Loaner Review - Cadillac XT5

"SkyNet" (skynet-z28) 06/10/2016 at 09:24 • Filed to: None

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So my ATS was in the dealer for a CUE fix and for me to bamboozle them into rotating my tires for free due to excessive wear (caused by excessive auto crossing). My loaner was an XT5.

I’ll start by saying that I’m not a big fan of crossovers, particularly small crossovers with only 2 rows. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the XT5.

First, the styling, which is totally subjective, but I think it’s a really good looking crossover. It looks better in person than it does in pictures. In my opinion, most crossovers look exactly the same these days so it’s nice to see something at least a little different.

From the interior, the dash layout is nice, the materials are pretty nice (I think this was a “base” model.” Soft touch materials and what feels like real leather abound. The gauges are much better than my ATS. The shifter is certainly “classy” looking, but annoying to operate before you get used to it.

My big complaint about the interior is the lack of cupholders. The whole point of a crossover is ostensibly for more utility and family hauling abilities than a sedan. With family comes children. With children, comes cups, and other needs for random storage. My wife’s Acadia has no fewer than 8 cupholders, and they are large and useful. The XT5 only has 4, 2 of which are up front and are tiny, the other two are in the arm rest in the back seat, which I’m fairly confident wouldn’t fold down with a car seat installed.

Also, CUE is much improved over my ATS and is no longer a massive pain that makes you sometimes regret your choice of automobile.

So how does it drive?

The answer is “good.” And not just good for a crossover. The steering is responsive, the car immediately responds to inputs (not at ATS levels, but certainly better than my 2011 Camaro and my wife’s Acadia), the brakes are excellent. It’s hard to describe, but the XT5 has a great, solid - yet light on its feet, poised feel to it. It’s certainly the best driving SUV I’ve ever driven.

How is the power?

Once again, pretty good. My loaner had the 3.6 v-6. Good power band, more than adequate power, fairly smooth delivery. All good.

My one complaint is the start/stop system. I’ve never driven a car with a start/stop and I absolutely hated this one. It was “seam full” meaning, the opposite of “seamless” or perhaps “full of seams” would be a better word. Regardless, for a luxury car, it was clunky, not smooth, and somewhat jarring.

Overall Opinion:

When my kid get a little older and my wife is ready to look at a new crossover, we will definitely give the XT5 a good look.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > SkyNet 06/10/2016 at 12:29

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Because it has to be said... you can’t rotate your own tires?

SkyNet > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 06/10/2016 at 12:33

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Haha of course I can, however, I recently moved and I don’t really have a good place to jack the car up and do the work without excessive dirty looks from my neighbors, who already don’t like us for being the youngest people in the complex. So, if I can get someone else to do it for free, I’d rather take that option.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > SkyNet 06/10/2016 at 13:08

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Lol I guess.

I once got dirty looks while changing an axle shaft in a parking lot at my college dorm. A couple times I just said “flat tire” and people walked away perfectly happy with that explanation, including residence staff and campus security, despite the fact I had the diff cover off and most of the suspension on that corner of the truck disassembled. Sometimes it’s nice when people know nothing about cars. But I guess a college dorm is a bit less upscale than what you’re describing... they likely would be unhappy my truck was there at all. Something something 25-year old 300,000 mile Jeep.