Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
Auto

2019 Cadillac XT4: Giving you a Homely Feel

By Glen Konorowski, 31 Jan, 2019

    The XT4 is slightly smaller than its sibling, making it just that bit easier to move about the traffic on the Lions Gate Bridge in rush hour.

     

     

    It is not that often I get into a car I am testing for DARPAN and feel right at home; well that is just what happened with the all new Cadillac XT4. I am sure that is the very reason many people I have talked to have really taken a shine to this new Cadillac.

    Looking at the XT4 for the first time you might find it somewhat familiar, as it is very similar in design to Cadillac’s XT5. Like the name implies, the XT4 is slightly smaller than its sibling, making it just that bit easier to move about the traffic on the Lions Gate Bridge in rush hour. As you would expect from a Cadillac, it comes with all the amenities – my test car was the Premium Luxury version with all-wheel drive. It also came with a host of other options including, heated and cooled leather seats, rear camera, LED lighting inside and out, and front and rear distance warning systems to name a few.

    Inside the XT4 you will find a nice interior with very comfortable seats, both front and rear. The driver’s seat warms quickly and has lots of adjustment to suit all types of people. All the controls are nicely arranged in the centre dash area with a few key controls on the steering wheel. One feature I really liked is the heated steering wheel. As I don’t like driving with gloves, this is a handy feature that is not only great but it also promotes better driving as both your hands are generally on the wheel when it is cold, which makes for better control in an emergency. One other feature I have come to really like is the head-up display showing your speed and safe distance to the car in front. Again this feature keeps your eyes for the most part on the road and not looking down at the gauges which for the most part are easy to read. Powering the new XT4 is a Double Overhead Cam 2.0-litre inline four cylinder with a turbo.

    This configuration gives the vehicle 237 horsepower and a nice 258 lb-ft of torque. Combine this with its nine-speed electronic transmission and you have a great power to weight ratio giving this cross-over lots of power to pull you up most hills with ease. City driving was nice as the XT4 handles very well around corners and in traffic. Sitting up that little bit higher allows for just that much better view of the road. One thing worth noting is the smooth shifting electronic transmission which is second to none.

    Due to the XT4s shorter wheelbase, the rear doors don’t look that easy to get in and out of, but surprisingly I had no problem with it. The back seat is surprisingly very roomy for two and can easily handle three people with a little squeeze. Due to its shorter wheelbase, the trunk is on the smaller side as the wheels encroach on the inner space of the cargo area. Since this vehicle is a hatchback it does allow you to pile things a little higher. As well, the back seats will fold down to basically double your cargo space.

    If you live in hilly areas like West Vancouver, you will appreciate the hill-holding feature. This keeps the vehicle stationary on a hill so you don’t roll back allowing one to gently accelerate without any fear of hitting a tailgater. The XT4 has become a personal favourite for me and I really hated giving it back to the General Motors people who allowed me to test drive it.

    The vehicle was the Premium Luxury AWD and lists for a base price of $46,300, and with a host of options as mine had it topped out at $62,000. When you consider the items you get for this amount it is well worth considering.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    MSRP: $62,000

    Motor: 2.0-litre four cylinder double overhead cam turbo charged

    Horsepower: 237 @ 5,000 rpm 

    Torque (lb-ft): 258 @ 1,500 rpm

    Gearbox: Nine-speed automatic

    Layout: All-wheel drive

    Fuel economy: 10.9 L/100 km city 8.2 L/100 km highway

     

    MORE Auto ARTICLES

    TOP 6 Debuts From NYIAS

     DARPAN has picked out sixof our favourite surprises to come out of the recent show.

    2018 NISSAN Qashqai

    As an urbanite myself, I do appreciate a smaller form factor for navigating narrow parking spots and streets.

    2018 Maserati Levante S GranSport

    Even as a journalist, it is not often that I get to drive an exotic car like a Maserati, and ones that I have ridden have been a little disappointing in many areas.

    2018 Range Rover VELAR

    “We call the Velar the avant-garde Range Rover. It brings a new dimension of glamour, modernity and elegance to the brand. The Range Rover Velar changes everything,” says Land Rover chief design officer Gerry McGovern. 

    2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 Wagon 4MATIC

    Bigger and bolder than ever before, the gorgeous vehicle has striking bodylines. If you’ve seen the sedan variant, the story is much the same save for, of course, the tail section. 

    2018 BMW M240i

     
    The little Coupe feels lively and agile, running on an Adaptive M suspension setup comprised largely of aluminum. Throw in a low centre of gravity, near 
    50:50 weight distribution and variable electromechanical sport steering and what you’ve got is a car that truly handles as though it’s on rails.