Most enthusiasts know that General Motors is very much that, general. With a range of brands under the umbrella, all attempting to find a different niche of customers, these brands often share the same underpinnings. While this is arguably a brilliant business decision, for a lot of their lineups, this means that many cars are far from being the best in their categories and rather instead a jack of all trades.

The luxury SUV market is an incredibly competitive one; the XT5 sets its sights on this segment around the $50,000 mark. It shares the C1XX platform with the GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Blazer, and Holden Acadia. The XT5 was introduced in 2016 and, after only one year of production became Cadillac's best selling model; the luxury SUV has taken over from Cadillac's sedan as the bread and butter of their sales, but this doesn't mean that it is necessarily the best car in the segment.

Replacing the outdated SRX the XT5 (in the middle of the brand's SUV lineup), it successfully entered the Chinese market, frequently selling more units there than in the States. The innovations which succeded abroad made their way onto the North American model in a large 2020 revision. The new in-line four engine joined the V6 power plant and was respected for its decent power figure of 237 hp.

The XT5 tries to provide the consumer with a better value than the German manufacturers, but after options, the car has often been as expensive as those more luxurious options.

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A Value Offering

White Cadillac XT5
Via: Wikipedia

Over the model's lifespan, the cost of entry has increased, but it hasn't risen too sharply. In 2017, an entry-level car with front-wheel drive would cost $38,995, not fit for off-road use, but very few cars will ever actually go off of the tarmac. For 2022, the XT5 starts just shy of $44.000. If driver's opt for an all-wheel-drive, sports model (which comes with a 3.6-liter V6), they'd be looking at a price tag of $56,000. However, with a few add-ons, the final price of buying the XT5 can easily exceed $60,000.

The Porsche Macan starts at $52,000; with the Macan being a true luxury SUV, a more expensive XT5 doesn't seem to make sense considering the extra prestige that comes with that Porsche badge. The Macan S starts at $60,200; this comes with a twin-turbo V6 which provides a much more refined sound and power delivery than the XT5's more powerful engine.

But a lack of refinement is to be expected with a General Motors product. But by no means is the XT5 a poor alternative; the inline 4 achieves 22 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg combined, while the V6 gets 19 for cities, 26 on the highway, and 21 combined mpg. Other manufacturers produce significantly better numbers, though. The Q5, in its 45 TFSI guises, for instance, is expected to return 28 mpg on the highway.

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The 2022 Model Year

2022 Cadillac XT5
Via: Cadillac

The 2020 update to the model is still the largest change to the XT5 in its life so far. This year notably introduced that four-cylinder engine. But General Motors made front heated seats standard across the whole range. However, on the outside, the car looked sharper and bolder with a revised front grille with two different mesh inserts to choose from.

As a result of alterations, all XT5 models on the road now projected a premium image of the brand LED, and headlights were made standard with Intellibeam technology as well. This update gave the SUV the same center console as the newest Cadillac models. The infotainment does everything that is expected of a modern luxury car; phone pairing, advanced driving aids, pedestrian awareness, and even night vision.

To make the car more luxurious, it received further sound cushioning. For 2022, the most expensive sport trim receives Brembo brakes and 20-inch wheels as an option; this makes the XT5 a more powerful offering that looks more like its competitors, but the large 2020 revision remains mostly in tact.

A decade ago, competition at this price point was between the SRX, Land Rover Discovery, the BMW X5, Audi Q5, and the Porsche Cayenne. But as these SUVs grew, so did their price tags. This market space has grown exponentially, with offerings like the now excellent Volvo XC60 and Mercedes GLC. The off-roading credentials of these cars are doubtful, but they each have an advantage over the Cadillac.

The competing Volvo and Mercedes can be had as hybrids so both in terms of tax and economy are much cheaper to run. The GLC and Q5 both undercut the Cadillac XT5 in price; depending on how the buyer options these vehicles, the value of the Cadillac looks less and less. But the XT5 does have one excellent figure in its favor, boot space.

Without the backseats folded down, it has 30 cubic feet of space, which in liters is 849; by comparison to the similarly priced X3, which has 450 liters the XT5 makes a highly utilitarian use of its space. Without significant revision, the XT5 can't keep up with the competition for the price General Motors charges, the base car as a value proposition makes sense, and with synthetic leather, heated seats, and considerable amounts of legroom, the 2022 XT5 looks excellent, but after options, it might be best to look elsewhere.