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2017 Cadillac XT5 cuts weight, adds room over SRX [UPDATE]

UPDATE: This post has been updated with a full set of official photos. Impressions on the interior and exterior have also been added. The attention of Cadillac fans may be focused on the new CT6 sedan, but the most important new vehicle in the New York-based company's quiver might be the all-new XT5. Cadillac officially unveiled the SRX replacement today ahead of its full debut in Los Angeles next week. Short for Crossover Touring 5, the new XT5 drops 278 pounds over the old SRX, while offering an extra 3.2 inches of interior space. The XT5's face balances the best parts of the Escalade and CT6's fascias, with a strong egg-crate grille and prominent LED accent lights. It looks good scaled to a vehicle of this size. The taillights curve up and over the rear haunches, which feed into a strong shoulder line that runs towards the front of the car. It's a solid look, and one we're looking forward to seeing in person. The interior looks very, very nice, with warm leather and wood trimmings. The steering wheel, with its large, central wood accent, looks remarkably good. In fact, it might be one of our favor parts, if only because it's such a bold piece of design. We aren't crazy about the sheer abundance of buttons on the wheel, though. All four spokes are covered, and it just looks kind of cluttered. As is the trend nowadays, the center console features a floating bridge design with plenty of storage space underneath. Our early impression of the leather-wrapped dash is positive, although as is so often the case, we need to get a hands on before rendering a final judgment. There are no major surprises under the hood. Like the current SRX, the XT5 utilizes the same 3.6-liter V6 as the CTS and ATS sedans. Start/stop has been fitted, which should provide a boost in fuel economy although no mileage figures have been published yet. Cadillac will also offer a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder XT5, although for reasons that aren't clear, it's only for the Chinese market. This seems like a misstep in our eyes, considering the XT5 will challenge the likes of the BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Mercedes-Benz GLC – all of which offer four-cylinder turbos. With the V6, the XT5 delivers 310 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. While there's more total horsepower than the Lexus, Audi, or BMW, the 3.6 still faces a torque deficiency versus the turbocharged X3 xDrive35i or supercharged Audi V6. The XT5 has a standard eight-speed automatic transmission.

2018 Cadillac XT7 three-row crossover spied [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Upon further consideration, and after speaking to some industry insiders, it appears this might not actually be a new Cadillac, but instead just a mule of the new Chevy Traverse. One source points out that the foglights are fixed, round units, which would be production spec and would not suggest Cadillac. Another source says the Cadillac version of the Traverse/Acadia/Enclave was cancelled, and development has stopped. Yes, a Cadillac of this size is expected to arrive – and elements of this prototype sure do look Cadillac to us – but it might be too early for this to be it. Cadillac is expanding its portfolio with a three-row crossover. This is it. Expected to be called the XT7, the new vehicle will give Cadillac an entry above the XT5 and below the hulking Escalade. Though the XT7 is heavily covered, we can see Cadillac's (?) bold grille and what looks like strong proportions. It'll probably look like a larger XT5, and you can sort of (maybe) see a similar roofline if you squint. Spy shooters caught it testing with the new Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave, and they're all expected to use the new General Motors 3.6-liter V6 engine, like the recently revealed GMC Acadia. The XT7 could show up as soon as late this year or early in 2017. Its part of GM's push to capitalize on the red-hot crossover segment that has been fueled by low gas prices and Americans' thirst for utility. The XT7 would likely represent GM's most profitable play in this segment. Simply affixing the Cadillac badge on the front adds thousands of dollars to the sticker compared to a Chevy or Buick product. The XT7 will also give Cadillac a significant opportunity for growth – and perhaps allow it to gain on Mercedes and BMW on the sales charts. While the CTS and ATS have had mixed success, Americans have continued to show a willingness to buy Cadillac utility vehicles. The XT7 is the latest in Cadillac's product blitz following the XT5 and the CT6 range-topping sedan. Those two are the most critical Caddys, but the XT7 isn't far off. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Cadillac XT7 View 11 Photos Image Credit: Brian Williams / SpiedBilde Spy Photos Cadillac SUV

Question of the Day: Worst year of the Malaise Era?

The Malaise Era for cars in the United States spanned the 1973 through 1983 model years, and featured such abominations as a Corvette with just 205 horsepower (from the optional engine!) and MGBs with suspensions jacked way up to meet new headlight-height requirements. There were many low points throughout this gloomy period, of course. The horrifyingly low power and fuel-economy numbers for big V8s during the middle years of the Malaise Era make a strong case for 1974 or 1975— the years of Nixon's resignation and the Fall of Saigon, respectively— as the most Malaisey years. But then the GM-pummeling debacles of the Chevy Citation and Cadillac Cimarron could make an early-1980s year the low point. 1979, the year of the ignominious Chrysler bailout? You choose! Related Video: