The electric power steering serves up clear communication, the front strut/rear multilink suspension delivers confidence-inspiring dynamics, and the 20-inch wheel/tire combo, which bundles ZF's CDC4 continuous damping system, provides comfort without sacrificing sportiness. Whereas the SRX could feel cumbersome, the XT5, nearly 300 pounds lighter, comes across lithe and athletic in comparison. "Efficient performance, better NVH, and more agility through mass reduction and technology," XT5 chief engineer Paul Spadafora said. Much of this impressive quietness is thanks to the lighter, stronger structure that touts extensive use of high-strength steels and structural adhesives. Wind and road noise have been thwarted to whisper levels, and the V-6, which utilizes cylinder deactivation that seamlessly switches between V-4 and V-6 modes, is as serene as they come it's refined and gutsy, too. On the highways and roads in southern Orange County and eastern San Diego, the XT5 proved itself, first and foremost, to be quiet. The system features a clutch on each rear wheel that can send nearly all available torque to either rear wheel if the other three lose traction. (There's a power outlet down there, too.) The eight-speed routes power to the front wheels or via an available compact, lightweight twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system to all four. It's similar in function and appearance to what BMW uses, and according to Cadillac, it improves NVH and frees up valuable real estate below the console for purses, documents, and tablets. Shift duties fall to an Aisin eight-speed automatic that engages via an Electronic Precision Shift, or a shift-by-wire gear knob. A 2.0-liter turbo-four will be offered in XT5s sold in China, but we're more likely to see that motor in something such as an XT4. We're not sure its evolved Art and Science design language makes a bold enough statement or that it really separates itself from the similarly styled SRX, but the new 3.6-liter V-6 (the one that debuted in the fall in the ATS and CTS) under the hood has the stout stats to leave a mark: 310 horsepower, 271 lb-ft of torque, and EPA numbers of 19/27/22 mpg city/highway/combined (FWD) and 18/26/21 (AWD). Being the first to hit the market, not to mention the one replacing last year's best-selling Cadillac ( see sidebar), the XT5 needs to make a powerful and lasting first impression.
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