GM Juices Up Cadillac XT5 for Crossover-Crazy Market

LEESBURG, VA – General Motors spruces up the Cadillac XT5, a best-selling product for the automaker’s luxury brand in the U.S. and a hot product in China, where industry sales have been easing recently.

The ’20 XT5 refresh, which includes about $1,200 worth of newly standard equipment, comes just two years after its was fully redesigned for ’17 and renamed from the SRX to take on Cadillac’s new alphanumeric designation for its products.

The tweaks also occur as Cadillac expands its crossover portfolio to include the all-new XT4 in the compact arena and freshly launched, 3-row XT6 fitting below the range topping Escalade SUV. A redesigned Escalade comes next year.

Americans are bonkers for crossovers, too, and the new styling and content should give the XT5 momentum in a segment where its market share is second only to the Lexus RX. Although XT5 sales last year fell 11.3% to 60,565 units from 68,312 in 2017, it remains Cadillac’s most popular product in China, where the redesigned model bowed last month. China is Cadillac’s largest market.

Jason Sledziewski, director-Cadillac Product Marketing, says the XT5 should enjoy the company of its new stablemates, the XT4 and XT6, rather than see buyers flee to those products.

“We’re not seeing any real diversions down to XT4 from XT5,” Sledziewski tells Wards during a sneak peek of the redesigned XT5 here.

The XT4 also is receiving attention from younger female buyers, whereas the XT5 historically has attracted young families and empty nesters. Sledziewski says 70% of XT4 buyers are coming from other brands.

“Those two things tell me the XT4 has not affected the XT5, and we have for the most part been able to keep our XT5 sales volume,” he says. “From an XT6 perspective, that’s where we think a whole new customer is going to come to us. We haven’t offered that 3-row (crossover) below the Escalade.”

The Spring Hill, TN-built XT5 will adopt Cadillac’s newly employed “Y” trim strategy, where a Luxury model occupies the base and Premium Luxury and Sport lines branch off and upward in standard and available content and pricing.

Premium Luxury models receive bright trim and contemporary accents, while Sport models carry a darker, more aggressive appearance and performance-oriented tuning to the suspension, steering and throttle map.

A key addition to the XT5 is a 2.0L turbocharged gasoline 4-cyl. rated at an SAE-certified 237 hp and 258 lb.-ft. (350 Nm) of torque. The I-4, which uses a twin-scroll turbo and a unique 3-step sliding camshaft to improve performance across the rpm band, joins the crossover’s 3.6L naturally aspirated gasoline V-6 with 310 hp and 271 lb.-ft. (367 Nm) of torque.

The 4-cyl. becomes standard equipment and the V-6, historically the car’s sole engine, now is optional. Both engines feature direct injection, camshaft phasing, cylinder deactivation and stop-start technology. Each is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission.

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Revised front struts and driveline improvements enhance ride comfort and road isolation to Luxury and Premium Luxury models, while Sport models are distinguished by a standard dual-clutch all-wheel-drive system with active yaw control for aggressive cornering, a continuously adaptive suspension, quicker steering ratio and 20-in. wheels.

Single-clutch AWD is available for Luxury and Premium Luxury units.

Models outfitted with the 2.0L turbo include a new, electronically controlled braking system that replaces a conventional vacuum-assisted system to improve efficiency by reducing parasitic losses due to engine drag. It also provides better response and feedback, GM says.

Key exterior enhancements include newly standard LED headlamps with auto-dimming capbility on all models. The lower front and rear fascia are updated, and a new 18-in. wheel design is standard on Luxury models. A new 20-in. wheel design is available on Premium Luxury models, while Sport versions feature new 20-in. wheels as standard equipment.

Inside the XT5, technology updates are made to improve functionality and intuitiveness, GM says, for a more seamless user experience. The XT5 now boasts more than 20 available safety and advanced driver-assistance technologies, including the latest Cadillac user experience interface with enhanced connectivity and personalization that debuted on the XT4.

The crossover’s rotary controller features a new jog functionality to complement conventional buttons and touchscreen redundancy to offer more ways to interact with the system, while Android smartphone owners will enjoy one-touch phone pairing with Near Field Communication technology. The NFC does not accommodate Apple products.

Also added are next-generation, 15-watt wireless charging and revised USB ports, including the latest USB-C type for faster charging and enhanced usability. Two new high-definition instrument cluster display options provide crisp, vibrant graphics, while a higher-resolution display is added for rear- and surround-vision cameras.

Additional safety enhancements include improved automatic parking assist with braking capability, a new rear-pedestrian alert and available night vision leveraging infrared technology.

The interior also receives fresh color and trim themes with greater differentiation among the trims, and a richer selection of authentic materials and coordinating decorative treatments is available. For example, a Jet Black/Kona Brown execution is new and includes premium leather seats, leather door trim and armrests for an added cost.

A revised center console design offers enhanced storage solutions, while refashioned cupholders and a wrapped bin at the front of the console convey a more tailored appearance, GM says. Heated front seats are made standard, and functionality of the 60/40-split second row is enhanced.

Following an emerging trend, the available Bose Performance Series sound system receives machined metal speaker grilles. Acoustics are better, too, the automaker says.

The new XT5 arrives at U.S. dealers in late-summer with a starting price of $45,090, including destination fees. It already is available in China.

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