Used 2020 Cadillac XT5

#14 in Best Midsize Luxury SUVs of 2020

Like its European and Asian rivals, Cadillac offers an assortment of SUVs ranging from the small XT4 to the large Escalade. The 2020 Cadillac XT5 is the company’s midsize, 5-passenger model, and it’s significantly upgraded and updated for 2020. From its styling and interior color combinations to its power and performance, the 2020 XT5 better distinguishes itself in the battle against rivals like the Jaguar F-Pace, Lexus RX and Lincoln Nautilus.

Posh and stylish, the XT5 offers good performance from its new standard turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, and the available 310-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 is plenty powerful. It also features an array of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and technology like 15-watt wireless smartphone charging, onboard 4G LTE Wi-Fi, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport trim levels are available. Equip the XT5 with the optional Platinum Package and all of the options, and you can push the price of a loaded version of the crossover SUV to more than $71,500.

We’ve spent plenty of time behind the wheel of an XT5 equipped with the optional V6 engine, on the highway and in town, as well as on some twisty back roads. This Cadillac crossover SUV never fails to impress. It offers plenty of comfort, especially on long trips, yet it retains good steering feel and a solid grip on the road, even when driven aggressively.

And all-wheel-drive models are particularly adept at handling wet and wintry conditions. The 3.6-liter V6 and 9-speed automatic transmission are well matched, the powertrain proving quick and responsive, though we’d prefer it if the automatic engine stop/start system were a little less obvious when restarting the V6.

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The Cadillac XT5’s cabin is quiet and elegant. The materials, including available semi-aniline leather, aluminum and real open-pore wood, exude quality, while the fit and finish are excellent.

Tasteful color schemes ensure the interior holds its own against the competition, and it’s also wonderfully comfortable, thanks in part to its sliding 2nd-row seat. Additional highlights include standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an excellent infotainment system, a color head-up display, and the terrific gotta-try-it-to-appreciate-it Rear Camera Mirror.

In a sea of me-too look-alike SUVs with massive gaping grilles, the 2020 Cadillac XT5 stands out with a crisp and clean set of lines, hard-edged elegance and a hint of wedge in its shape. It’s aggressive, and it gets noticed, but the XT5 refuses to shout for attention. It’s understated, unadorned and beautifully detailed.

Styling changes for 2020 bring greater family resemblance to Cadillac’s smaller XT4 and larger XT6. The XT5 with the most visual appeal is the top-of-the-line Sport, with its more aggressive design details and 20-inch wheels.

CADILLAC USER EXPERIENCE
The XT5 gets yet another update to its Cadillac User Experience (CUE) infotainment system, which now features Near Field Communication (NFC) pairing technology, a greater amount of personalization, and revised controls. However, the system uses an 8-inch touch-screen display, which is small by modern standards.

DRIVER-ASSIST PACKAGE
The 2020 Cadillac XT5 includes an array of standard advanced driver-assistance systems. The optional Driver Assist Package enhances the standard offering with upgraded versions of the XT5’s adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking systems while adding reverse automatic braking and automatic seatbelt tightening.

All XT5 Luxury models come with automatic LED headlights, capless fuel filling, a hands-free power rear liftgate, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and power-adjustable front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The CUE infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, NFC Bluetooth pairing, and a free 3-month/3-gigabyte trial to 4G LTE Wi-Fi service. An 8-speaker Bose audio system is also standard, along with satellite radio and USB-C quick-charging ports.

A rear-seat reminder system is great for parents and grandparents, a reminder when leaving the XT5 that a child might still be strapped into the back seat. Moms and dads will also like the XT5’s standard Teen Driver report card system. Standard driving aids include forward-collision warning, automatic pedestrian and emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. A Safety Alert Seat vibrates when the driver needs to pay closer attention.

Trim upgrades include Premium Luxury and Sport. Choose Premium Luxury, and the 2020 XT5 includes front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-change assist technologies. This version of the SUV also comes with leather seats, memory for the driver’s settings, wireless smartphone charging, a panoramic sunroof, and a cargo-management system.

The Sport trim goes further, equipping the XT5 with a V6 engine, a dual-clutch all-wheel-drive system, an adaptive damping and performance-tuned suspension, 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and the contents of the Driver Assist Package.

Both the Premium Luxury and the Sport are available with the Platinum Package. It installs premium leather upholstery, a simulated-suede headliner, leather-wrapped interior panels, triple-zone climate control, upgraded floor and cargo mats, and special interior colors and materials. These two trim levels are also your ticket to the Enhanced Visibility and Technology Package, which includes a surround-view camera and camera-based rearview mirror, rear pedestrian detection, a head-up display, an 8-inch driver-information system, and an automatic parking-assist system that brakes for you.

Additional enhancements for Premium Luxury and Sport trims include an embedded navigation system, a 14-speaker Bose audio system, a rear-seat entertainment system, ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats. A Night Vision system is also available, using infrared technology to help a driver spot pedestrians and large animals while driving after dark.

New for 2020, a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine is standard for the XT5 Luxury and Premium Luxury. It makes 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, which is less total power than similar engines in Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz competitors. By EPA estimates, however, it is more efficient in combined driving than the XT5’s optional V6 engine. Standard with Sport trim and optional with Premium Luxury trim, the XT5’s 3.6-liter V6 makes 310 horsepower.

Both engines feature Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation, direct fuel injection and automatic engine stop/start technology. A smooth-shifting 9-speed automatic transmission powers the front or all four wheels (FWD, AWD), and the XT5 Sport model includes a more sophisticated dual-clutch AWD system as standard equipment.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline 4
237 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/28 mpg (FWD), 21/26 mpg (AWD)

3.6-liter V6
310 horsepower @ 6,600 rpm
271 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/26 mpg (FWD), 18/25 mpg (AWD)