CADILLAC XT5 2017

Body, cabin and cargo space

Though built on a new platform, the 2017 Cadillac XT5 is similar to the Cadillac SRX it replaces in both styling and dimensions. The wheelbase is 5 cm longer, which translates to considerably more legroom in the back. However, rear seating is still uninviting because of the poor headroom (6 cm lower this year). The rear bench seat is well shaped, and comfortable for the people it fits.

Front passengers enjoy much more generous and accommodating seating, with just the wide centre console encroaching on knee room. The seats are firm without being hard and provide good overall support. Drivers will like the adjustable thigh support afforded by the seat-cushion extender; height-adjusting lumbar support would also have been appreciated in a vehicle of this price.

The driving position is enjoyable, thanks to the reach of the telescoping steering wheel, a wide footrest and a seat that adjusts low enough to avoid the high-perched feeling you get in some crossover vehicles. The heated seats warm up very quickly.

The cargo area is of good length but the sharply sloping hatch reduces the height. The rear seatbacks fold almost flat to extend the cargo floor. Practical touches include a 12-volt outlet and carpeted sides. A sliding aluminum divider than allows you to divide the trunk in two is hard to manipulate and too low to be really useful. The luggage cover is not entirely satisfactory as it leaves an exposed gap several centimetres wide behind the seatbacks.

As is more and more frequent in the industry, a tire repair kit composed of a sealant and compressor replaces the spare tire. An optional spare is still available; CAA-Quebec recommends it despite the high price ($435), as it usually makes it easier and cheaper to repair a flat.

Finish and convenience

Abundant soft-touch surfaces, perforated imitation leather on the dash, genuine wood accents, and nice colour schemes: the 2017 Cadillac XT5 is treated to a truly luxurious finish. Platinum models get even richer materials. Some gaps in trim panels are a bit wide, but not to the point of detracting from the overall visual harmony.

The instrument panel is stylistic and contemporary, partly to the detriment of function. Gauges are bright and very detailed; the trip computer provides a host of information once it is mastered. The CUE centre touch screen reacts more quickly than before and proves relatively clear and logical.

Cadillac has also replaced certain virtual buttons by real buttons on the dashboard (for the seat heaters, for example). However, it keeps a frustrating sliding bar touch for radio volume, and certain climate functions again are accessible only via the touch screen.

Another unorthodox control is the new joystick-type electronic gear shifter, which requires a long period of adaptation. It freed up a vast but hard-to-access storage space under the console. There is a sufficient number of other, more traditional storage spaces plus a vertical slot for phone storage with an inductive charger for compatible devices.

Standard features include a power liftgate, keyless entry and ignition, remote start, four USB ports, two 12-volt outlets, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay interfaces. The Bose audio system that is standard on base and Luxury models is just adequate for a brand system.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with brake-force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Front airbags
• Driver knee airbag
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Five head restraints (adjustable on outboard seats)
• Tire pressure monitor
• Backup sonar and camera
• Surround cameras and rear camera mirror (standard, Platinum trim; non-available, other trims)
• Blind-spot and rear cross traffic monitoring (standard, Luxury, Premium Luxury and Platinum; non-available, base model)
• Lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, frontal collision warning with low-speed automatic emergency braking (standard, Premium Luxury and Platinum; optional, Luxury; non-available, base model)
• All-speed automatic emergency braking (including in reverse), adaptive cruise control and automatic seatbelt tensioners (optional, Premium Luxury and Platinum; non-available, other models)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick

Visibility

With narrow glass surfaces, high rear window and very wide roof pillars, the Cadillac XT5 affords very poor visibility in nearly all directions. The reflection off the dashboard in the windshield is more intense than average. The backup camera and blind-spot monitoring systems are so useful that we recommend avoiding the front-drive base version on which blind-spot alert is unavailable.

Platinum models innovate an inside rearview camera mirror that displays a panoramic view of what’s going on behind the vehicle. We briefly tested this feature in a Cadillac CT6 sedan and found it efficient, though a bit destabilizing at first.
Headlights: According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety test results, the LED headlights on Premium Luxury and Platinum models (optional on Luxury models) provide insufficient lighting both straight-line and turning, and in both low- and high-beam modes.

Engine and transmission

Like the SRX it replaces, the XT5 is offered exclusively with a V6 engine in North America. In service for more than 10 years, this 3.6-litre has received constant upgrades, including the addition of direct fuel injection. It gains 2 hp and 6 lb-ft of torque this year, but more noteworthy is a new automatic start-stop feature aimed at reducing fuel consumption and harmful emissions. The system works smoothly, which is just as well, as it cannot be disabled.

Smooth and relatively quiet, the V6 is well suited to the XT5, which is some 60 kg lighter than the SRX. It delivers very satisfactory performance if the driver knows where to look for it, which is to say at rather high rpms. Several competing vehicles now offer a turbocharged four-cylinder instead of a naturally aspirated (non-turbo) V6, which indeed Cadillac chose to do for the Chinese market. In our experience, the smaller engines usually do a good job, though they often lack the smoothness and sonority of a good six-cylinder.

Close- and well-geared, the new eight-speed automatic transmission cleverly dissimulates the lack of low-speed torque that has always characterised GM’s 3.6-litre V6. It is relatively smooth except for the occasional jerk when it shifts back to first after a stop. It usually downshifts without hesitation, but one of our testers noted an annoying and recurrent vibration when the transmission clearly selected a gear that was too high for the speed of the vehicle. There are still a few kinks to be ironed out for this transmission to be completely satisfactory.

One thing that is sure is that fuel efficiency comes out a winner with the addition of the two extra gears. We recorded an average of 10.4 L/100 km on a test run composed of 75 percent highway driving. That’s nearly 2 L/100 km better than in our last test of an SRX with the same 3.6-litre engine.

Ride and handling

The 2017 Cadillac XT5 really shines on long trips thanks to its very stable and composed handling. Even heavy rain and relatively high side winds during our test were unable to perturb its grip. There is a certain level of lean in turns, but body reactions are progressive and controlled.

The suspension does a good job of absorbing big bumps without undue bouncing. It is less successful in masking cracks, expansion joints and other smaller imperfections, especially at low speed. Road noise could also be better controlled, especially in a vehicle of this price. In those respects, Cadillac’s targeted German rivals—Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC—all display better balance.

Steering, on the other hand, is precise and well-weighted and very pleasing in all circumstances. It delivers good road feel even when not in Sport mode (which reduces assistance). Braking is notable for good power and an easily modulated pedal.

The new twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system proved very efficient on a relatively demanding off-road course during the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada 2017 TestFest. It also definitely contributes to reducing the SUV tendency to plow ahead in turns (understeer).

However, to get the full benefits of the system, it is imperative to select Sport or AWD modes. In Touring mode, the default mode, all power is directed to the front wheels. We also noted that the all-wheel-drive system on our tester sometimes engaged with a bump that was clearly felt and heard.