2023 Cadillac XT4 Review: Premium Aspirations
In last year's review of the Cadillac XT4 compact crossover, we weren't bowled over by the Caddy's abilities and felt that the final product should have been better, considering it was such a late entrant to this segment. Riding on the E2XX update of GM's Epsilon 2 platform, it lacks the expected sporty handling, and the coarse and noisy 235-hp engine is short on punch, so it's not off to a great start. With the same three trims in the range and very few changes to the 2023 XT4, it seems that little has been done to sharpen its sword, with the majority of updates slated for next year's much more substantial mid-life facelift. The current car still has a lot going for it with its spacious cabin and attractive styling, but it's going to need more than that to compete against segment leaders such as the Volvo XC40, the brand-new BMW X1, and the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, especially considering it costs the same as these premium rivals and is starting to look a bit out of its depth next to them. So the question is, should you still consider a new 2023 Cadillac XT4 SUV, or should you wait for the 2024 facelift?
What's the Price of the 2023 Cadillac XT4?
The 2023 Cadillac XT4's price starts at $36,295 and that is for the base Luxury trim. The Premium Luxury will cost you $40,195 and the Sport goes for $40,795. These prices are for the FWD versions of each trim and specifying AWD on any of them adds $2,500. These prices are the Cadillac XT4's MSRPs and exclude the $1,195 destination fee.
2023 Cadillac XT4 Handling and Driving Impressions
The XT4's ride quality is firm, but it absorbs most shocks without becoming harsh, although it's too busy on rough surfaces for an SUV with premium aspirations. Body control is good, promising sporty driving dynamics; however, this doesn't materialize, and the overall chassis tuning fails on both the comfort and handling missions. An X1 feels far more fun to pilot while still maintaining good comfort. The happiest compromise is the Sport trim on the standard 18-inch wheels and with the adaptive dampers specified. The ride falls apart on the optional 20-inch wheels, so avoid them, even though they look great. The XT4's sporty pretensions are further hamstrung by its lifeless steering. The engine disappoints too, and although its 235 hp is class-competitive, it's noisy and unrefined and doesn't deliver on the promise of its output figure, while the transmission often can't seem to make up its mind. As you can gather, the XT4 doesn't offer the driving experience expected at this level.
Verdict: Is The 2023 Cadillac XT4 A Good SUV?
Compared to the best in this class, the XT4 falls short and the 2024 update cannot come soon enough. Strong points include dashing looks and a roomy cabin, but the driving experience is a letdown compared to what we've become accustomed to in this class and it cannot match the ride refinement, handling, fuel economy, and performance of the competition. The cabin is user-friendly and offers many standard features, but quality appears no more than skin-deep and there are too many brittle plastics that undermine its premium positioning. We're hoping Cadillac will improve chassis tuning and give us more power, better refinement, and smarter finishes next year. In the meantime, you're probably better off with a rival.
What 2023 Cadillac XT4 Model Should I Buy?
There isn't a huge price difference between the trims and with this being positioned as a premium product, we'd skip the base Luxury trim because it doesn't quite live up to its name anyway. The Premium Luxury would seem to offer the type of comfort and luxury a buyer in this class would expect, but it's not available with the adaptive suspension that addresses the ride-quality issues, so the Sport it must be, with the Active Sport Suspension fitted and on the standard 18-inch wheels. In this configuration, the XT4 comes closest to hitting the mark at a price of just over $43k, including destination.