The XT4 has been a Cadillac model for six years (it seems like just yesterday), so it was time for an update. The model will be six years old in 2024. It got one. Cadillac has changed the XT4’s outer design by adding a new front fascia and reworking the LED lighting. This makes it look more like the bigger XT6 SUV and the powerful-looking Lyriq electric SUV. The finished item looks great. Besides the changes to the front of the XT4, the back has also been changed, with new wheel styles being one example. Inside the XT4, there is a 33-inch touchscreen screen that goes from the driver’s side of the dashboard to the Lyriq’s edge. Based on Google’s Android Automotive software, the system runs Cadillac’s most up-to-date infotainment system and automatically supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. They now sell a 13-speaker AKG music system, and the XT4’s built-in Wi-Fi hotspot has been improved to 5G.

Pros

• Better technology and materials for the inside.
• You can use the sport mode.
• Wonderful brakes.

Cons

• Shifting slowly by hand with paddles.
• Style with an extended front extension.
• Fashion that needs to be sporty enough.

The XT4 all has a four-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 235 horsepower. Either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive can be added, and the transmission can be set to nine speeds. We tried the 2024 XT4 Sport, and it took 7.0 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. This is longer than some of its competitors. The XT4 felt quick in town and on the highway. I don’t believe Cadillac when they say the XT4 is sporty. It’s not really a sports SUV; it’s more of a family car. As long as the road is mostly flat, the ride is fine. However, when extra 20-inch wheels are used, the interior is filled with a lot of vibrations and hard hits from rough asphalt. In the same way, the handling doesn’t feel good or work right. The XT4’s brakes are the only controls that really make a difference. During our emergency-stopping test, they slowed our test car from 70 mph to a stop in 165 feet with one of the firmest brake pedals we’ve ever felt.

The Cadillac XT4 has a lot of tools that help the driver, but not all of them come standard. Visit the websites of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to learn more about the XT4’s crash test findings. Some important safety factors are:

• Self-adjusting emergency brakes and forward crash warnings.
• Standard features include blind-spot detection and back cross-traffic alert.
• You can get adaptive speed control.

The XT4’s cabin is roomy and comfy, but it doesn’t have the high-end feel we’d expect from a car in this class. Cheaper plastic with sharp edges is still used on the doors and center panel. The interior and the tops of the doors are covered in stitched fake leather. The keys and switches look and feel like those on General Motors’ less expensive sedans. There is plenty of room for people in both the front and back seats. The XT4’s luggage area is as roomy as its passenger area. You can fit six of our carry-on bags behind the back seat of the XT4 or eighteen if you fold the seatbacks down flat. If you want a small SUV that can carry things like a bigger one, the Volvo XC40 is a good choice. It has room for 23 carry-on bags.

Even though the XT4 has cylinder-deactivation technology that can save gas, its EPA fuel economy ratings are terrible; front-wheel drive models can only get 29 mpg on the highway. On our real-world highway test, our all-wheel-drive test car only got 26 mpg, which is less than the EPA’s rating of 28 mpg.

Every version of the XT4 comes with a 33-inch entertainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto built-in. Two-thirds of the dashboard is taken up by the sharp-looking tablet, which has rounded corners that match the XT4’s interior decor. To use the interface, the person must either touch the screen or turn a knob on the panel. It’s also very easy to use the layout. A seven-speaker sound system, in-dash navigation, and an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot with 5G internet access are all standard. An extra 13-speaker AKG stereo is also available.

The Premium Luxury and Sport models are about the same price, but we recommend the XT4 Sport because it is more fun to drive. The Premium Luxury model doesn’t live up to its name. It has different wheel styles, blacked-out exterior trim, and changed parts inside. The Sport model also has front seats with more support and a changeable damper suspension.