Although Cadillac has repeatedly said it doesn’t plan on slowing down when it comes to its electric vehicle (EV) agenda, some folks tend to forget that it still sells a few gas-powered vehicles.
Yes, the XT4 is being phased out and replaced by the all-electric Optiq, but the XT5, the XT6, the regular Escalade, as well as the CT4 and CT5 sedans remain available. And from the looks of it, Cadillac doesn’t seem to have plans to get rid of them. At least not the aging XT5, a model that’s been with us in its current form since 2016. Cadillac just confirmed it’ll introduce an all-new one in 2027.
The 2027 XT5 Feels Like A Plan B For Cadillac
Cadillac shared the XT5 news through a casual email it sent to members of the media on a Tuesday morning. Labeled “Cadillac Announcement”, the email not only confirmed that the XT5 would remain within Cadillac’s lineup in the coming years, but that it would also remain gasoline-powered. That’s a clear departure from Cadillac’s claims of wanting to become an all-electric automaker. From the email:
We’re excited to see the XT5 legacy continue with an all-new generation on the way. This reflects Cadillac’s commitment to putting customers first – offering both EV and gas-powered options so Canadians can choose the luxury that fits their lifestyle. – Mike Speranzini, Cadillac Canada Managing Director.
Cadillac didn’t say more, only stating that more details about the new XT5 will be shared at a later date. GM’s luxury division also stated that it remains committed to “putting customers first” and plans on continuing to offer both EV and gas-powered vehicles. Translation: the world has changed, and while Cadillac is still going all in on EVs, it’s doing like other automakers by keeping a plan B in the event that the market changes. It also clearly illustrates how complicated it has become to sell cars in this day and age.
Could We Soon Be Getting The Chinese XT5?
The XT5 you’re seeing in these pictures is not the upcoming Cadillac XT5. Nor is it the current one. This is actually the model that’s currently being sold on the Chinese market, introduced there last year. But if we are to base ourselves on past moves at Cadillac, like the current Optiq, this may very well be the XT5 we’re going to get.
It obviously looks better than the current model. After all, the current XT5 is still riding on Cadillac’s old design principles. This new one looks a lot more modern, more organic, and more in line with the rest of Cadillac’s fresher offerings. China’s XT5 is also an entirely new animal from a technical standpoint. For starters, it no longer rides on the dated C1XX platform, but rather inherits the more modern and more flexible VSS-S architecture, which also underpins the current, gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox.
Power could come from an updated version of the current turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, but there are rumors that the new XT5 could also receive the larger, 2.5-liter unit from the and GMC Acadia. In those vehicles, that engine makes more than 300 horsepower, which should be enough for the XT5 to take on a tough European crowd in this segment. I’m thinking of models like the BMW X3 or the Audi Q5, two vehicles the current XT5 has difficulty competing against.
As for the possibility of the XT5 incorporating some form of electrified powerplant, either through normal hybridization or plug-in-hybrid technology, it seems quite unlikely. The Chinese model doesn’t have any of that, and I doubt GM will introduce its first hybrid engines in a Cadillac model as niche as the XT5. But, hey, the automaker could surprise us. That’s all I have for now, but we’ll make sure to keep following the new XT5’s development closely.
Read the full article here