A few years ago, Cadillac filed trademarks for several names that it may or may not use for upcoming models. The list included the XT2 which, based on the marque's nomenclature, would be a smaller SUV that would slot in below the existing XT4. With the XT4 starting at just over $35,000, the XT2 would - theoretically - bring a premium badge to within reach of even more buyers. Sadly, this may never happen.

According to information we found on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website, Cadillac has abandoned the XT2 trademark. So, if this small SUV was ever in the works, that project appears to have been canned.

Could it be that Cadillac couldn't get the pricing right for a luxury SUV below the XT4? Looking at other premium brands, BMW's cheapest SUV is the base X1 at $35,200, the Mercedes GLA starts at $34,250, and the Audi Q3 begins at $34,700. The Volvo XC40, meanwhile, starts at $33,700. It could be that there simply wasn't space for an XT2 that would be priced far enough below the XT4, while also maintaining the luxury expected in a Cadillac. There are also several non-luxury brands to compete with at $30,000 and below, such as the superb Mazda CX-30.

So, until something changes, the XT4 will remain the most affordable entry point into Cadillac's range of crossovers. Perhaps that's a good thing, as we're not sure that Cadillac has cracked the small SUV code just yet; the XT4, while stylish and roomy, lacks the refinement and build quality of its competitors. Overall, it needs a bit more polish, so the marque's time is better spent improving this model instead of introducing something else below it.

With no XT2 on the way, Cadillac can focus on its more premium debuts, highlighted by the upcoming new Escalade. This luxury SUV, in contrast with the unrealized XT2, is more about excess than efficiency, which is exactly what fans of this iconic vehicle appreciate. It will also feature Cadillac's much-touted Super Cruise driver-assist tech and a big step up in interior quality and style. Unfortunately for smaller families, the demise of the XT2 badge before it ever saw the light of day means that there will be no smaller, affordable Caddy SUV in the foreseeable future.