Cadillac XT5: Judging for 2016 Wards 10 Best Interiors

TRANSCRIPT 

The Cadillac XT5 cross/utility vehicle replaces the popular SRX, and its interior is brilliantly executed, managing to hold its own up against nine other midsize luxury utility vehicles in this year’s Wards 10 Best Interiors competition. The XT5 was one of four vehicles in that crowded segment to make the list.

It does so with first-rate materials, such as satin-finish Rosewood trim on the instrument panel, doors and heated steering wheel; the supple semi-Aniline Maple Sugar leather on seats that are firm and supportive; and the velvety microsuede on the instrument panel, pillar trim and the entire headliner of the Platinum model we evaluated in March.

Other features are impressive as well, such as the rear camera mirror, seamless connectivity of the Cadillac User Experience, bright head-up display, Ultraview panoramic sunroof, a kickin’ Bose sound system and generally flawless fit-and-finish.

Let’s not overlook the brushed aluminum trim that is used sparingly but finishes this interior so nicely. We see it on the doors, steering wheel, center console and around the central display screen. Two of these metallic strips angle downward along the lower edge of the instrument panel, resembling swords about to meet.

The XT5 is comfortable and ergonomically correct, whether in the reclining second row or in the heated and cooled driver’s seat, where the shifter and all controls are within easy reach. The cargo hold is ample, with seats up or down.

Aesthetically, the XT5 achieves interior design harmony, as the elements of the door trim flow seamlessly into the instrument panel and vice versa. Likewise, the center stack appears like an extension of the center console and vice versa.

Along the way, this interior feels handcrafted and retains the edgy design language Cadillac has been establishing over the past decade. Our fully loaded Platinum AWD tester is a good value at under $65,000.

Sure, the Cadillac SRX was popular, but the XT5 is better in every way, especially the interior.

– Tom Murphy