New 2022 Cadillac XT5 Electric, Release Date, Model – The Cadillac XT5 has done wonders for the brand. It took the carmaker a while to introduce a vehicle in the luxury crossover segment, but it went flying off the shelves once it did. Since 2017, the XT5 SUV has been the best-selling Cadillac. The Caddy doesn’t compete with its siblings but rather the oversaturated midsize and compact crossover segments. Sitting somewhere in between, Cadillac probably thought the new XT5 would have a little niche all to itself. Unfortunately, being stuck in the middle, wearing a premium badge, faces twice as many rivals. With competitors like the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, the XT5 is fighting an uphill battle. Both have lower entry-level prices, and if we glance at the 2022 sales figures, we can see that the US market is not as patriotic as one might think, with both German brands selling more than Cadillac in 2022.
New 2022 Cadillac XT5 Redesign
Cadillac deserves some praise for continually updating its vehicles to keep them competitive. Last year it introduced a new engine and an all-new nine-speed gearbox. This year includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in Alexa function, 20-inch alloys for the top-spec Sport, and three new exterior colors. Other upgrades include a better digital display in the instrument cluster and a higher definition camera for the rearview camera system. Later on in the year, Cadillac will also add more advanced driver-assistance features, like night vision.
Cadillac has a striking design language at the moment, which translates to handsome sedans and crossovers/SUVs. The XT5 is immediately identifiable as a Caddy thanks to the signature headlights, which are LED across the range. The taillights are LED as well, as are the daytime running lights. Premium and Luxury models come with additional metallic accents and brushed aluminum roof rails, while the Sport trim gets black roof rails. All models get a power tailgate, while the two upper-trim models add a hands-free system. The standard rims are 18-inch alloys, with the Sport featuring a set of 20s.
Interior
Cadillac’s high pricing starts to make a lot more sense once you take a closer look at the interior. Not only is it spacious, but Caddy includes a lot of standard features from the base model upwards. The seats are incredibly comfortable, but we think the most significant secret lies with luxury features siphoning down to the entry-level car. When it was launched, the base XT5 was a bit mediocre specification-wise. But over the years, Cadillac kept adding more to it, with the highlight this year being the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The high-res infotainment is also easy to understand. The interior is also high-quality and features some excellent design elements. We like the steering wheel’s look, as it’s a nice blend of modern leather and buttons with an attractive old-school wooden strip running underneath it.
The cabin is large enough to seat five adults, with the only drawback being the sloping roofline. Even so, rear headroom is acceptable at 38.4 inches without a sunroof and 36.6 with one. The front headroom is 39.7 inches, similarly dropping to 37.9 inches with a sunroof. The XT5 excels in the legroom department, with front passengers getting 41.2 inches and rear passengers getting 39 inches. Six-way heated and power-adjustable seats are standard in the base model, upgrading eight-way power adjustment in the Premium Luxury and Sport. Unfortunately, the C-pillars create large blind spots, and, sadly, blind-spot monitoring is not standard fitment on the base model.
New 2022 Cadillac XT5 Engine
Cadillac XT5 finally joined the modern world, adding a small-capacity turbocharged engine to the existing naturally-aspirated V6. It’s available in both front- and all-wheel-drive. The V6’s performance was already underwhelming, so the smaller engine was unlikely to provide good fireworks. Acceleration isn’t impressive; Cadillac doesn’t even offer claimed acceleration figures. The V6 produces 310 horsepower, while the turbocharged four-pot delivers 235 hp. Independent tests have shown that the V6 makes the 0-60 mph sprint in a modest 6.5 seconds. Audi claims 5.9 for the Q5, while the four-cylinder turbocharged X3 will do it in six seconds flat. Comparing apples to apples, the six-cylinder BMW will sprint to 60 mph in less than five. The Cadillac XT5 SUV also fails to impress with its limited towing capacity. The BMW can tow 4,400 lbs, while the Caddy can only manage 3,500 lbs.
New 2022 Cadillac XT5 Release Date and Price
The base Luxury model carries an MSRP of $43,995. The Premium Luxury model with the four-cylinder engine retails for $48,795, while the V6 costs precisely the same. Adding a four-wheel-drive system is an additional $2,000. The top-spec Sport with AWD included as standard has an MSRP of $55,095. These prices for the 2022 Cadillac XT5 exclude the $995 destination charge.
