The 2020 Cadillac XT5 comes in three trims and a handful of packages, including the loaded Platinum package that last year was a trim. With standard equipment ranging from heated front seats and keyless entry to an 8.0-inch touchscreen and standard active safety features (see the Safety section), the XT5 comes with more equipment than ever before, and rates at an 8 out of 10. The 4-year/50,000-mile warranty sweetens the pot.
The 2020 Cadillac XT5 starts at $ 45,090 (including $ 995 destination) in Luxury trim and comes with a 237-hp turbo-4 engine with 9-speed automatic in front-wheel drive. A power liftgate, keyless entry, remote start, and 18-inch alloy wheels come standard. Cadillac honors that trim name inside with a eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, synthetic leather, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bose sound system with an XM radio trial subscription, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Four USB ports, including one USB-C, keep the XT5 fresh and fully loaded.
We wouldn’t need much more than that, especially for the $ 6,700 step up into the Premium Luxury trim. It adds panoramic moonroof, leather seats, a rear cargo management system, heated steering wheel, wireless charging, blind-spot monitors, and rear cross-traffic alert. The V-6 is available on Premium Luxury.
At the top of the line is the new Sport trim, which comes standard with the 310-hp 3.6L V-6 in AWD. At $ 57,085, it’s $ 3,300 more than Premium Luxury and at that point, you might as well go all-in. It’ll get you more muscular 20-inch wheels, an adaptive suspension, and quicker steering. Adaptive cruise control still costs extra, and must be paired with the Enhanced Visibility and Technology package, which together add $ 3,575 to the price. This rankles us. It should be a standalone option, at worst.
Infotainment
For 2020, Cadillac introduces a rotary controller dial in the center console to help with infotainment. Other luxury makes, including Audi and BMW, have ditched the controller for larger touchscreens. Cadillac still has the 8.0-inch touchscreen and redundant steering controls, which means there are three ways to control audio and navigation; we barely used the controller. Beside the controller is an actual volume knob, which we used a lot.
The redundant steering controls are a bit too spread out on the spokes of the steering wheel, and the new XT6 promises that Cadillac will streamline them into a horizontal band of switches. The XT5’s infotainment system is easy-to-use and responsive, though some of the touchscreen icons can be on the small side. Voice commands are above average, as well.
The climate and heated seat buttons are touch capacitive and require a firm, hard touch. The temperature control only increases by single digits, so remote start is appreciated on winter mornings.
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