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The outgoing SRX has been around in its current form since 2009, and though it’s a solid luxury crossover, many parts from “old GM” still linger in the design. Despite all of that, the SRX is Cadillac’s best-selling model, pushing almost 100,000 units globally in 2015 alone.
For the 2017 model year, the American luxury brand has completely redesigned its sales stalwart, giving it new sheet metal and a new chassis to correspond with the name change. “XT5” represents the mid-tier in Cadillac’s planned crossover lineup, and along with the CT6, will carry the torch of introducing the new model structure to the car buying public.
Highlights of the 2017 Cadillac XT5
Drops the “SRX” name in favor of “XT5” to fit Cadillac’s new alphanumeric naming structure
Completely redesigned body on an all-new chassis
Powerful 310 horsepower V6 is the only engine option available across the range
Available in frontor all-wheel-drive configuration
All trim levels come with OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi capability for up to seven mobile devices Standard Bose sound system
Cadillac XT5 trim level differences
Base: Standard dualzone automatic climate control, Bose eight-speaker sound system, rear power lift gate, keyless access, adaptive remote start and OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi enabled
Luxury: Double-sized sunroof, leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, front and rear park assist, rear cross-traffic alert and interior lighting accents
Premium Luxury: Same standard features as Luxury trim, plus Bose 14-speaker surround sound stereo system and ventilated and heated front seats
Platinum: Heated rear seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, rear camera mirror, surround vision, head-up display and power lift gate with hands-free operation
Climate control functions that are standard on the top-tier Platinum trim are available on the Luxury and Premium Luxury models, such as heated rear seats and tri-zone climate control. Rear mirror camera, surround vision, and the head-up display are only available on the Platinum trim.
Power and performance
All XT5 trim levels come with GM’s tried-and-true 3.6-liter V6, making 310 horsepower and 271 lb.-ft. of torque. Power is routed to either the front wheels or all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission no matter the trim package.
Front-wheel-drive comes standard on the Base, Luxury and Premium Luxury trims, while optional allwheel-drive is available on the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims and standard on the Platinum trim.
The EPA rates fuel economy at 22 mpg combined for front-wheel-drive XT5s and 21 mpg combined for all-wheel drive, but Cadillac has managed to squeeze respectable highway mileage figures out of a naturallyaspirated V6 thanks to cylinder deactivation that allows the engine to run as a V4 at lower engine speeds, when many of its competitors achieve similar mileage with only turbocharged 4-cylinder engines.
Safety summary
On the base XT5 trim, Cadillac offers little-tono safety technology features as standard, though OnStar’s suite of crash response services is available on all XT5 models. As you step up to the Luxury trim, blind zone alert and rear cross-traffic alert come standard, while automatic collision braking, automatic park assist, automatic seat belt tightening are available on Premium Luxury and Platinum trims, and forward collision alert, automatic braking, pedestrian detection, and lane keep assist with lane departure warning come standard on the top two trims.
Tech talk
In terms of standard and optional technology, Cadillac is pushing the envelope with the XT5. The patented “Rear Camera Mirror” system projects an image from the rear-facing wide-angle camera directly onto the glass of the rearview mirror, giving you a better view of what’s directly behind you. The CUE infotainment system, while a bit rough in early iterations, is much-improved for 2017, too, with improved speed and the excellent 4G LTE Wi-Fi for up to seven devices. The XT5 also includes wireless phone charging for enabled devices in a special slot designed into the center console.
Additionally, hands-free tailgate operation, a color heads-up display, surround vision cameras and driver awareness and assist packages with automatic braking, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, blind zone monitoring, and adaptive cruise control are all optional or only available as standard on the top-tier Platinum trim.