2024 Cadillac XT4 Hands-On Preview: Baby Caddy Matures

Cadillac might be planning its electric future, but it hasn’t forgotten about the ICE vehicles currently occupying its dealerships.

This is the 2024 Cadillac XT4. For the upcoming model year, the brand’s entry-level SUV has a new look, and it’s adopting some very un-entry-level tech and convenience features.

As part of the update, Cadillac has reworked the exterior and interior to keep the XT4 looking fresh. Everything forward of the A-pillar is new, including the resculpted hood and fenders. The headlight and grille treatment is sleeker, with a definite Lyriq influence in the ultra-thin lighting elements. Around back it’s much more familiar, with L-shaped taillights once again framing the tailgate. The designers have broken up the reflectors and reverse lights, moving the former to the bumper edges, and the latter into one V-shaped element down low. Every wheel design is also new, from the standard 18s to the optional 20s. There are new paint choices too, including the excellent Emerald Green you see here.

The Lyriq influences continue inside, where Caddy has dropped the EV’s curved, 33-inch display in wholesale. It’s a pretty screen, capable of 9K resolution and over 1 billion colors. Cadillac has carved back the dashboard too, with a lighter, airier design, complete with real wood, aluminum, and even an embroidered pattern inspired by the brand logo. Mara Kapsis, design manager for Color, Material, and Finishes, told assembled media that the focus for the refresh was on “wrapped surfaces and authentic decorations.” There are black and light tan interior options for the Luxury and Premium Luxury models; the Sport offers up black or a cool gray, and it gains Santorini Blue highlights in the stitching and suede inserts. Ambient lighting is also standard across the board.

The infotainment upgrade houses Google Built-In, which envelops basic vehicle functions, with voice activation for things like navigation and climate controls. With nav in particular, it can pull data from the XT4 itself, letting drivers know how far they can drive on the remaining gas, for example. Owners can download third-party apps like Spotify or Waze, and voice activation works with them as well. Built-In works off a data pack, which is included for three years; after that, a company spokesperson said the system operates on cache. There was no word on subscription pricing at the time of writing.

Cadillac fills the XT4 with a whole bunch of luxury features, as it’s a major conquest vehicle for folks stepping up from mainstream models. The front seats are heated, ventilated, and even offer a massage function. Heating is available for the outboard second-row seats, too. There’s a large, dual-panel sunroof, full-color head-up display, hands-free power tailgate, and wireless phone charger as well. Active noise cancellation and laminated glass should keep the cabin quiet.

One notable absence: Super Cruise. According to the spokes-folk on hand, the reason is two-fold: to keep the price down, and because the standard adaptive cruise control already aligns well with segment standards. Alongside adaptive cruise, the 2024 Cadillac XT4 includes available safety assists include a 360-degree camera, new intersection emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, side cyclist alert, and auto speed limit assist.

The XT4 still features best-in-class rear legroom of nearly 40 inches. We popped into the backseat and found plenty of adult-appropriate legroom, though folks with longer torsos may find headroom tight, as this writer did.

There’s still just one engine choice: Cadillac’s 2.0-liter turbo-four, sending 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque through a nine-speed automatic. Front-drive is standard, with a dual-clutch all-wheel drive system available. Cadillac isn’t interested in introducing any sort of hybrid tech at this stage: like fellow luxury brand Genesis, it’s leapfrogging straight to fully electric, with the goal of a fully EV lineup by 2030.

The 2024 Cadillac XT4 update keeps the baby Caddy fresh in a category that’s been growing and advancing at a rapid rate, keeping the basics the same while bringing in a boatload of flashy tech. The current model is already up over last year’s sales by 20 percent, and it’s now the best-selling Caddy in Canada. Production has already begun, and sales should start later this summer. Pricing starts from $39,090 ($43,999 CAD) for a front-drive Luxury model. Do you think it’s got what it needs to maintain its advantage in the luxury sub-compact SUV segment? Let us know in the comments.

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