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Cadillac's Crossover Do-Over, the XT5, Gets It Mostly Right

7K views 51 replies 27 participants last post by  Ruperts Trooper 
#1 ·
Cadillac's Crossover Do-Over, the XT5, Gets It Mostly Right
A post-SRX mea culpa
www.thedrive.com
June 28, 2016
By: Lawrence Ulrich

rossovers may be the new staple of the American automotive diet, but they don’t always get a lot of love here at The Drive. We tolerate them with varying levels of graciousness, as one does when facing a business lunch in a humble Midwestern town: Cheesecake Factory, anyone?

Rather than bitch about how there's no foie gras on the menu, I tend to get all consumer-y, to focus on how crossovers stack up in their class. These, after all, are vehicles that readers might buy in real life once they're done mooning over Aston Martins.

By that standard, the Cadillac XT5 will make its parents proud on any play date, even against private-schoolers like the BMW X3 or Audi Q5. The tall-saddled XT5 isn’t as exciting to drive as Cadillac’s lauded sport sedans, but it’s a veritable Ferrari versus suburban softies like the Lexus RX or Lincoln MKX.


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#2 ·
I'll wait for an article NOT written by the 2nd Runner Up, Manhatten Snob Of The Month, February 2011. Christ, this guy is insufferable. :slap:
 
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#3 ·
I think the most important part is the XT5 looks good, inside and out. I always liked the SRX exterior, the interior didn't feel luxurious to me - so to my eyes the XT5 built on the SRX's strenghs (good exterior) and improved its weaknesses (interior).

Sounds like it has competent handling, though I'm disappointed it doesn't rival the Porsche in driving dynamics, I don't think pulling .90 g's in a corner is a major selling factor in this segment.

I need to sit in one to check out these seats. Dropping off my car at the dealer tomorrow, hopefully I'll have time to sit in an XT5. What's the chance I'll get an XT5 as a loaner?
 
#4 · (Edited)
That SRX was simultaneously Cadillac’s least impressive and best-selling model, even as it aged like Jake LaMotta. One might argue that Cadillac itself took one too many shots to the head; rivals like BMW and Mercedes have taken heat for purportedly whoring out to crossovers, but now they’re laughing all the way to Deutsche Bank.
Glad to hear that Caddy got it mostly right. The SRX was a big seller, despite its shortcomings. If they've improved upon it incrementally, they should sell more units. If they've made significant improvements, it should help bring new blood to the brand.
Under the tutelage of a new trainer—former Audi of America boss Johan de Nysschen—Cadillac has finally determined that this crossover thing might be more than a fad.
An understatement if there ever was one. Crossovers are now essential for any brand. Caddy will see a huge spike in volume just by existing in the various crossover/SUV segments, let along actually competing on dynamics, design, etc. For our sake (and the sake of positive review, consumers, and critics), let's hope they bring their A-Game to each and every offering.
 
#8 ·
So, I saw the GM trifecta of new vehicles last Saturday all on the same lot. The Cascada, XT5, and CT6. Didn't spend a lot of time with all three but I liked the XT5 from what I saw and think it should do well.
 
#11 ·
>I’m not entirely sure when or how it happened, but Cadillac’s CUE infotainment system, once murder-inducing, is now just mildly cumbersome. Sure, processing is faster and the eight-inch screen clearer. But replacing CUE’s oblivious touch-sensitive panels with physical buttons puts a literal finger on the improvements<

Do I get any credit for mentioning this over and over? Haptic Touch sucks and their other models need this change.

Stop/Start can't be turned off. Immediate Sales loss and an incredibly stupid move on GM's part, IMO
Uncomfortable seats in a luxury car? Inexcusable.

I still like the way this thing looks inside and out but GM needs to sweat the small stuff
 
#17 ·
I have a 2016 ATS loaner today with stop/start. I drove one of my staff to work today, and he is a car enthusiast as well. He didn't even realize the ATS has stop/start until I told him as it is so smooth. If it is that seamless and smooth, why do you need to disable it?

Unrelated - I would prefer to see Cadillac using all rwd for consistency of image and message, even if the target market wouldn't care. With that said, Lexus seems to have quite a scitzophrenic marketing message with their hodgepodge of aggressive styling, mix of soft cars and sporty cars, fwd and rwd etc. and it seems to work for them....
 
#12 ·
I have been driving my XT5 Platinum for 4 weeks now and I can say that it is a big improvement over my SRX on all levels. The interior is really amazing, and I get comments from passengers as well as every time I valet. Last weekend at one of the new trendy restaurants in town the valet stopped me to tell me it was the nicest Cadillac interior he had ever seen and nicer than the Range Rover he had just parked. The CUE is a hue improvement due to its faster processing time and the fact that all of the buttons are now physical buttons instead of haptic I do agree that the Stop/Start is rough, and I am not sure why. I am driving a 2016 Malibu LT as a rental right now, and the Stop/Start is imperceptible. If they can do that in a Chevy they should be able to do it in the Caddy.
 
#27 ·
When i heard this was out I stopped at my local Cadillac dealer which I hadn't been to in years. I always liked the SRX but could never buy one since it was assembled in Mexico. Can't do that. I understand the new XT5 will be built in the USA. I was impressed with everything about this new vehicle. I did notice the stop/start when driving slow thru the dealers back lot. The salesman said it could be turned off. The interior is great. It's bigger than I expected, has a slight bloat look to it to me. I drove the basic model without all the extras. They had a loaded one but it was not being driven. It can get quite pricey with all the goodies.

Overall I think this is a winner.
 
#35 · (Edited)
Just because the German's do it doesn't make it right. .....two years in the hot Texas summer and that plastic would be milky gray.
.....but why for the love of God does a 50k plus vehicle have flat black plastic on the lower portion of the car. You want to compete with the big boys cut the crap!!!!
So who are the "Big Boys" you're referring to, then ?

The Texas summer would have the same effect on the German plastic too wouldn't it? That doesn't stop Texans from buying German luxury CUV's.
 
#42 · (Edited)
Styling is where Cadillac is far behind in. That the main reason it not selling
.....and grammar is yours.


The three letter models are duking out with Lincoln and other Japanese luxury brands other then Lexus!
What's "duking?"
 
#48 ·
^ Point in mentioning the XTS is that it was the one Cadillac sedan that wasn't so far behind the competition in passenger/trunk space - so it did well relative to its competition set.

Same goes for the Escalade (which does so well in part due to the popularity of the ESV model).

Both the XT5 and CT6 are already selling fairly well and should continue to grow as supply increases and all the trim variants become available.

If that is indeed the case, further shows credence to the belief that the fundamental flaw in the ATS and CTS was the lack of interior space (relative to the competition).
 
#50 ·
Not reading the whole thread, but skimming the last page... ITT: people with OCD stuck in 2003

Cadillac's not doing RWD. Maybe they will one day, but they need quick product on the cheap. MMQBing isn't going to make a difference, either.

XT5 will sell well and is already selling better than the peanut gallery doomsayers suggested at 50% of SRX sales.

It'll almost certainly dip with XT3... but at this point, with none of Cadillac or GM's research in front of you, who really knows?

It's about $, not weenie size.
 
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