I have always kind of liked these, but I think expensive when new, kind of afraid of the engine controls. They look nicer than the Buick and Chevy. Twenty five year old trucks might actually work for me though.
Is there seriously a future for Cadillac selling 4-cylinder “premium” SUVs? I’m a boomer and the word “Cadillac” used to mean something—until, all the sudden, it didn’t. I guess I’m just missing the selling proposition here.
Sigh, reminds me of a PhD structures engineer I used to work with long ago. He bought a new BBQ grill at Home Depot, got it home and realized it wasn't assembled, and immediately returned it. That explained a LOT of things about him. I suspect he didn't own a single tool.
Wyatt, very good review and an interesting background story. But you did not explain why a company would have Cadillacs in the employee motor pool? It use to be that a company motor pool was where you found Chevy Biscaynes or Plymouth Fury 1s not Cadillacs.
I assume because it is Michigan and an exec or higher level manager would use a car like this. Nicest cars in our motor pool are the Grand Caravans and hybrid Fusions, IMO.
Nobody suggested it was another employee's car. The question was why would a motor pool have an entry level Cadillac. I presumed the answer was that a higher level employee might have a use for it.
We have a Silverado which was previously a manager's truck but I'm not sure how we came to have this Cadillac. Never thought to ask, and I'd be shocked if our HR guy actually knew himself
We only have a couple. This XT4, an Explorer, an Express van, and a Silverado. The Express is the only new one, the Silverado was some upper manager's retired company vehicle and is totally thrashed. I'm not really sure how we got the XT4 or Explorer, I just know they're here and we can use them for company trips or errands!
Was in one of these on a Uber trip and somewhat impressed for what it is. The ride was compliant, smooth and quiet. I appreciated the analog IP and integrated screen.
“More snow earlier in the winter than anyone could remember since forever ago.”
Jeez I’m getting old. I can fondly remember in maybe 1975 driving my 62 Tempest station wagon with less than optimal tire treads from Valpo back home to Kokomo for Thanksgiving on an ice and snow covered US 35.
My great adventure with this car was that next summer when I decided to follow my heart and drive out to LA to spend the summer with a redhead I knew from high school. I rode shared with a black kid I knew from the dorm.
My adventures included running out of gas in the middle of the night near Shamrock, TX only to be rescued by a couple of young good old boys in their hot rod who couldn’t have been nicer. Shame on me for my prejudice.
Also losing a wheel bearing near Ontario, CA and blowing a brake lining downhill near Kingman, AZ. Memorable all the way around.
Oh yes ~ I have so many road trip memories I can't remember them all but anytime something crops up when traveling I seem to know the solution off the top of my head .
Bias-ply tires had so little traction ever they were scary .
I began driving shortly before moving Way Out West, my first few years in snow were in dilapidated old VW Beetles with old & rock hard Bias-Ply tires, wow .
Friend had a VW Beetle that we rode to HS for junior and senior year. During the winter he always had to have a passenger who manned a scraper for the inside frost so he could see out.
Understood, I was there in the 50's and early 60's before they got the heaters well sorted .
I've known many who derided their VW Bug's heater, inevitably their car was poorly maintained and / or had missing little bits, those fiddly bits the Germans are so picky about .
As a 50 + year German vehicle Mechanic I can tell you, if you take proper care, German vehicles are the shiznit .
I now have a picture of the scrap 1971 BMW Motocycle I pickup a year ago it starts right up and easily does "The Ton" but I have no idea how to post it here .
Remember : Air Cooled Beetles were sold on price, reliability and driving pleasure .
_Not_ on anything extra like radios, decent defrosting, A/C and whatnot .
The 350T designation has got to be the all-time dumbest GM badging ever.
Expecting the average American who doesn’t even know what torque or lb-ft are, to know that the 350 stands for torque in newton-meters instead of lb-ft, is stupid beyond belief. Even for GM.
Is the 350T badge some kind of flex? If so, from whom, to whom?
Or is it the modern version of the Celebrity Eurosport?
Who even thought this up?
It probably really confused the girl bosses in Cadillac marketing.
I can imagine them saying in a vocal fry Valley Girl voice “What-EVER!” in response to the badge.
I'm 99% sure some marketing boss somewhere thought some numbers and letters would be cool, and that it would exude "seriousness" if they meant something.
I think those marketing types could have randomly generated almost any 3-number/one letter combination (as long as it "sounds cool"), and further suppose that if enough corporate-types put their heads together long enough, could probably make it correspond to something having to do with this vehicle, some vehicle, or something to do with vehicles in general.
... and so it went with "350T". Chevy used to make a 350, see? and this thing's got a "T"urbo, see? And it sounds "your-o-peein", see? Like we're serious about this cute-ute thing, geddit?
This is what I get for commenting before I read comments. Embarrassed. But even with that explanation I am convinced the current numbering scheme is now second worst in current autos (worst being Audi)
Regarding footnote number 2 -- I'm generally a fan of keeping writing PG or PG13, but "pansy" as a bad word for the lifestyle brand? The definition is "soft and easily wilting".
Is it too close to home for the Bagel Company CEO?
… although “candy” as the first word in such a situation would probably flow a bit better, and I wouldn’t think “candy” would be anything the bagel baron would oppose.
Agreed, it did not feel Cadillac-special. I've yet to sit in a CTS, but there's a F-me red one in my neighborhood (that's probably a CTS-V) that gives me 'special' vibes.
Part of the "charge more on account of the brand" system, without adding anything that made the brand better. As a friend of mine says - you KNOW when you have been McKinsied!
I thought management decisions were only that goofed up in the federal government! We do stuff like that all the time. We recently had to move a >200 gal internal volume, >1300 psi pressure-rated steel chamber. You can imagine what that weighs. Could probably measure it in multiples of electric Escalades. All to clear some space that is approximately the size of a 1.5 car garage for work that is not yet contracted.
The feedback was supposed to be the election of Trump. I will say that the two Trump appointed administrators I've experienced far outperformed the two Biden and Obama administrators.
I have always kind of liked these, but I think expensive when new, kind of afraid of the engine controls. They look nicer than the Buick and Chevy. Twenty five year old trucks might actually work for me though.
Is there seriously a future for Cadillac selling 4-cylinder “premium” SUVs? I’m a boomer and the word “Cadillac” used to mean something—until, all the sudden, it didn’t. I guess I’m just missing the selling proposition here.
Well, not anymore since the XT4 has been cancelled to be replaced by an EV lineup.
That said, turbo four cylinder crossovers are the most popular “luxury” cars and have been for years now
"who can’t even use a screwdriver"
Sigh, reminds me of a PhD structures engineer I used to work with long ago. He bought a new BBQ grill at Home Depot, got it home and realized it wasn't assembled, and immediately returned it. That explained a LOT of things about him. I suspect he didn't own a single tool.
Can’t blame him, wasn’t worth his time to put together a grill.
I would’ve done the same thing, as would most of the PhDs I know.
It would have taken less time to assemble it than it would to return it.
This country is doomed if everyone thinks like that.
Well, I would’ve ordered it from Amazon, and Bezos’s Magical Elves would’ve done that part for me.
https://www.facebook.com/100008198044713/posts/4228539837429243/?app=fbl
"“I’m gonna have to go down there, aren’t I?”"
oh shit im going on a vacation but not really
"For me, that’s a ton of money I would rather spend on 25 year old pickups and sedans"
youre so real for that
This XT4 thing is a fine Buick. It is NOT a Cadillac.
If only Buick sold a version of this. Their compact crossover has much less power.
They do! The Buick Envision even has the same exact motor!
But isn’t the Envision imported?
Made in China according to WikiWiki.
For now. Scheduled to be brought stateside in a year or two.
That’s the Chinese one and it’s not the same size as the xt4
Yes but I’m saying that Buick does sell exactly what you’re asking for. They are quite nice too.
As for size, they are within like an inch or two of each other in every measurement. Same platform, same everything.
You're right. XT4 just looks much shorter. Really, since that Buick is Chinese, I basically don't count its existence.
Nice review Wyatt.
Jack, can we get a link to the footnote 1 video?
I have to find it... it is somewhere in my 2.3 TB archive.
It was from August 2024 I believe if that helps your search
Wyatt, very good review and an interesting background story. But you did not explain why a company would have Cadillacs in the employee motor pool? It use to be that a company motor pool was where you found Chevy Biscaynes or Plymouth Fury 1s not Cadillacs.
I assume because it is Michigan and an exec or higher level manager would use a car like this. Nicest cars in our motor pool are the Grand Caravans and hybrid Fusions, IMO.
It's not a manager's personal car. I literally sits in our parking lot until someone needs to drive somewhere for work.
Nobody suggested it was another employee's car. The question was why would a motor pool have an entry level Cadillac. I presumed the answer was that a higher level employee might have a use for it.
We have a Silverado which was previously a manager's truck but I'm not sure how we came to have this Cadillac. Never thought to ask, and I'd be shocked if our HR guy actually knew himself
We only have a couple. This XT4, an Explorer, an Express van, and a Silverado. The Express is the only new one, the Silverado was some upper manager's retired company vehicle and is totally thrashed. I'm not really sure how we got the XT4 or Explorer, I just know they're here and we can use them for company trips or errands!
Was in one of these on a Uber trip and somewhat impressed for what it is. The ride was compliant, smooth and quiet. I appreciated the analog IP and integrated screen.
“For me, that’s a ton of money I would rather spend on 25 year old pickups and sedans.”
YEP.
I wonder if Amazon sells Product Manager voodoo dolls?
“More snow earlier in the winter than anyone could remember since forever ago.”
Jeez I’m getting old. I can fondly remember in maybe 1975 driving my 62 Tempest station wagon with less than optimal tire treads from Valpo back home to Kokomo for Thanksgiving on an ice and snow covered US 35.
Those who've never experienced bias - ply tires on snow or ice would be appalled .
-Nate
What didn’t kill us, right?
My great adventure with this car was that next summer when I decided to follow my heart and drive out to LA to spend the summer with a redhead I knew from high school. I rode shared with a black kid I knew from the dorm.
My adventures included running out of gas in the middle of the night near Shamrock, TX only to be rescued by a couple of young good old boys in their hot rod who couldn’t have been nicer. Shame on me for my prejudice.
Also losing a wheel bearing near Ontario, CA and blowing a brake lining downhill near Kingman, AZ. Memorable all the way around.
Oh yes ~ I have so many road trip memories I can't remember them all but anytime something crops up when traveling I seem to know the solution off the top of my head .
Bias-ply tires had so little traction ever they were scary .
I began driving shortly before moving Way Out West, my first few years in snow were in dilapidated old VW Beetles with old & rock hard Bias-Ply tires, wow .
-Nate
Friend had a VW Beetle that we rode to HS for junior and senior year. During the winter he always had to have a passenger who manned a scraper for the inside frost so he could see out.
Understood, I was there in the 50's and early 60's before they got the heaters well sorted .
I've known many who derided their VW Bug's heater, inevitably their car was poorly maintained and / or had missing little bits, those fiddly bits the Germans are so picky about .
As a 50 + year German vehicle Mechanic I can tell you, if you take proper care, German vehicles are the shiznit .
I now have a picture of the scrap 1971 BMW Motocycle I pickup a year ago it starts right up and easily does "The Ton" but I have no idea how to post it here .
Remember : Air Cooled Beetles were sold on price, reliability and driving pleasure .
_Not_ on anything extra like radios, decent defrosting, A/C and whatnot .
-Nate
The 350T designation has got to be the all-time dumbest GM badging ever.
Expecting the average American who doesn’t even know what torque or lb-ft are, to know that the 350 stands for torque in newton-meters instead of lb-ft, is stupid beyond belief. Even for GM.
Is the 350T badge some kind of flex? If so, from whom, to whom?
Or is it the modern version of the Celebrity Eurosport?
Who even thought this up?
It probably really confused the girl bosses in Cadillac marketing.
I can imagine them saying in a vocal fry Valley Girl voice “What-EVER!” in response to the badge.
FYI
This is vocal fry: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WDfJn1kcQuU
Thank you for link - off the scale for irritation!
I'm 99% sure some marketing boss somewhere thought some numbers and letters would be cool, and that it would exude "seriousness" if they meant something.
I think those marketing types could have randomly generated almost any 3-number/one letter combination (as long as it "sounds cool"), and further suppose that if enough corporate-types put their heads together long enough, could probably make it correspond to something having to do with this vehicle, some vehicle, or something to do with vehicles in general.
... and so it went with "350T". Chevy used to make a 350, see? and this thing's got a "T"urbo, see? And it sounds "your-o-peein", see? Like we're serious about this cute-ute thing, geddit?
I also like Porsche slapping Turbo on the Taycan EV.
It reminds me of the Spinal Tap “These go to eleven.”
“Is the Taycan Turbo faster?”
“Well it’s a turbo, isn’t it?”
Exactly. "Turbo" EV. "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means"
Well at one time there was a Turbo button on a PC.
Also kinda’ weird.
This is what I get for commenting before I read comments. Embarrassed. But even with that explanation I am convinced the current numbering scheme is now second worst in current autos (worst being Audi)
Let’s not forget Infiniti calling everything a “Q”.
Yeah never got that. Made more sense with “G, M, FX, QX” which also made no sense but was decipherable
They have now dropped the number badging.
Thanks, Wyatt.
Thank YOU, Stan!
Regarding footnote number 2 -- I'm generally a fan of keeping writing PG or PG13, but "pansy" as a bad word for the lifestyle brand? The definition is "soft and easily wilting".
Is it too close to home for the Bagel Company CEO?
Perhaps adding the “-ass” to the end would throw it over what was acceptable!
That would probably push things over the edge
… although “candy” as the first word in such a situation would probably flow a bit better, and I wouldn’t think “candy” would be anything the bagel baron would oppose.
We (family of 3) rented one of these a couple years ago during a Hawaii vacation. It was totally adequate.
“adequate” is not a term that should be used with Cadillacs.
Agreed, it did not feel Cadillac-special. I've yet to sit in a CTS, but there's a F-me red one in my neighborhood (that's probably a CTS-V) that gives me 'special' vibes.
Part of the "charge more on account of the brand" system, without adding anything that made the brand better. As a friend of mine says - you KNOW when you have been McKinsied!
I thought management decisions were only that goofed up in the federal government! We do stuff like that all the time. We recently had to move a >200 gal internal volume, >1300 psi pressure-rated steel chamber. You can imagine what that weighs. Could probably measure it in multiples of electric Escalades. All to clear some space that is approximately the size of a 1.5 car garage for work that is not yet contracted.
But usually businesses learn from their mistakes. That feedback loop is non-existent in government.
More like "occasionally" than "usually", and half of that is by accident.
The feedback was supposed to be the election of Trump. I will say that the two Trump appointed administrators I've experienced far outperformed the two Biden and Obama administrators.