2017 Cadillac XTS

The XTS' rivals include everything from the new Lincoln Continental, Lexus GS 350 and Genesis G80, to the Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 series, and Audi A6. To be fair however, we should keep the German saloons in the category of their own, as their rivalry among themselves needs a separate in-depth analysis.

The 2017 Cadillac XTS Sedan has six different trims, namely the XTS, XTS Luxury, XTS, Premium Luxury, XTS Platinum, XTS Premium Luxury V-sport, and the XTS Platinum V-sport, all in increasing order of price (and equipment), where the XTS is the base trim, and the XTS Platinum V-sport is the top of the line model. The base model retails at $45,595, which puts it in the budget luxury sedan segment.

Trim	MSRP (FWD)	MSRP (AWD)	Key Features
XTS	$45,595	N/A	Auxiliary Audio Input And USB With External Media Control Bose Premium Brand Speakers 8 Total Speakers Cruise Control Climate Control Electrochromic Inside Rearview Mirror
XTS Luxury	$49,595	$51,595	Driver Awareness Package Speed Sensitive Volume Control Driver Assisted Parking Assist Rear View Camera Universal Remote Transmitter (For Garage Door, Security System, Etc.) Transmission, Cruise And Audio Controls On Steering Wheel
XTS Premium Luxury	$56,095	$58,295	Blind Spot And Lane Departure Warnings Accident Avoidance System Speed Sensitive Volume Control Surround Audio Surround Audio (Discrete) Three Zone Climate Control
XTS Platinum	$64,895	$67,095	Blind Spot And Lane Departure Warnings Accident Avoidance System Speed Sensitive Volume Control Surround Audio Surround Audio (Discrete) Driver Assisted Parking Assist Three Zone Climate Control
XTS Premium Luxury V-sport	N/A	$64,095	Blind Spot And Lane Departure Warnings Accident Avoidance System Auxiliary Audio Input And USB With External Media Control Bose Premium Brand Speakers Rear Volume Controls 14 Total Speakers Cruise Control Electrochromic Inside Rearview Mirror
XTS Platinum V-sport	N/A	$72,695	Blind Spot And Lane Departure Warnings Accident Avoidance System Auxiliary Audio Input And USB With External Media Control Bose Premium Brand Speakers Rear Volume Controls 14 Total Speakers Electrochromic Inside Rearview Mirror

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There are a lot of options to choose from but the XTS-V Sport Premium Luxury trim is the best option here. It has got almost every feature that you need in a car with an engine that produces higher power output at a low price.

"As imposing as the 2017 Cadillac XTS seems at the curb, it has a distinctly smaller feel from behind the wheel. Thanks to the standard adaptive suspension and feather-light steering, the XTS manages to shrink its big body around the driver"- Edmunds

Engine and Transmission

The 2017 Cadillac XTS sedan comes with a base 305 horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 engine, which is smooth and works well with the only available 6-speed automatic gearbox. The two V-Sport trims strap a pair of turbochargers on to the 3.6-liter V6, bringing the power up to 410 horsepower. The lack of a V8 engine option is a disappointment though, as it would have been a treat for gearheads.

You can choose between the options of front wheel drive or four-wheel drive, although it wouldn't really matter much. The front wheel drive would be a little more efficient, and the four-wheel-drive would have a little more cornering prowess.

Models	Cadillac XTS	Lincoln Continental Premier	Lexus GS 350	Genesis G80 Standard
MSRP	$45,595	$44,720	$50,695	$41,400
Engine	3.6L V6	3.7L Ti-VCT V6	3.5L V6 24V DOHC	3.8L GDI DOHC V6
Transmission	6-speed automatic	6-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic
Horsepower	304 HP @ 6800 rpm	305 HP @ 6500 rpm	311 HP @ 6400 rpm	311 HP @ 6000 rpm
Torque	264 lb.-ft. @ 5200 rpm	280 lb.-ft. @ 400 rpm	280 lb.-ft. @ 4800 rpm	293 lb.-ft. @ 5000 rpm

The competitors all have their engine capacities in the same ballpark, ranging from 3.5 liter to 3.8 liters. The Lexus GS 350 and the Genesis G80 Standard tie in terms of maximum power output, although the Genesis pulls ahead in terms of maximum torque output.

Acceleration

The Cadillac works hard to bring you the best of both worlds, combining luxury with performance, although it doesn't really succeed at it. The car takes a breezy 6.4 seconds to go from a standstill to 60 miles per hour. The quarter-mile figure isn't very quick either, with the car taking a mediocre under 15-second run.

Models	Cadillac XTS	Lincoln Continental Premier	Lexus GS 350	Genesis G80 Standard
0-60 MPH	6.4 sec	6.8 sec	6.1 sec	6.4 sec
Quarter mile	14.8 sec	14.9 sec	13.8 sec	14.7 sec
Engine	3.6L	3.7L	3.5L	3.8L
Emission (Tons/yr. of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	8.0	8.8	7.7	8.0

The Lexus GS 350 is the fastest car in this comparison, taking 6.1 seconds to reach the 60-mph mark and 13.8 seconds for the quarter-mile run. The Genesis matches the Cadillac in performance, going toe to toe with it, while the Lincoln stays comfortably in the last position.

Braking and Handling

The Cadillac XTS uses a disc brake setup all around, with 13.6-inch discs in the front and 12.4-inch discs in the rear. The brakes do a wonderful job of hauling the 4 thousand-pound plus body weight, and the deceleration is actually quite rapid.

Handling is surprisingly good for a Cadillac, and the XTS manages to feel nimble without sacrificing on comfort even a little. Gone are the days when Cadillac would bounce around uncontrollably at the touch of a brake, or spin around every time you came to a corner. The new XTS has a very stable suspension setup, which still manages to deliver a plush and comfy ride.

Model	Cadillac XTS	Lincoln Continental Premier	Lexus GS 350	Genesis G80 Standard
Brake Front (in.)	13.6	13.9	13.1	13.6
Brake Rear (in.)	12.4	13.6	12.2	12.4
Curb Weight (lbs.)	4006	4224	3726	4290
60-0 MPH (ft.)	116	110	119	116

The Lexus and the Genesis are actually pretty good cars that handle well. The Lexus, in particular, is great, primarily because of it's much lighter body. The sporty character helps the car in the corners, but not on in shedding speed, as the Lexus is dead last in terms of braking performance. The Lincoln, surprisingly, stops the fastest, owing to the largest brakes in this comparo.

The Cadillac XTS is a pretty efficient car for its size, managing to run for 18 miles in the city and 28 miles out on the highway, on a single gallon of gasoline each. This brings the overall efficiency to 22 miles per gallon.

Model	Cadillac XTS	Lincoln Continental Premier	Lexus GS 350	Genesis G80 Standard
MPG (city)	18	17	20	18
MPG (highway)	28	26	28	28
MPG (combined)	22	20	23	22

The Lexus is the most efficient car here, mainly because of its weight. The Genesis is hard at its heels, managing almost equally impressive fuel economy figures. The Lincoln is slightly less efficient than the Cadillac, as it is a little heavier too.

"The Cadillac XTS provides the kind of passenger volume you expect from a nearly 17-foot-long luxury sedan. Rear passengers, in particular, will appreciate their ample accommodations"- Edmunds

Seating and Comfort

Cadillac XTS can seat 5 passengers comfortably, without ever feeling cramped in any way. The front seats have a generous amount of space, as with the rear seats. The interiors are quite well built too, and there are real wood inserts for the dashboard as an option. The soft-touch surfaces on the dash and the door panels only enhance the experience further, making you feel like you are in a proper luxury car.

Model	Cadillac XTS	Lincoln Continental Premier	Lexus GS 350	Genesis G80 Standard
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.0/57.9/42.1	39.3/58.3/37.7	38.0/57.3/42.3	41.1/58.3/45.7
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.8/56.3/40.0	44.4/55.9/41.3	37.8/55.7/36.8	38.2/57.1/35.0

The Lincoln has slightly more space in the rear than the Cadillac, but the front seats sacrifice a lot of legroom for no apparent reason. The other cars are just fine, offering a wonderful amount of space in the front, and a slightly tight squeeze in the rear.

Infotainment system

The 2017 Cadillac XTS offers an 8-inch diagonal CUE4 color information display. Its display is crisp and the interface is responsive to swipes and touches. It comes with a lot of standard features, such as:

• Natural Voice Recognition
• AM/FM SiriusXM Satellite Radio11
• USB port
• Auxiliary input jack
• Bluetooth connectivity
• 8-Speaker Bose audio system

Cargo Capacity

The Cadillac XTS has a good amount of cargo space, although it is nothing to be impressed about. It can hold a total volume of 18 cubic feet in the trunk, which isn't too bad for a luxury people carrier. Assuming that only the rear seat occupants will have luggage to ferry around, the XTS will manage just fine.

Model	Cadillac XTS	Lincoln Continental Premier	Lexus GS 350	Genesis G80 Standard
Cargo Volume (ft.3)	18.0	16.7	18.4	15.3

The Lexus impresses with a slightly larger boot than the Cadillac, although it doesn't matter a lot. The Lincoln and the Genesis have considerably smaller trunks, which brings their practicality down.

"The 2017 Cadillac XTS has the angular, wedge-like profile of its CTS and ATS sedan siblings, but is longer and taller. That last trait, with the elongated window frame at the rear pillar, makes the XTS awkward to our eyes"- KBB

Dimensions and Weight

The Cadillac is a quite a big car, too big to be categorized as a mid-size sedan. It is longer than 200 inches, which makes it a little difficult to negotiate rush hour traffic. It is also extremely heavy, upwards of 4 thousand pounds. The wheelbase is the shortest in the class, and so is the ground clearance.

Model	Cadillac XTS	Lincoln Continental Premier	Lexus GS 350	Genesis G80 Standard
Curb weight (lbs.)	4006	4224	3726	4290
Length(in)	202.0	201.4	192.1	196.5
Width(in)	72.9	75.3	72.4	74.4
Height(in)	59.1	58.5	57.3	58.3
Ground clearance (in)	5.0	5.5	5.1	5.3
Wheelbase (in)	111.7	117.9	112.2	118.5
Track width (in) F/R	61.7/62.0	63.2/64.1	62.0/62.6	64.1/65.3

The Lexus has the smallest dimensions and the lightest weight, which helps with drastically improve driveability as compared to other cars in the comparison. All the other cars here are very closely matched in terms of both dimensions and weight.

Exterior Features

The 2017 Cadillac XTS Sedan has some pretty impressive exterior features. These are as follows:

• Daytime Running Lamps
• High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Xenon Headlamps
• Capless Fuel Filler system
• Power-adjustable, heated, manual folding exterior mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators and puddle lamps
• 19-inch alloy wheels with chrome inserts

The 2017 Cadillac XTS Sedan comes packed with a host of safety features, the most important of which are listed below:

• Dual Front And Dual Rear Side-Mounted Airbags
• Rear Door Child Safety Locks
• Stability Control
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Front And Rear Ventilated Disc Brakes
• Post-Collision Safety System
• Tire Pressure Monitoring

The IIHS Ratings for the car are given below:

Crashworthiness
Moderate overlap front	Good
Side	Good
Roof strength	Good
Head restraints & seats	Good
Front crash prevention	Superior
Child seat anchors (LATCH)	Acceptable

The NHSTA Ratings for the car are given below:

Overall Rating	5 Star
Overall Frontal Barrier Crash Rating	5 Star
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating Driver	5 Star
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating Passenger	5 Star
Overall Side Crash Rating	5 Star
Side Barrier Rating	5 Star
Side Barrier Rating Driver	5 Star
Side Barrier Rating Passenger Rear Seat	5 Star
Side Pole Rating Driver Front Seat	5 Star
Combined Side Rating Front Seat	5 Star
Combined Side Rating Rear Seat	5 Star

Lincoln Continental Premier vs Cadillac XTS 

The Lincoln is the closest in terms of feel to the Cadillac XTS, although it just ends up playing second fiddle to it. The Lincoln is the least impressive car amongst the other cars in this comparison, which is a little disappointing. Apart from the advertisement with Mathew McConaughey, there isn't really going on much it.

The Cadillac in comparison has better drivability, better looks, better performance, etc. Lincoln needs to up their game if they wish to pose a serious threat to the competition.

Lexus GS 350 vs Cadillac XTS 

Lexus GS 350 is the only car in this comparison which isn't a full-size luxury sedan. It is a budget variant of a performance saloon, the GS-F. This is the biggest difference between the Lexus and the other cars in this segment. Lexus has been changing its brand image, which started with the LFA, and now continues on with the GS.

The GS offers more performance, better handling, and smaller dimensions, thus being an easier car overall to live with. But in terms of luxury, the XTS has it beat. The Cadillac has much more space, rear seat comfort, and most important of all, is much cheaper to buy.

Genesis G80 Standard vs Cadillac XTS 

Genesis hasn't been a standalone brand for very long but is making great progress in the game. Its G80 is a masterfully crafted machine and is available at a lower price than the others too.

Sadly, Genesis still has a lot of catching up to do in order to be on par with the competition. A luxury sedan which doesn't have spacious rear seats? That is the biggest failing of the G80, as it is the biggest, or maybe the only significant requirement of this segment.

The Cadillac XTS is a good-looking car, with a wonderfully designed cabin, and a lovely mix of chiseled cuts and contoured lines on the outside. The interior textures and tones are also very well chosen. The fit and finish is up there with the best, with metallic trim pieces snugged up against wood and leather in the cabin. The ride and handling balance is near perfect and even the performance is great (from the twin-turbo V6). Overall, it is one of the best experiences a car can offer.