Cadillac has stayed true to its style in the 2022 Cadillac XT4.

The best Cadillacs are all about style. Their disappearance is a big reason why the brand has been slipping slowly from the limelight of luxury for many decades. The Escalade and several generations of this icon were required to bring the brand back.

The automaker is injecting style into all its models, even the smallest. You’ll need more than just style to play in the major leagues, particularly in the compact crossover segment, one of the most competitive segments in the automotive industry.

The 2022 Cadillac XT4 Reviewed

Parking Lots with the Most Luxurious Facilities

The 2022 Cadillac XT4 is a swagger machine. The sharp lines, bold LED accent lights, and bold colors of the exterior scream swagger to anyone who passes by. The smaller siblings have more presence, but we can’t be all the biggest.

This is one of those designs you notice when you leave it in the parking lot. Although there are many well-designed shapes in this market segment, the XT4 has cohesion with its detailing. The little details make a luxury car, like the Cadillac crests on the taillights and the extensive surfacing of every panel.

The black grille, monochrome badges, and paint on this Sport trim don’t help to convey these details. They make them all disappear. Choose blue, copper, or the new Rosewood Metallic for 2022 to make details pop.

Soft, Warm, and Comfortable Cabin

The interior of the Cadillac XT4 2022 is softer. It is more inviting than the German competitors and warmer than Japanese competitors. The Sedona brownish color is one of the highlights in the lineup. It was used on our test car. The interior is a replica of the XT5 or XT6, and that’s fine.

The 8-inch Cadillac screen is front and center. The screen is surrounded by a large bezel with a lot of space. We felt like we were driving an older model or a car that needed to be finished. It is a rental vehicle, not a luxury car.

The screen is responsive, sharp, and easily customizable (with wireless CarPlay or Android Auto as standard). The screen is the one GM uses for other brands. However, most Cadillac customers will not be familiar with it.

The Cadillac XT4 2022 has a rotary control if you do not want a touchscreen. This dial can scroll or jog, which is a nice feature. This is one of only a few controls that can control Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. On the center console, it’s right next to the volume dial.

Wireless charging is possible. The console lid has a hidden compartment that keeps your phone safe and out of sight.

It would be nice if there were a reminder (Audi has one) on the dashboard to remind you that your device is in the car. Even if your car looks great, walking back is still annoying.

Cabin with a Small Footprint but a Roomy Cabin

The 2022 Cadillac XT4 is small on the outside but offers a surprisingly large cabin. This is one of the few cars in its segment that can transport four adults. It has the best head- and legroom available in both the front and the rear. The rear seat is not reclining, as in other cars in this class.

The sharp rear pillars and high floor of the cargo area reduce it. This is a small crossover class, so that’s what most of them are. The XT4 meets that standard. Loading suitcases and equipment bags are more accessible on the high floor. If you need something bigger, get it delivered. After all, you’re now a Cadillac owner.

Use the towing capability. If you fit the towing package on your compact ute, you can bring a trailer.

Big Wheels spoil the ride.

The ride, as you might expect, is different from the highlight. The 20-inch wheels are popular with accessory and style departments but do not help your spine. The XT4 is more compliant with the standard 18’s. The XT4 is not a rock crawler but is more compliant with the classic 18s.

The XT4 has an active suspension that improves the handling in corners and makes it more comfortable to cruise.

The ride is bumpy but quiet. The cabin is kept quiet by a stiff structure that absorbs the worst impacts.

The Rough Engine is Out of Place in This Area

The engine is next. The 2022 Cadillac XT4 only has a 2.0L turbo-four and a nine-speed auto, but you can choose front-drive or four-wheel drive. It produces 235 horsepower and a torque of 258 pound-feet.

The peak torque influences the crossover’s performance, which comes in at 1,500 rpm and continues through to 4,000 rpm. It’s sufficient to floor it at a stoplight. You can ask for more power to accelerate out of a corner, speed up on the highway or do a two-lane pass. You can then ride the wave of torque, and suddenly the XT4 is incredibly quick. It helps to have a gearbox that can make rapid shifts without getting in its way.

It sounds good, but it’s not. This four-cylinder has a fierce sound, while most other cars have raised the bar on noise, vibrancy, and harshness. The standard active noise cancellation does not block an agricultural idle, which is worse than the exterior. Noise cancellation works better when moving, or the engine quietens with revs. You’ll never forget it.

We would happily accept the noise if it meant better fuel economy. It doesn’t. The 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway (for AWD) aligns with the segment average. Cadillac does not offer electrification as a solution to fuel economy and sound issues.

High-Tech if You Take Advantage of the Options

Driver assistance features include automatic emergency braking and rear park assist. Front pedestrian braking is also included (with a cool symbol to indicate when it detects pedestrians), as well as GM’s Safety Seat that vibrates to alert you to a warning. The seat is excellent for warning you but needs to be improved in letting you understand what it’s about.

The list of options is a common one for this class. However, it’s still disappointing. Good driver assistances like blind-spot detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and Cadillac’s rear-view camera are high on the list. You’ll have to check a few boxes to get all of them, and many aren’t available on the lower Luxury trim.

Cadillac’s XT4 is priced in the middle. Acura RDX, Lexus NX, and Cadillac XT4 are slightly cheaper unless you choose their top trims or tick off Cadillac’s options. If you’re looking for the best, then the XT4 is cheaper. The XT4 tested came in at just under $52,000 and included all the essential options.

Should you buy the Cadillac XT4 2022?

What is the verdict? I find the 2022 Cadillac XT4 warm and inviting. This is something that many other cars in the segment don’t have.

This is why I enjoy this Cadillac despite its noisy motor and rough ride. It’s what I consider a luxury car to be: a bit of old-school charm in a modern, high-tech package.

You can also order one on the website of Cadillac.