1985 Cadillac Eldorado Biaritz Convertible on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 Cadillac XT4 vs. other compact luxury crossovers: How they compare

After years of every other luxury car maker stocking their showrooms with trendy crossovers, Cadillac is finally joining the fray. Its latest addition is the 2019 Cadillac XT4, a tidy little crossover that proudly bears signature Caddy designs such as the tall slender taillights. And based on our first drive of the car, it impresses in many ways, such as its refined engine, classy interior and excellent ride quality. View 39 Photos That's good news for the little Cadillac, but it needs to stand out in a big segment. To see if it has any other areas where it shines, or maybe some where it's a bit dim, we decided to compare its specifications with those of four of the segment's bestselling compact crossovers, the Lexus NX 300, Acura RDX, Audi Q5 and BMW X3. And for good measure, we threw in the XT4's crosstown rival, the Lincoln MKC. View 15 Photos Here's a chart showing each of these vehicles' vital stats, including horsepower, torque, fuel economy, cargo space, passenger space and price. Further analysis follows. If you'd like to compare any of these vehicles with other luxury crossovers, be sure to check out Autoblog's Car Finder and Compare tools. Also, this is solely a comparison of basic specifications, and for more in-depth information on these cars, be sure to follow the links to our full reviews. And don't be afraid to check these cars out in person at their respective dealerships. Engines, transmissions and fuel economy With the exception of the Lincoln MKC's optional 2.3-liter engine, every competitor here resorts to the same type of engine, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, for its propulsion. And unsurprisingly, they make similar power, in the mid-200 horsepower and mid-200 lb-ft of torque range. Of the 2.0-liter engines, the standout is the Acura RDX, which produces a hearty 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. It's second in power only to the Lincoln's optional turbo 2.3, which makes 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. The bottom of the pack is the Lexus with 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, but the next least powerful crossover is the Cadillac XT4, with just two more ponies than the Lexus, and the same amount of torque. View 22 Photos Though the Cadillac is nearly the least powerful, it does get to claim the best fuel economy numbers, rated at 24 mpg in the city, 30 on the highway, and 26 combined with front-wheel drive.

Luxury car brands scrambling to avoid a blue Christmas

DETROIT — When financial markets surge to new records, sales of luxury cars usually rise, too. Instead, October U.S. auto sales reports on Wednesday showed that a collapse in sales of luxury sedans is accelerating. Consumers have gradually shifted over to luxury sport utility vehicles from sedans in the past decade, but the trend — which has occurred in both the non-luxury and luxury sedan segments of the auto market — was particularly pronounced in October. Sales of Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz S-Class, long a global benchmark for large, premium sedans, plunged 49 percent in October, and are down 24.8 percent for the year to date. General Motors' Cadillac brand said it sold just 779 of its CTS sedans in October. Demand for that car, designed to compete with German luxury sedans, is down nearly 33 percent for the year. "There's still a significant portion of the market that wants a car, but I'm sure there were people who preferred a horse to a car at one point." Cadillac's best-selling model this year is the XT5 compact SUV, which has more than doubled sales from a year ago. The shift within the luxury vehicle market away from sedans toward SUVs of all sizes is forcing some of the most prestigious brands to scramble to add SUV models to their lineups or boost SUV production to meet demand. "In the short term, there will be pressure to add (consumer) incentives, cut production or both," said Cox Automotive analyst Michelle Krebs. "And we just don't see an end in sight to this trend." The Dow Jones Industrial Average has been trading at all-time highs, usually a good sign for luxury sedans, but as major automakers reported new U.S. vehicle sales for October on Wednesday, sales for passenger cars continued their slide while luxury SUV and crossover sales rose again. According to Kelley Blue Book data, in 2007 luxury sedans made up 7.6 percent of U.S. new vehicle sales, while luxury SUVs made up 4.2 percent. Through September this year, luxury SUVs made up just over 7 percent of the market, compared with 4.9 percent for luxury sedans. In the short term, luxury brands could use holiday season sales promotions to clear slow-selling sedans off dealer lots, analysts said. Toyota's Lexus brand said on Wednesday it will launch its "December to Remember" year-end sales promotion for the 18th straight year.

Cadillac and Buick boost GM's return to growth in China

BEIJING — General Motors on Monday said continued market recovery from the COVID-19 crisis helped its China vehicle sales grow 12% on year in July-September, marking the Detroit automaker's first Chinese quarterly sales growth in two years. The second-biggest foreign automaker in China by units — after Germany's Volkswagen AG — said on Monday it had delivered 771,400 vehicles in China in the third quarter. That followed a 5% fall in the second quarter, when parts of China were still emerging from virus-busting lockdown measures. GM has a Shanghai-based joint venture with SAIC making Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac vehicles. It has another venture, SGMW, with SAIC and Guangxi Automobile Group, producing no-frills minivans and which has started manufacturing higher-end cars. Sales rose 26% for cars under its mass-market Buick brand in the third quarter versus the same period a year earlier, while those of premium brand Cadillac jumped 28%, GM said in a statement. Sales of its mass-market Chevrolet marque fell 20%. Sales of no-frills brand Wuling grew 26%, whereas those of mass-market Baojun vehicles tumbled 19%. "GM's compact models returned to four-cylinder engines and that helped sales growth," said LMC Automotive senior analyst Alan Kang, referring to an attempt to market cleaner but noisier three-cylinder versions. "Cadillac also has a more complete lineup this year." China's biggest automakers' association expects overall car sales to grow by double digits in July-September versus a year earlier. Makers such as Toyota, Honda and Geely saw sales jump in the just-finished quarter. GM has seen its China sales suffer in a crowded market and slowing economy. To revive its fortunes, it plans to have electric vehicles (EVs) make up over 40% of new models in the next five years in China, where the government promotes greener cars. The automaker's Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV, a micro two-door EV with a starting price of 28,800 yuan ($4,200), was China's biggest-selling EV in August. GM's sales fell 15% in 2019 from a year earlier to 3.09 million vehicles. The automaker delivered 3.65 million vehicles in 2018 and 4.04 million in 2017. Related Video: