2019 Cadillac XT4: What We Know And What We Expect

Cadillac sales have fallen from 235,002 units in 2005 to just 156,440 units last year. The decline is a result of multiple different issues, but one of the key problems facing the automaker is a lack of crossovers.

Cadillac’s only crossover is the XT5 and it is responsible for the majority of the brand’s sales in the United States. Last year alone, the company sold 68,312 units which means the XT5 outsold the ATS, CTS, CT6 and XTS combined.

Cadillac is well aware of the issue and is planning to fill the crossover gap with the all-new XT4 which will be unveiled at the New York Auto Show later this month. The model will go on sale this fall and feature a design heavily inspired by its larger brother.

Tell me about its design

Cadillac has only given us a few glimpses of the model but it will feature a familiar front fascia with a prominent grille that is flanked by LED-infused headlights with vertical accents. The crossover will also have triangular air intakes and a sculpted hood.

The greenhouse will echo the XT5 but the smaller model will have more angular shoulders and sharper character lines. The XT4 will also have door-mounted mirrors, L-shaped LED taillights and Cadillac badges on the front fenders.

Cadillac interiors have always been a bit of mixed bag but the company has been making progress in recent years. However, not all of the changes have been welcome as consumers have complained about material quality, finicky switchgear and the CUE infotainment system.

What about inside?

The XT4 will attempt to address a number of these issues as spy photos have shown the cabin will come with an assortment of psychical buttons to control everything from the heated and ventilated seats to the climate control system. The pictures also suggested the infotainment system will be getting an iDrive-like controller and an NFC touchpoint will be added beneath the screen to make pairing a smartphone a breeze.

What powertrains will be available on the XT4?

Under the hood, we can expect a couple of different engine options. Cadillac has been coy on specifics but the brand’s president, Johan de Nysschen, used to the 2017 Geneva Motor Show to announce the XT4 will be offered with an “entirely new series of efficient and powerful engines.”

Speculation suggests the entry-level model will be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that could produce up to 275 hp (205 kW). The engine will likely be paired to nine-speed automatic transmission which can be backed up by an optional all-wheel drive system.

Anything else of note?

De Nysschen has also suggested we can expect more V- and V-Sport variants in the future and the XT4 could be a possible candidate. Nothing is official but Audi, BMW and Mercedes offer high-performance versions of their crossovers and they make a pretty tidy profit on them too.

While it remains to be seen if there will be an XT4-V or XT4 V-Sport, a plug-in hybrid variant is a sure thing. The eco-friendly model has been spied undergoing testing on multiple occasions and it should offer drivers the option to travel on electricity for short distances.

The XT4 will be built at the Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kansas and reports have suggested the model will use “similar underpinnings” as the Chevrolet Malibu. If the reports are correct, the model will likely ride on a shortened version of the C1XX architecture which underpins models under such as the XT5 and GMC Acadia.

I’m sold. What will it cost me?

Pricing will be announced closer to the model’s launch but we expect the XT4 to start in the mid $30,000 range.