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Today's Drive: 2014 Cadillac XTS

A large sedan for a younger customer
2014 Cadillac XTS.
2014 Cadillac XTS.

In recent years, Cadillac has been attempting to reach the younger generation of buyers with renewed design, styling, and character.

First, Cadillac released its ATS, a compact luxury sedan targeted squarely at BMW 3 Series customers. While it may be too early to declare it a success, it certainly has grabbed a lot of attention with a true European feel and design.

At the other end of their range, Cadillac has unveiled a new flagship last year – the XTS.

The Cadillac XTS brings with it a nice balance of bold exterior styling, a refined cabin and modern technology while providing an important position within Cadillac as the flagship sedan.

For 2014, Cadillac adds an optional twin-turbocharged V6 engine, electric power steering in front-wheel drive models and automatic parking assist, to name some of the enhancements.

Premium and Platinum Collections receive a host of new standard equipment including IntelliBeam automatic headlights, Adaptive Forward Lighting and illuminating door handles.

Design
The XTS replaced the larger DTS and smaller STS at the same time, and it now bridges the gap between midsize and full-size luxury sedans as a result. The XTS is still a fairly large sedan, however, as it is a little longer than a BMW 7 Series though not quite as wide.

The cabin of the XTS is the most spacious of any Cadillac sedan. It was designed to provide maximum roominess in a more efficient package without compromising the basic layout and functionality.

Continuing Cadillac’s angular, wedge-like design, the XTS looks similar to its smaller siblings, though it has an “enhanced” edges and creases that give it a more flowing look and feel.

Platinum models come with 20-inch wheels for an even more dramatic look.  All but the base XTS model comes with dual exhaust outlets giving it a little sporty flair.

Models with the new turbo engine have a unique twin-turbo grille and deck lid identification.  Overall, the XTS is a great looking sedan that has elements of both American and Japanese luxury car design cues.

Performance
The XTS comes standard with a 3.6-litre V6 that is rated at 304 hp and 264 ft-lbs of torque. Cadillac used lightweight materials to reduce overall weight for better fuel efficiency and a more favourable front-to-rear weight balance.

The exciting, new twin-turbo 3.6-litre V6 produces 410 hp and 369 ft-lbs of torque, which outperforms many competitors. Cadillac claims this rating makes it one of the most power-dense six-cylinder engines in this segment.

The two small turbos team up with an efficient charge air cooler to help create more immediate power delivery, while sustaining peak torque over a broader range. This results in more confidence while accelerating or overtaking traffic on the highway.

Regardless of which engine you choose, it will be mated to a six-speed transmission with tap-shift control.

A stiffer body structure - combined with Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control – makes it possible to deliver precise body motion control. This makes the XTS especially comfortable cruising over long commutes and it remains composed when the road gets bumpy.

To pamper occupants further, the cabin is well insulated, making road and engine noise nearly undetectable.

Electric, variable-assist power steering is used in all front-wheel drive models to enhance efficiency by only drawing energy when the wheels are being turned. Meanwhile, all-wheel drive models feature a precise and responsive hydraulically-assisted steering system.

The feel of the car is agile and planted – in a manner that may surprise Mercedes and BMW owners. It is remarkable how far Cadillac has come in terms of creating a world-class vehicle with the “right” kind of driving characteristics.  Don’t get me wrong, the car still feels soft in comparison to, say an Audi A6, but the silky ride feel is appreciated in highway driving.

Environment
Inside the XTS, the cabin is elegant and well-put-together, with standard leather-trimmed seats, leather wrapped interior panels, and premium wood trims on Platinum Collection models.

Heated and ventilated seats highlight an extensive list of premium standard features.

The rear seats offer good leg-room overall and reasonably comfortable seating for three. The available Rear Seat Entertainment package featuring a dual-screen DVD system is an impressive unit that should keep rear passengers occupied during long trips.

The classy-looking standard eight-inch touchscreen uses Cadillac’s CUE infotainment system. CUE boasts capacitive-touch control with proximity sensing, Haptic feedback, gesture recognition, and enhanced voice recognition. However, it does require some practice to use its fullest capabilities, and the feeling is a bit awkward – I think the haptic feel is unnecessary.

The Premium and Platinum models use a 12.3-inch reconfigurable instrument cluster that has four driver-selectable themes ranging from minimal to extensive information.

The XTS has an advantage over both midsize and full-size rivals when it comes to trunk space. Cadillac reckons that its 18 cubic feet capacity will easily accommodate five full suitcases.

Features
The 2014 Cadillac XTS has a starting price of $49,440, which is reasonable considering its standard features.

Standard equipment includes keyless entry, remote start, dual-zone climate control, heated exterior mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, LED taillights, Bluetooth and OnStar.

Additional features, available as options or on higher trims, include navigation, 14-speaker surround sound, three-zone climate control, heated steering wheel, 60/40 folding rear seats, adaptive cruise control, head-up display, front and rear automatic braking, forward collision alert, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot detection, rearview camera, and a sunroof.

Fuel efficiency numbers (L/100km) for FWD models are 12.1 city, 7.2 highway for 9.9 combined. AWD bumps those to 12.5 city, 7.7 highway and 10.3 combined. The twin-turbo engine raises them again to 13.2 city, 8.3 highway and 11 combined.

Thumbs Up
The XTS offers a comfortable driving experience and plenty of standard features while undercutting most of its European and Japanese rivals.

Thumbs Down
While the ride is smooth, it is far from engaging. Also, the CUE system is complex and not overly intuitive.

The Bottom Line
The 2014 XTS is a comfortable, mature full-size sedan with Cadillac’s classic presence and prestige in a contemporary design.

Competitors
BMW 5 Series

The 5 Series have been in continuous production for several decades now, and each subsequent generation has improved on the latter. The 5 Series is the benchmark in this segment because of its ability to offer high levels of comfort, performance and practicality.

Being the best comes at a price, and while a base 5 Series starts at $54,600, outfitting one quickly raises the bar.

Lexus GS

It wasn’t that long ago that Lexus was criticized for being stale. Not anymore with the brands restyling. The GS has an edgier appearance and more luxury inside, while the re-engineering makes the car more economical and more fun to drive.

A base model GS begins at $52,200.

Chrysler 300

The Chrysler 300 is the epitome of an American Car; big, rear-wheel drive with lots of power, comfort and style. The 300 boasts copious amounts of rear-seat room, but surprisingly, trunk space is relatively small.

The 300 is available in a variety of flavours with the base model starting at $34,595.