Here's What I Like About the Cadillac XT4...and Also What I Don't Like

"DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke) 03/27/2018 at 21:07 • Filed to: Cadillac, Cadillac XT4, First Look

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During the Oscars, I posted a screencap from Cadillac’s teaser commercial of the XT4, saying I enjoyed the overall shape and some of the details that they displayed in the commercial. Now that we’ve seen the whole thing, in my eyes there’s a lot to like, but there’s also some minor problems. Being Oppo’s resident Cadillac apologist and an avid fan of the crossover segment, here’s what I like and dislike about the Cadillac XT4.

What I Like

The overall design and shape is quite attractive, it’s about as attractive as you can get for a crossover of this size. It’s got a lot of nice sharp edges and lines that we’ve grown to expect from Cadillac, and they’re part of the reason I love the brand’s current path. It extends to the XT4, creating a tasty little crossover, that I can’t help but describe as a cute little devil. Or perhaps...cute little DeVille? It reminds me of a better automotive personification of those little “deviants” that Scion used to advertise the xD with, if that makes any sense. Probably not.

The interior looks amazing in my books. I’m really glad Cadillac hasn’t succumbed to the floating screen epidemic and is keeping things clean and simple (for the most part). But the biggest plus is what looks to be a completely new interface for Cadillac’s infamous CUE system, and also what looks to be ACTUAL BUTTONS for the climate control, etc. While I eventually grew to tolerate CUE’s interface, Cadillac definitely seems to be learning from past mistakes and seems keen to fix previous owner issues, which I appreciate.

What I Don’t Like

The design, while good, has a little too much GM in it for my tastes. The XT5 is rather distinct from its platform mates, but the XT4, decked out in that burnt orange color and those 5-spoke wheels tastes too much like an Equinox for my liking. And that bleeds into my second con...

The platform. I really don’t like it when my luxury cars platform share with cheaper cars, it’s an issue I have with the Escalade and XTS as well, and a glaring issue I have with Lincoln. I was hoping Cadillac would be allowed to design a new platform, or even re-work the existing platform like they did for the previous generation SRX, but it’s stuck on the Equinox platform. Even if it’s debuting the new “Y trim” strategy (which I’m quite confused about), it stinks that if you look at the bare bones, you’re left with an Equinox. But I’m just a snob. I know the people who buy these things won’t give two s*its.

All in all, I like this thing, but it’s got a lot of flaws that turn me off at the same time. But, it’s my opinion, and it does have one good thing about it that I can’t deny, and that is that it will sell like absolute hot cakes. Anyway, I just thought I’d share my two cents. I’m sure half of Oppo turned away because it’s an automatic crossover anyway.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/27/2018 at 21:13

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Here’s a shitty reply in response to your well-written post:

- just looks like a facelifted XT5 to me

- Saab tail light influence?

- I wonder if it WILL sell like hotcakes. Cadillac’s pricing scheme always seems optimistic.

- I wish I had bought pop tarts

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 03/27/2018 at 21:18

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-I guess? Bonus points for keeping it consistent

-I doubt GM even remembers what a Saab is.

-The XT5 seems to be doing pretty well so I’m sure someone will hop on board

-I’ve got some.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/27/2018 at 21:23

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Ive been told that GM does very well in the heartlands/Midwest etc. Living in the PNW, all I see are Subarus and the like. Seeing any Cadillac other than drug-runner in a DTS or hoardes of Escalades, is an absolute novelty. I got excited when I saw a CT6 the other day.

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 03/27/2018 at 21:30

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Cadillacs are pretty popular in the south, but we also have a large elderly population as well as a large African-American population as well, which are basically the two overlapping customer bases that Cadillac has these days.

There’s also a large amount of nationalists here that would never spend their retirement money on foreign crap, which is why they drive XTSs or Escalades.

Textured Soy Protein > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/27/2018 at 21:50

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Wait a sec...

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Textured Soy Protein 03/27/2018 at 21:52

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Yes I can see the similarities, they have five doors and four wheels.

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/27/2018 at 21:55

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U have five doors and four wheels

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo 03/27/2018 at 21:56

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Technically you’re correct.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/27/2018 at 21:58

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Hopefully this and the other XT# will sell well and we’ll get them on their own platforms next generation. The Cadillac versions of the X3M and X5M would be amazing.

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Carbon Fiber Sasquatch 03/27/2018 at 22:08

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I wonder if they can shoehorn that V8 in the XT5 somehow.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/27/2018 at 22:12

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Doubtful, the XT5 is FWD based. It shares underpinnings with the Acadia, the XT4 shares with the Terrain. No crazy V models this generation :(

Textured Soy Protein > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/27/2018 at 22:39

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The shape of the doors, windows, hatch, spoiler, taillights and C-pillar trim are all very similar.

Textured Soy Protein > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/27/2018 at 22:49

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I bet you think there’s nothing in common here either.

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Textured Soy Protein 03/27/2018 at 23:51

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Are you telling me that a couple of cars in the same segment are using similar shapes in their designs? What a revolution.

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Textured Soy Protein 03/27/2018 at 23:52

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Besides, the tail lights barely even look similar, and the rest of it is just like every other crossover out there. No one on the road is going to mistake an XT4 for an Eclipse just because of some shapes.

Chariotoflove > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/28/2018 at 00:12

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I think you’re right. And platform sharing doesn’t bother me as long as it’s a good platform that does the job.

Amoore100 > Carbon Fiber Sasquatch 03/28/2018 at 00:44

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Bring back the Northstar!

Textured Soy Protein > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 03/28/2018 at 00:44

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Most crossovers including basically everything that the XT4 might compete against have rear quarter windows.

The XT4 and Eclipse Cross have no rear quarter windows. Overall, are the XT4 and Eclipse Cross identical? No. But I immediately saw the Eclipse Cross resemblance in the XT4 side profile. The XT4 has a lot more in common with the Eclipse Cross than literally every crossover pictured above, especially the back doors, windows, and C-pillar trim are practically identical.

Sure, there are some other crossovers that lack quarter windows, but they don’t look anything like the XT4 or Eclipse Cross.

This isn’t a knock on the XT4! It’s just an observation of the resemblance. It certainly shouldn’t be something to be so disagreeable about and the only reason I bothered to find this many pictures is my OCD is stronger than your unnecessary disagreeableness.

B/Xmrrmvr > Textured Soy Protein 03/28/2018 at 06:58

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The guy can’t even tell the difference between a car and a garbage can. I wouldn’t be so hard on him.