2019 Cadillac XT4: Yet Another Compact Crossover, But This One's a Caddy

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey

Full disclosure, right up front: While I am in New York City for the auto show, neither myself or anyone from the TTAC team was invited to the XT4 unveiling the night before the show’s first media day.

I only mention this to point out that I can’t, as of this writing, judge the newest luxury compact crossover in the flesh, although I will likely see it 12 hours or so after I type this.

Hot takes aside, it’s common knowledge by now that crossovers are hot and just about every brand feels it needs to cover the subcompact, compact, and midsize classes. Cadillac has the midsize class covered with the XT5, so naturally, it’s time to go one smaller.

Like so many other cars and crossovers on the road, the XT4 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo four. This one has two types of valve lift (high and low) and cylinder deactivation for extra fuel savings, and it pairs with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Cadillac has it slated to make 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque.

It will be available in three trims – base Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport – as part of Cadillac’s new “Y” trim strategy, which uses specific content and styling distinctions to make it easy for observers to tell the trims apart at a glance.

Pricing will start at $35,790 before fees, and the XT4 will be available with a twin-clutch all-wheel drive system, an available sport suspension with something dubbed “electro-hydraulic brake assist” (the system essentially replaces the more conventional vacuum assist to reduce weight) and a new rotary controller for the CUE infotainment system.

LED headlights and taillights will be standard, and key standard/available features include near-field communication, wireless charging, rearview-mirror camera, and 360-degree camera. A quick scan of the media materials also shows that the usual driver-assistance systems are available, along with a sunroof, navigation, premium audio, a cold-weather package, and 20-inch wheels.

Par for the course, of course, in the compact luxury crossover class. I can say without even seeing the thing that Cadillac probably has a hit on its hands, just by default, since crossovers are so hot. Yes, the XT4 could suck to drive – we won’t know about that for a while – but provided it’s even reasonably well built, Cadillac is gonna move a bunch.

[Images: Cadillac]

Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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  • Jkross22 Jkross22 on Mar 28, 2018

    It looks okay. It has a 4 cylinder turbo motor. It has an interior with seats. It has a screen. I'm sure it has a panorama roof. It costs in the 40's. It's a CUV. Why won't GM let Cadillac be Cadillac? This thing should have been crazy good looking, bold with a blown 6 for a standard engine. Or why not a really fast performance hybrid. Something that the brand could point to as the technology/power leader. GM needs someone with brass balls to start making decisions.

  • Ceipower Ceipower on Mar 28, 2018

    Cadillacs have never spoke to me, and after the old GM was replaced by the "New GM", well they still seem like a so-so vehicle that GM expects everyone to regard as a prestige brand. Sorry , I'm not biting.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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