The 2024 Cadillac XT4 has been refreshed with a lighting design similar to the Lyriq.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Cadillac has refreshed its best-selling vehicle in Canada, the XT4, for 2024, with a new large screen, new exterior lights and more advanced safety and convenience technology. But noticeably absent on the luxury compact SUV that starts at $45,000 is a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or pure electric powertrain option. Instead, the gas engine – a two-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 235 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque – is a carry-over from 2022.
Although Cadillac launched an XT4 mild hybrid in China last year, there’s no similar hybrid technology for North America – a bit surprising considering Cadillac’s commitment to an all-electric future by the end of the decade.
The XT4 has been updated with new rear lights, but the back-up light has moved down closer to the rear bumper.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
“The North American market is a little different than the Chinese market,” said Donnelly Baxter, marketing manager at Cadillac Escalade and XTs, following the XT4 first look in Birmingham, Mich. last week. “From a powertrain perspective, we’re all-in on electric, so we’ve got traditional internal combustion powertrain engines and we’re making the transition to full electric by 2030.”
In Canada, Cadillac has seen uptick in sales. “We’ve got five consecutive years of sales growth with the last three years setting new records for sales. And we’re off to a great start in 2023 with our sales being up 20 per cent through May,” said Mike Speranzini, managing director at Cadillac Canada. From a sales perspective, every Cadillac model is up with the XT4 taking the top spot as Cadillac’s top-selling model in 2023. So there’s a lot riding on the revamped 2024 XT4.
For 2024, the XT4 looks stylish and sleek with a revised front and rear including new LED lighting design, two bigger and bolder grille designs and revised 18-inch or 20-inch alloy wheel patterns. Sharp new colours include a stunning new shade, dubbed Emerald Lake Metallic, donning one of the display models on stage – it’s much nicer than the boring, basic white model parked next to it. At the rear, the centre backup light has moved down the tailgate closer to the rear bumper – while it looks aesthetically pleasing, it might make it hard for other drivers to see on the road.
Inside, the star of the show is a curved 33-inch diagonal LED coloured touchscreen display similar to the one found in the Escalade and the electric Lyriq SUV. It has 9K resolution and a rotary infotainment controller in case you don’t want to get fingerprints on the screen. As expected of the Cadillac brand, it’s luxurious and upscale in the cabin with real wood and carbon fibre accents, a dual panel sunroof and a choice of leather or a more eco-friendly leather alternative upholstery. A Cold Weather Package is standard on the XT4; it includes heated front seats, heated outboard seating positions in the rear and a heated steering wheel. Ventilated and massaging front seats are also available on some models. There are traditional hard buttons for climate control, which is a welcome sight and handy features like a hands-free power liftgate, which lets you access the cargo space easily. There’s 637 litres of space when all seats are in use and 1,385 litres when the rear seats are folded down.
Although Cadillac launched an XT4 mild hybrid in China last year, there’s no similar hybrid technology for North America.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The list of new tech items is long, including Google Built-In technology with Google Maps, Play Store, and “Hey Google” voice commands that worked well and understood natural language during an in-car demo. There’s also 5G Wi-Fi hotspot capability, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a full colour head-up display. Amazon Alexa Built-In is available as is wireless phone charging. The safety and driver assistance features are plentiful, too, and include newly upgraded blind-zone steering assist, rear cross-traffic braking, and front pedestrian and bicyclist braking. But one technology is noticeably missing from the XT4 – Super Cruise, GM’s semi-autonomous hands-free driver assistance system that’s largely developed in-house in Canada. Cadillac said that is because The XT4 is more of a city vehicle. “This tends to be more of an urban product. Based on pricing and what the priorities to the buyer are, it’s less for long-distance road trips and more for an urban setting where [Super Cruise is] less useful on a day-to-day basis,” said Baxter.
The 2024 Cadillac XT4 starts at $44,798. Offered in three trims: Luxury, Premium Luxury and Sport, it arrives in Canadian dealerships later this summer.
The 33-inch touchscreen can be controlled with a dial right behind the shifter.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Tech specs
2024 Cadillac XT4
- Base price: $44,798 (plus $1,195 destination freight charge)
- Engine: two-litre turbo inline-four with 235 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque
- Transmission: nine-speed automatic
- Drive: front- or all-wheel-drive
- Fuel consumption (litres per 100 kilometres): To be announced
- Alternatives: Lincoln Corsair, Volvo XC40, Audi Q3, Acura RDX, BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLB
There are 637 litres of space in the trunk when all seats are in use and 1,385 litres when the rear seats are folded down.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.
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Petrina Gentile