Pathological questions the Caddy XT5

The SRX was such a popular crossover, so why did Cadillac replace it with the XT5? It essentially has the same shape and almost identical rear-end styling. Redesigned my ass! No but really though it is a good option if Lexus RX and Lincoln MKX don’t really tickle your fancy.

The sole engine is a 3.6 six-cylinder pumping out 310hp and yes it is quick but not race car fast. The Lincoln MKX has a twin-turbo six-cylinder that pumps out 355hp and it’s so much quicker if you care about horsepower figures. I however don’t in this case because the XT5 3.6 does its job well and that’s what matters the most. The standard eight-speed automatic is smooth and the engine stop/start system is not smooth, we wish it had an off-switch because it’s just too intrusive for my taste. No seriously, it sends shutters in the cabin when the engine turns on and off. It’s not a settling feeling no matter how long you’ve had the car. New technology is scary man! At least its emissions are lower than other crossovers at a standstill. That’s always a plus. No more engine idle for you man! Give it a brake.

The XT5 doesn’t drive like a sports machine and it doesn’t handle like it. It sure in hell doesn’t look like one. I mean geez Cadillac you call this a sporty crossover? Well, they actually don’t and well the XT5 isn’t supposed to be that at all. It is however, comfortable to drive and the steering offers decent feedback, it’s nothing to brag about in the coffee line. It sure does look pretty classy though so many some points can be had for that. The side mirrors are large and bulky, so power-folding mirrors would be nice if standard across the range. I hate the large blind spots around the rear near the boot. Blind spot monitoring system should be standard on all XT5 trims too because you can cut off people (which by the way we have on several occasions. We do want to extend a sorry to the Nissan Altima and Lexus RX, who knew he had it coming but insisted on being a jerk anyway.) I do applaud Caddy for making the effort to improve where it matters most.

The dashboard is classy and many soft-touch materials have been used to dress it up. When I say dress it up, I mean it’s dressed in leather (soft touching plastics) and the infotainment system doesn’t have a volume knob, so annoying! It is easy to use but it’s still annoying. Whatever happened to simple knobs! The gear selector is clunky and it doesn’t do what you want it to do right away, it’s also kind of confusing at first glance. It’s like BMW designed this thing! (BMW’s isn’t great either!) The rearview parking camera runs on rapid delay, once I shift from reverse to drive the rearview camera is still on for a few seconds then my Apple Carplay turns back on. The resolution on that camera isn’t great for the money you’d have to pay for this thing and you don’t even get surround view camera either (well not on the version we had anyway) but hey not all want advanced technology and you do have to pay for it.

Standard XT5 comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry with push button start, dual-zone climate control and wireless charging for portable devices. Luxury trim adds panorama sunroof, driver’s side auto-dimming mirror, rain sensing windshield wipers and heated steering wheel. 3.6 Premium Luxury adds Bose sound system, LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels and lane keep assist. Top of the range 3.6 Platinum trim adds tri-zone climate control, heated rear seats, surround vision camera and head up display.

The XT5 isn’t the sporty car that it looks like it would be. Instead it’s a comfortable car that’s easy to drive and comfortable to live with. Most buyers aren’t looking for an X3 or Audi Q5 and those buyers who do choose this will be very rewarded with what the Caddy has to offer.

Likes: Comfortable to drive daily and spacious for five. The boot is even decent in size too. Standard equipment is pretty good too.

Dislikes: Engine stop/start system takes some getting used to. Electronic gear selector is just downright annoying!

Our pick: The XT5 Luxury seems like a good choose. You get extra luxury bits without having to pay too much more than the standard XT5. We’d say avoid the all-wheel-drive unless you have to have it. Front-wheel-drive configuration is actually decent.

We find at Atlas at Volkswagen (used)

The Volkswagen Atlas is a crucial car for Volkswagen. It literally does have all of Volkswagen depending on the success of this vehicle, tough gig!

The 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder won’t be available until later so the only engine you can option for is the dated 3.6 six-cylinder which is shared with the Passat. While it is nice that the six-cylinder is accompanied by Volkswagen’s 4-motion all-wheel-drive system, we wish that Volkswagen would’ve updated the engine to pump out at least 300hp so it doesn’t feel sluggish compared to the Mazda CX-9 we’ve driven. The standard eight-speed auto gearbox does a fantastic job of helping the Atlas feel peppy where it matters the most, but all that gets lost in translation as the steering becomes overly light at highway speeds. It almost makes the whole entire vehicle feel nervous rather than confident. The ride comfort around town is actually quite good considering how firm it feels at times when driving over certain surfaces, but if you hit a bump it will send jolts throughout the cabin, leaving you feeling queasy if the road is anything but perfect. Wind and road noise won’t be much of an issue but you will hear the suspension thump over some surfaces, but that is far from a deal breaker.

The infotainment system is very simple and easy to use. The menus are easy to navigate through and while the whole interface is excellent, we strongly suggest keeping both eyes on the road at all times unless you are stationary. The front seats offer superb comfort, while those in the second row won’t have anything to complain about at all, those in the third row may feel shortchanged on comfort but it’s not as cramped as some of its keen rivals. You’ll have to fold down the third row seat to really exploit the boot space, with both rows folded down you’ve got yourself a cargo van.

Our tester car was a pretty pricey SEL with 4-motion all-wheel-drive. It came equipped with LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry with keyless start and optional 20-inch alloy wheels. Leather wrapped seats and steering wheel also come standard as well as tri-zone climate control, remote engine start and Blind Spot Monitoring system with lane departure warning.

We had high hopes for the Volkswagen Atlas, it certainly didn’t disappoint but we expected a lot better from Volkswagen. The refinement is there but it certainly needs tweaking in areas that makes Volkswagen feel special compared to its keen rivals. The steering feedback is way too light at highway speeds, the styling is way too cartoonish for our taste and we certainly wish that Volkswagen improved the aged 3.6 engine. You’ll like the Atlas because it offers a competent package for a reasonable price.

Likes: It can seat comfortably seven people and still offer decent boot space. The standard kit list is pretty generous too and you can option for a turbocharged four-cylinder.

Dislikes: The exterior styling is cartoonish and the turbo four-cylinder only can be had with front-wheel-drive. The 3.6 engine needs updating and the steering is way too light at highway speeds.

Our pick: SE w/ 4-motion strikes a nice balance between price and standard kit. You won’t have to venture too high up unless you are willing to dish out the extra cash. Even so, there are a few rivals from Mazda and Honda that make a more compelling case. The Launch Edition w/ 4-motion is also another worthy trim to consider.