The 2019 Cadillac XT4 will mark out important territory for the brand as it looks to compete in the highly competitive compact crossover market. More importantly, it will be the Cadillac the brand will use to directly target a new customer base.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that the luxury brand will take the XT4 and specifically target younger, affluent buyers. Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen told the publication the compact crossover will be “an interceptor of young affluent buyers—very valuable long-term customers.”
He added the XT4 will also work to expand Cadillac volume in North America and China.
Right now, Cadillac hardly has a youthful image. A Strategic Vision study showed less than 10 percent of buyers under 30-year-old would consider a new Cadillac. The XT4 will, ideally, change that picture for the brand. The XT4 will be priced to start at $35,790 and comes as the market remains hot for crossovers and SUVs.
Cadillac will also return to a strategy that has worked for the brand in the past. The XT4 will directly compete with the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and other compact crossovers, but its price point reflects subcompact CUVs. The brand previously followed this strategy with the CTS and SRX.
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Hence the low entry price.
Cadillac is hot on the used car market with folks under 40 years old. The ATS, CTS both are very popular. I have a great number of them at work now and all have loved them. As they age and income grows they will be able to new Cadilkac in the future.
This is how you build a loyal following and trust.
The XT 4 should also rob many retired fix income folks who want a CUV but at an affordable price and easy to drive size. Just look at Encore sales.
Cadillac’s new XT4’s biggest selling point will be it being affordable at $35,790 which means it’s less expensive than European competitors; but it’ll be interesting to see whether the LSY 2.0L DOHC-4v 4-cyl turbo has enough grunt for satisfying driving or if this is just the base engine and the XT4 will feature a V6 given the XT4 will probably weigh very similar to the Chevrolet Equinox of 3350-3550 lbs.
I am curious how many of those buyers under 30 use reviews, consumer reports, and just research customer feedback. Not the “I’m GM believe me I’m reliable”. If its GMs choice to cut and run instead of ” putting more money in that old dead horse”. What if its a new horse they just don’t want to support. The ATS or our ATS had BAD reviews if you had one with the vibration in the rear end, the 2.0T that had trouble, rear end leaks, engine leaks, poor shifting, etc. WHY would you believe GM that the “O” this is a new 2.0T it is better “O” this is new shift management its better “TRUST ME”. I guess we will see if its better, and I hope it is. I have owned 5 Cadillacs and am 49 years old. I hope they saved some of that development money to support these new vehicles so they can get some “GOOD” TRUE CUSTOMER reviews. Cadillacs on the road with GOOD reviews is what will sell Cadillacs. Make great cars, fix them, move on.
Wow, what an ugly color to debut the car in! Burnt orange? Bleh!! What is it, 2009?
That is the same color that the Chevy Bolt EV had when it made its debut in January 2015. Now it outsells even the Tesla Model S! That is GM’s lucky color.
So it’s a Chevy color. Why not just put a Chevy badge on it too? This is no Cadillac. Cimarron all over again – bad idea to go “downmarket” and supposedly get “customers for life”. Instead they turn off customers for life.
The orange DOES make it look like a Chevy! Not a classy color for a luxury brand, IMO. I can’t imagine Mercedes putting out a color like that.
” IMO. I can’t imagine Mercedes putting out a color like that.”
You can’t? I can.
https://media.ed.edmunds-media.com/mercedes-benz/amg-gt/2017/ot/2017_mercedes-benz_amg-gt_LIFE1_ot_1220165_1280.jpg
GM has used the same colors on the different divisions of GM for years just called them something different even though was the same color
No it is not Cimarron all over again. There is nothing that the XT4 is “badge-engineered” on.
Why is it that you try hard with such fooliness and silliness every time there is a new Cadillac discussion? You are the most unpopular guy on here that no one can you seriously. And with that Cimmaron comment, you can’t be taken seriously at all in anything you say about Cadillac now.
And you outta know better that Cadillac don’t use the same color paint like Chevy does. Anyone who think the way you do, lives under a rock.
Johnsl_39, I realize that the XT4 is not a rebadged Chevy like the Cimarron. And I didn’t say that it was. I wrote: Cimarron all over again – bad idea to go “downmarket” and supposedly get “customers for life”. Because that was the Cimarron STRATEGY, to make a smaller, more affordable “Cadillac” in order to get those young customers, which would presumably stay with the brand for life. Of course it backfired to the point of turning off a lot of people to Cadillac for life. It wasn’t a real Cadillac, and its presence cheapened the brand.
Note also the title of this article “A play to court youngsters to the brand”, as well as the JdN comment in the article “an interceptor of young affluent buyers—very valuable long-term customers.” That’s the Cimarron strategy all over again. And one that Cadillac vowed it would never repeat. But JdN did not live in the USA when the Cimarron debacle occurred, so he’s apparently unaware of its “reasoning” and impact.
What was bad about the Cimarron was not that it was based on a GM platform, but that it was based on a GM platform that was inappropriate for Cadillac. If you’ve read my “unpopular” comments here in the past, as you claim to have done, you’d know that I am not against Cadillac sharing parts and platforms with other GM products, as long as Cadillac maintains its own high classic standards. The Cimarron did not maintain those standards. But it was justified in the minds of some because it was about the same size as a BMW Series 3. The early 80’s were the start of GM’s downfall, when every bad move was justified as “the Germans do it, so we should do it too”. And that continues to this day, as Cadillac’s identity is further buried while they become merely a copier of other brands, under JdN.
As to the burnt orange color, I wasn’t the first one here to mention that it’s a Chevy color. Perhaps not the exact shade they use, but it could be. Cadillac DOES sometimes use the identical colors as Chevy and other GM cars, sometimes under different names, sometimes with the same exact name. And that’s fine for a color that is right for Cadillac. But some colors don’t make sense on real Cadillacs. For example, the Camaro is offered with a bright yellow paint job that is appropriate for that kind of car. But I can’t imagine a real Cadillac would have a bright yellow paint job.
I have said that the XT4 might make a decent Chevrolet, and the burnt orange paint job fits right in with that thought. It’s just not a Cadillac, or a Cadillac color. But the paint job certainly isn’t the worst part about this “Cadillac”.
As to my being the most unpopular poster here – I happen to feel that all posts here are worthy, as long as they make coherent points and refrain from initiating personal attacks. And without input such as mine, the comments of this website would look too much like a cheerleader section, instead of a serious discussion (the articles themselves would still be worthwhile). And while my posts get thumbed down a lot from the JdN cheerleaders, they do seem to be popular. There was a topic recently (“2019 Cadillac CT6 V-Sport Arrives..”, written March 21) where 4 other commenters mentioned me and/or were soliciting my input, before I’d even read the article myself. They apparently couldn’t wait to read what I was going to write.
Yeah it did not look good in the streamed reveal lighting.
The orange is HOT. I’ve seen enough boring gray and silver vehicles to last a lifetime. It’s refreshingly different for once!
I agree and this is definitely not the same color as the Bolt. The Bolt is Orange Burst and XT4 is Autumn Metallic. The Chevrolet is a much brighter Orange. I do like the Autumn Metallic, but my favorite color on the XT4 is definitely the Atlantic Blue. I can’t wait to see one in person.
The flip side of this of course is if “the youngsters” buy, lease, drive, or ride in an XT4, they may be underwhelmed by the lack of luxury. They may think they’ve been in “a real Cadillac” when they haven’t been, and they’ll wonder if there’s anything special about the brand. That’s especially true if they are in the cheapest version of the XT4, with the leatherette seats.
But even in its best trim it’s hard to see that this is a real Cadillac. So instead of getting “the young’uns” into a brand they’ll be buying for life, this could just as well guarantee that these people never buy a Cadillac again. A two-edged sword, but for now people are only seeing the positives. Remember though that the Cimarron was supposed to do exactly the same thing, bring in the young people as customers for life – and Cadillac is still trying to live that one down.
Their definition and expectation of Luxury is defined much differently than Grandpa.
They don’t expect a fake convertible top or white walls.
Our resident geriatric, Drew, thinks “luxury” means landau tops.
-vorg, I’ve always said that Cadillac should build MODERN luxury cars, but with Cadillac core values, not someone else’s. That’s what a leader does, that’s what creates a brand that people love – where people know who made the car, even without seeing the badge. I realize it’s hard for you to wrap your head around that.
I’ve never said Cadillac should go for Landau roofs. Cadillac needs to be modern, which is why I’m against the cheap halogen headlamps on the base ATS and CTS. Cadillac needs to stop making cheap “base” models altogether. If you get a Cadillac, it should mean something. Cadillac needs to go back to making the Cadillac of cars.
There’s nothing modern or luxury about a bunch of black plastic all over the interior, or a tiny and virtually useless analog speedometer, as is the case in the new XT4. The analog speedometer goes to 160 though, what a laugh. Interior is completely boring and unimaginative, really cheap looking too. Virtually no front legroom, very little headroom, not even much cargo capacity. This is no Cadillac, regardless of era.
BTW, -vorg thinks the pinnacle of art is a velvetized depiction of dogs playing poker. That’s at least as true as what he writes about me. Let’s try to make this an honest and worthy commenting forum, to match the fine work done by Alex Luft and the rest of the GM Authority staff.
It needs a fake spare tire on the rear!
Did Cadillac steal the designer of Ford Edge?
I was hoping for something more like Jaguar Pace.A vehicle that would change the Cadillac conversation.
I hope the youngsters like plastic.
There is a lot of it on this thing.
They seem to like it since the most sold foreign models all have plenty of it, too.
So again, if the foreign models put in lots of black plastic in small cars, then Cadillac should do it too? That’s not Cadillac being a leader. That’s not Cadillac, period. If JdN wanted to create a new brand, he should have taken a new brand name. LIke Saturn.
Remember that 55% of luxury vehicles are leased which will continue to increase…The national lease offer which changes monthly will determine if this thing is a success or not…
I’m 24 and I would buy this. ( I also bought a new Buick at 18). I would not buy it new however. I’d wait a year for a used one.
Tyler if you bought a Buick as your first new car, you are supposed to stay with that brand for life. That’s the theory anyway, that no one ever changes brands, even within the GM family. Which is why Cadillac wants to offer vehicles for every possible lifestyle and income level, to get that crucial “first car” sale. So enjoy your lifetime of Buicks.
While I no longer have the Buick it still is in the family. My first new car was my 2012 Prius c (RIP). The Regal was my 2nd new car.
It used to be from my understanding years ago you started with a Chevrolet, then a Pontiac, then a Buick, then an Oldsmobile and worked your way to a Cadillac.
I persoanlly am stashing away money for my next ride and I’d like for it to be a GM vehicle. Whether it’s a Buick or a Cadillac. What I really want is a Model 3 and I just do not think that will be feasible.
What year was your Regal and what model Regal did you bought? I have a ’15 model with the 2.5 liter and love the exterior and interior design. I also love the fact the Regal is very reliable as well.
Tyler wrote: “It used to be from my understanding years ago you started with a Chevrolet, then a Pontiac, then a Buick, then an Oldsmobile and worked your way to a Cadillac.”
You’re absolutely right, but that theory has been replaced by a new one. The new theory is that if Cadillac doesn’t offer a vehicle of every type for every income, they’ll lose that customer – for life – to another brand. I’m not one of the “professionals” making up these theories, so don’t blame me. I have no problem with Cadillac only making real Cadillacs, with people being dazzled by them, aspiring to own them and then eventually buying them when the time is right.
Soon though you’ll see Cadillac-badged bicycles, Cadillac skateboards, even Cadillac tricycles. Because once someone buys their first branded vehicle, they are a customer for life! No arguing with the “professionals”, partner, that’s just not allowed.
Hmm. I haven’t heard anything about this new theory. I’ll have to look it up. But I can still see how the old one applies. Buy a Chevy, then a Buick, then a Cadillac and maybe fit a GMC somewhere in there at some point lol.
Me personally I have no need for a new Chevy I already had my Buick and was wanting something more… I did drive an ATS a few years back and wasn’t too impressed.
Tyler, the old theory makes more sense to me, where people might stay within the GM product family, but move up within brands as their means and interest suits them. And of course there’s the actual practice where many people will go from a Ford to a Dodge to a Lexus or whatever, just because a certain individual car appealed to them, or because they were dissatisfied with their prior brand. Naturally you can buy whatever car you want; thankfully we still have a (mostly) free market in the USA.
For the current theory about a “brand for life”, you need look no further than the title of this GM Authority article on which we are commenting, and some of the text in the article as well. Johan de Nysschen apparently called the XT4 “an interceptor of young affluent buyers—very valuable long-term customers”, as noted in Sean’s article. That plays into the concept of “customers for life”, the theory that if someone starts with another brand, they’ll stay with it for life, so JdN wants to “intercept” them early on, start them out on cheaper/smaller “Cadillacs” and then they’ll be with the brand for life.
The problem with that for me, is that making cheaper/smaller Cadillacs means you are no longer making Cadillacs. Cadillacs became famous by being impressive, outstanding luxury vehicles, not a brand that could fill in every niche for every potential buyer. And your example of not being impressed by the ATS is very telling. The ATS was another attempt by Cadillac to go “downmarket”, with the “customer for life” thing in mind. The problem is that when people are unimpressed by a car like the ATS, they may think they’ve been in a real Cadillac and think it’s nothing special as a brand. Therefore a cheap/small “Cadillac” is as likely to discourage a customer from future sales as encourage them.
The Cimarron was Cadillac’s first attempt at going downmarket, and that didn’t go well for Cadillac either. It not only wasn’t a big seller, but it cheapened the image of the brand entirely. Supposedly Cadillac HQ kept a picture of the Cimarron on the wall, as a warning against doing this in the future, but they seem to have forgotten that lesson in recent years.
BTW, I was kidding about Cadillac bicycles, skateboards, and tricycles. But if Cadillac’s “brand for life” thinking is taken to its logical conclusion, then I wouldn’t put it past them. I was hoping that the XT4 would somehow still be worthy of the Cadillac name, but I’m sure not seeing it now.
XT4 has a weak engine.