Doomed by tepid sales as well as the GM luxury brand’s push toward an all-electric vehicle lineup, the 2025Â Cadillac XT4 is the final model year of the compact crossover. It debuted a few changes and updates, including reduction of the trim level walk to two trims, Premium Luxury and Sport. This article looks in more detail at its drive modes.
The 2025 Cadillac XT4 features General Motors’ Driver Mode Control. The mode control switch is located on the right-hand side of the center console’s upper surface, just below the inset cup holders.
Pressing the switch activates each of the modes. When the vehicle is turned off, it remains in the current mode when restarted only when in Tour Mode or AWD Mode. Other modes default back to Tour Mode when the XT4 is next restarted.
Tour Mode
This is the default driving mode for the 2025 Cadillac XT4 and, as such, is not indicated by any notification on the instrument cluster. The mode provides good everyday handling and a comfortable ride for the occupants of the crossover. It also improves fuel economy for both city and highway driving.
AWD Mode
AWD mode turns on all-wheel drive, providing better traction by directing torque to all four wheels at once. This mode is useful for slippery surfaces such as wet pavement, gravel, and winter conditions such as snow and ice (the 2025 Cadillac XT4 does not have a dedicated Snow/Ice mode).
Sport Mode
Sport Mode boosts 2025 Cadillac XT4 response and handling on dry pavement for – as its name indicates – sport, higher-performance driving. Steering response, transmission shifts and torque are all modified to improve these characteristics.
Improved control and engine braking are provided by PAL, which is also engaged by Sport Mode. PAL is the Performance Algorithm Liftfoot feature. After pressing hard on the accelerator pedal, quickly lifting the foot will result in the current gear being held on the transmission for the results noted above. A gear icon might appear on the instrument cluster of the XT4 when PAL is active.
Off-Road Mode
While Off-Road Mode is mostly meant for loose, irregular cross-country surfaces such as dirt or muddy roads and trails, gravel, sand, or rocks, it can also be used in wintry, snowy conditions as an alternative to AWD mode. AWD is engaged but traction control and stability control are also modified for optimal off-road performance, as is accelerator tuning.
A single powerplant choice motivates the 2025 Cadillac XT4, namely the turbocharged 2.0L I4 LSY gasoline engine cranking out 235 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque at 1,500 rpm. The GM 9-speed automatic transmission is paired with this engine, while FWD and AWD configurations are on offer.
The final model year of the Caddy compact crossover rides on the GM E2 platform under the sheet metal. Production of the model took place at the GM Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City.
Comments
Slow news day? Have and love our 2024 XT4, but has it is another killed ICE gm vehicle not an article needed for future awareness and sales. What’s next, an article on the drive modes of my son’s 2017 Camaro RS, which we also bought new & love. Lower case gm really missing the market and Cadillac sales will plummet along with total market sales of all makes. There is a place for EV, but also for ICE.
A majority of the buyers for the XT4 are technologically challenged, they see the screen and think, wow look at all the tech, or frequently ask questions that could be answered by reading the manual.
This particular question is actually a common one