With the SRX finally done serving its time Cadillac wasted no time coming up with a new crossover SUV that will be the basis for many of the different SUV models from GM. This new XT5 will be a fantastic beginning to what can be the XT4, XT6 and even a three row XT7. With many other luxury automakers offering three to five SUVs or CUVs depending upon which company you talk about, there is absolutely no reason Cadillac can’t do the same. With that in mind let’s take a look at what the new XT5 has to offer.

First of all, Cadillac has it right with this new XT5. As we see many manufacturers turning to a single platform that can be expanded across their lineup and used for multiple vehicles. This is a cost saving ingredient that many are using and for Cadillac this means more SUVs and even the use of this platform for the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia. Yes, GM has always been good at offering the same car across different brands with some upgraded features for the higher brand names but most of the time this development comes from the bottom up. In this case it will come from the top down starting at Cadillac.

What will make the XT5 one that we will easily love is the familiarity. Even though this is a new platform for Cadillac the XT5 is extremely similar to the outgoing SRX which has been the best-selling vehicle for the brand for the past few years. This new SUV will enjoy the benefits of a new 3.6-liter V6 engine that makes 310 horsepower and 271 lb.-ft. of torque with fuel mileage numbers that show up at 19 city/27 hwy/22 combined mpg for the FWD version and 18 city/26 hwy/21 combined mpg in the AWD version. There will also be a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine but that will be on the model sold in China and if we ever see it most likely it will be in a smaller version of the SUV.

The transmission used will be an Aisin eight-speed automatic that uses Electronic Precision Shift by using a gear knob that will be familiar to anyone who has enjoyed driving a BMW model. This setup is only to make room for other items to be put in place of where the gear shifting lever used to be which will include space for tablets and even a power outlet. The AWD will allow for three driver selectable modes as power is sent to the front and back as well as side to side.

This new SUV is nearly 300 pounds lighter than the outgoing SRX and the engine is able to make use of cylinder deactivation technology to run on four instead of six to maximize fuel efficiency. This weight loss and cylinder use creates a more athletic SUV that is also efficient and able to be driven much more often than others that aren’t nearly as efficient.

The ride in the new XT5 is comfortable and smooth. This is the result of the new front strut/rear multilink suspension system that links the vehicle to the 20-inch wheels and uses a continuously damping system to give you the comfort you want without taking away any of the sportiness of the drive. The XT5 is an SUV you can whip around corners while your passengers are unable to feel like you have shifted them from side to side when going through the curves. The size of the XT5 is a bit smaller than the SRX but this SUV has a wheelbase that is two inches longer and an inch wider to give a better track for sporty driving.

When you look to the interior of this SUV you will find the premium leather that adorns the space in sophisticated glory. This leather is accented beautifully with real wood; aluminum and carbon-fiber trim to give you the look you deserve from Cadillac. Even the doors and dashboard are all covered in stitched materials to give a more impressive appearance. The CUE system is better than before and many of the systems now have buttons for the controls rather than running them all through this infotainment system. As a GM product you do get the 4G LTE Wi-Fi and Apple CarPlay which the latter sets apart from many other automakers who still don’t have Wi-Fi capabilities in their vehicles.

While this SUV hasn’t been tested for safety yet, Cadillac anticipates receiving the highest scores from NHTSA and IIHS to offer a safe vehicle that you will love. The safety features include a lane keeping assistance system, rear cross traffic alerts, side blind zone alerts, pedestrian collision mitigation and automatic front and rear braking when needed. There is even and optional head up display, adaptive cruise control and automatic parking that can all make a huge difference in your driving experience.

The pricing you can expect for the XT5 will start around $39,990 and reach up to $63,495 when you load it up. This makes for a reasonably affordable SUV from one of the names we love. Once this beauty makes its way to the market you can certainly expect we will have some comparison tests to discuss, but right out of the gate this SUV appears to be one that is ready to drive and will be the perfect addition for you and your family.

Creating the XT5 is a sure gamble on the part of Cadillac. The SRX was already the sales leader at 68,850 sold last year which was an increase from 55,168 which was the average from 2010-2014. For this reason its seems fitting that Cadillac kept much of the same aspects on the XT5 as were features on the SRX to give us a familiar but much better place to drive from to start the expansion of the crossover SUVs on the luxury SUV market which will be fun to watch and see what Cadillac does bring out for us to enjoy.