2020 Cadillac XT4

Is the Cadillac XT4 a Good SUV?

The XT4 is a good but not great luxury subcompact SUV. It has more cabin space than many of its classmates, making it a good choice for shoppers who need a usable back seat inside an easy-to-park crossover.

However, many of the XT4’s qualities are unremarkable when compared to its competitors. For example, there isn't a clear consensus on the usefulness of the XT4’s infotainment system, and its level of cabin noise and brake performance aren't up to luxury vehicle standards. The XT4 is one of the higher-priced vehicles in the class, and the costs go up if you want to add advanced safety features.

Should I Buy the Cadillac XT4?

The XT4 is a suitable choice for shoppers who want a little more room than the typical luxury subcompact crossover provides but don't want to step up to a larger SUV. The BMW X1 is nearly as spacious inside and boasts better handling and a more upscale interior than the XT4, while the well-rounded Volvo XC40 ranks near the top of the class.

Compare the XT4, X1, and XC40 »

Should I Buy a New or Used Cadillac XT4?

After debuting as an all-new vehicle for 2019, the XT4 carries over with few changes for 2020. Forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, and front pedestrian braking are now standard in the new AT4.

Because the XT4 is a relatively new vehicle, it may be hard to find a used model. Shoppers set on buying used should also consider the Cadillac XT5, a luxury midsize SUV.

Be sure to read our 2019 XT4 review to help make your decision. You can also check out our Used Car Deals page to learn about savings and discounts on used vehicles.

Compare the 2019 and 2020 XT4 »

We Did the Research for You: 17 Reviews Analyzed

Our goal is to make shopping for your next car as easy as possible. You'll find everything you need to know about the Cadillac XT4 in our comprehensive review. It combines concrete data (like fuel economy estimates, horsepower specs, and cargo space dimensions) with 17 professional Cadillac XT4 reviews.

This 2019 Cadillac XT4 review incorporates applicable research for all vehicles in this generation, which includes the 2019 and 2020 model years.

Why You Can Trust Us

At U.S. News & World Report, we rank the Best Jobs, Best Hospitals, and Best Colleges to guide readers through some of life’s most complicated decisions. We've been ranking and reviewing the Best Cars since 2007, backed by a team with more than 75 years of combined automotive experience. To keep favoritism out of the picture, we maintain a separate advertising team and decline expensive gifts and trips from car companies.

How Much Does the Cadillac XT4 Cost?

For 2020, base prices for a new Cadillac XT4 range from about $35,700 to around $39,800. For complete details on pricing, trim levels, and standard features, see our Which Cadillac XT4 Model Is Right for Me? section below.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Cadillac dealer. You can also find manufacturer incentives on our Cadillac deals page.

Cadillac XT4 Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: Cadillac XT4 or Cadillac XT5?

Compared to the XT4, the Cadillac XT5, a luxury compact SUV, has greater passenger space, a larger cargo area, and a more powerful base engine. If these aren't important to you, stick with the smaller Caddy. It has a better infotainment system, it comes with more standard safety features, and it costs almost $6,000 less than the XT5.

Which Is Better: Cadillac XT4 or Jaguar E-Pace?

Like the XT4, the Jaguar E-Pace places in the bottom half of our luxury subcompact SUV rankings. Also like the Cadillac, this Jaguar's powertrain exhibits some coarseness, and the shifting can be sluggish. The E-Pace has lots of cargo room, but its back seat is much smaller than the XT4's, making the Cadillac the better choice if you plan to ferry extra passengers on a regular basis. But if you want sportier handling, the E-Pace is the pick, thanks in part to its agile demeanor.

Compare the XT4, XT5, and E-Pace »

XT4 Interior

How Many People Does the XT4 Seat?

The XT4 is a luxury two-row SUV with five seats. The back row has a generous amount of space, and long-legged travelers have more room to stretch out than they will find in the backs of rivals like the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, and BMW X3. The front seats offer good visibility and are supportive for a wide range of body sizes.

XT4 and Child Car Seats

There are two complete sets of LATCH car-seat connectors for the XT4’s rear outboard seats, as well as a third tether anchor for the rear middle seat.

XT4 Interior Quality

The XT4’s interior has soft-touch materials that aren’t as fine as those you’ll find in other luxury subcompact SUVs, and the standard active noise cancellation system does a so-so job of keeping road noise and engine buzz out of the cabin.

XT4 Cargo Space

The XT4 has 22.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat. That's one of the largest cargo areas in the class and more room than you'll find behind the back seat of luxury compact SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC and Lexus NX. Folding down the 60/40 split rear seat yields 48.9 cubic feet of space, which is typical for the class.

XT4 Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

The XT4's infotainment system is easier to use than some of Cadillac's other interfaces. It comes with a crisp, responsive touch screen and a convenient collection of physical knobs and buttons. Reviewers disagree on the usefulness of the infotainment control knob. Some say it's handy for quick adjustments, while others find it cumbersome.

Standard features include an 8-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a mixture of both standard USB and newer USB-C ports. A wireless device charger and a Bose surround-sound stereo system are two upgrades worth considering.

For more information, read What Is Apple CarPlay? and What Is Android Auto?

Read more about interior »

XT4 Performance

XT4 Engine: Gets the Job Done

The XT4's powertrain is relatively smooth and peppy. Only one setup is available: a 237-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that’s paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Its turbocharger provides an extra boost, though this small SUV won't blow your mind (or smoke your tires). While overall power delivery is decent, some reviewers say this SUV can be slow to respond when you press the gas pedal, and it's occasionally noisy.

XT4 Gas Mileage: About Average

The XT4 gets an ETA-estimated 24 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway, which is a typical fuel economy rating for the luxury subcompact SUV class. Models equipped with all-wheel drive will cost about an extra $150 a year to fuel.

XT4 Ride and Handling: Passable

The XT4 likely won't win any awards for its handling. It has a reasonably smooth ride and stable handling, but some reviewers take issue with its steering (lightweight but provides no feedback) and its brakes (strong but can require a lot of effort to use). This Cadillac comes standard with front-wheel drive, as well as Tour, Snow/Ice, and Sport drive modes. All-wheel drive is available in any trim level for $2,500, and it replaces the Snow/Ice drive mode with Off-Road and AWD modes.

XT4 Towing Capacity

A properly equipped XT4 can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

Read more about performance »

XT4 Reliability

Is the Cadillac XT4 Reliable?

At the time of writing, the 2020 XT4 does not have a predicted reliability rating from J.D. Power. The nearly identical 2019 XT4 received a rating of three out of five, which is about average.

Cadillac XT4 Warranty

The 2020 XT4 comes with a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Read more about reliability »

XT4 Safety

XT4 Crash Test Results

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2020 Cadillac XT4 an overall safety rating of five out of five stars. It received five stars in the side crash test and four stars in the frontal crash and rollover evaluations.

At the time of writing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not crash tested the 2020 Cadillac XT4.

XT4 Safety Features

Newly standard features for the 2020 XT4 include forward automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, and a safety alert seat, which vibrates to notify you of safety alerts. Also standard is the Teen Driver system, which lets you do things like set speed and audio volume limits for secondary drivers, as well as monitor their driving performance.

Many advanced safety features are optional, but most come in add-on packages that are only available in the top trim levels. Optional safety features include reverse automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, a rear camera mirror, a washer for the rearview camera, and a surround-view parking camera system.

Additional optional safety features include adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, automatic high-beam headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a following distance indicator, active park assist for parallel and perpendicular parking, front parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and enhanced forward automatic emergency braking, which is capable of engaging at higher speeds than the standard system.

Read more about safety »

XT4 Dimensions and Weight

The XT4 is 15.1 feet long. Its curb weight ranges from 3,660 to 3,896 pounds.

Where is the 2020 Cadillac XT4 Built?

Cadillac builds the 2020 XT4 in Kansas.

Which Cadillac XT4 Model Is Right for Me?

Cadillac offers its smallest SUV in three trim levels: Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport. Standard equipment is the same across the board and includes a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, and 18-inch alloy wheels. You can add all-wheel drive to any trim for $2,500.

For the best value, we recommend starting with the well-equipped base model and adding the $850 Cold Weather package. This outfits the SUV with heated front and rear seats and a heated steering wheel.

Cadillac offers an extensive amount of advanced safety features, and most of these will drive your XT4 purchase price well above $40,000. Adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera system are only available in the top trims, and their package prices range from about $800 to $1,500.

Cadillac XT4 Luxury

The base trim has a starting price of $35,695 and comes with synthetic leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, proximity keyless entry and remote start.

Its infotainment system comes with an 8-inch touch screen, four USB ports (two standard, two USB-C), Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a seven-speaker stereo, HD Radio, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hot spot.

For 2020, Cadillac adds more standard safety features, including forward automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, rear parking sensors, a safety alert seat, and a rearview camera.

Cadillac XT4 Premium Luxury

The Premium Luxury ($39,795) is the only trim that gets standard genuine leather upholstery. It also gets a hands-free power liftgate, ambient lighting, front parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Cadillac XT4 Sport

The Sport matches the base price of the Premium Luxury trim at $39,795 but swaps out some opulent upgrades in favor of athletic styling. Features include synthetic leather seats, a sport steering wheel, alloy sport pedals, and unique exterior design elements.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Cadillac dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Cadillac deals page.

See 2020 Cadillac XT4 specs and trims »

The Final Call

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 has extensive rear-seat legroom and a sizable cargo area for the luxury subcompact SUV class. But refinement issues – too much road noise in the cabin and an unpredictable brake system – do little to justify the XT4's above-average price tag. Though it comes with a decent set of standard features, most of the advanced safety options are attached to pricey packages. Before settling on this crossover, it's worth shopping around.

Don’t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.

• … [Despite its] small size, the XT4 feels surprisingly spacious inside, with generous rear legroom not unlike what's offered in a sedan. The XT4, however, misses the mark in some key areas. An underpowered engine and lackluster handling dull what could otherwise be an enjoyable driving experience. There's also a lack of refinement. The engine makes a constant diesel-like chattering sound, and the ride quality is unnecessarily firm. Rivals are similarly priced and triumph where the XT4 falters. Overall, we find the XT4 to be a mixed bag. It's worth a look if space and style are priorities for you. Otherwise, you might be happier checking out rival crossover SUVs such as the Acura RDX, BMW X1 or Volvo XC40." -- Edmunds
• … with a long list of available features, expressive exterior design, usable backseat and excellent drivetrain, the XT4 should do well. However, the XT4 isn't without faults. The XT4's interior is fine, but we wish it was better -- both in terms of design and materials. And although you do get a larger vehicle for the money, the XT4 is priced at the top of the segment." -- Left Lane News (2019)
• … Cadillac has … aimed for more traditional entry-luxury crossover stuff: quietness, sumptuousness, and user-focused technology. Sure, it's too bad that the honey of an engine, which revs so smoothly you'd swear its cylinder liners were spun silk, must work through a transmission that positively neuters its output with lackadaisical responses. But the competent yet uncommunicative suspension and steering? That's par for this class." -- Car and Driver (2019)