ergonomically correct for both driver and passenger, as all controls are within easy reach.

Other reasons to admire the interior: the spacious second row (with reclining seatbacks) and cargo hold, innovative Rear Camera Mirror, bright head-up display, Ultraview panoramic sunroof, seamless connectivity of the Cadillac User Experience, 14-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system and a host of active-safety features, such as rear-cross-traffic alert.

And the price is reasonable, too: $63,845 out the door with all-wheel drive and loaded with Platinum trim.

Overall, the interior looks and feels handcrafted, and Cadillac customers who used to enjoy the SRX now will love the XT5.

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