It is, perhaps, the look and feel of luxury that first draws you to the Cadillac XT5, beckoning you to come hither and take notice. But it is its air of casual nonchalance that captivates you, indulges your fancy for cars that can reflect an intellectual bearing. Soon, you will find it conversing with you, highlighting the overriding comfort factors and underplaying the luxury angle.
Our white beauty was sobriety personified. A graceful leader, who knew just how to prod us to get the most from its advanced features, which have been described as progressive. While our tryst with the Cadillac was a brief test drive, it didn’t fail to convince us that it was tailored just for us – whether it was the smart and spacious interior with enough and more legroom for all the passengers, or the cargo room with adjustable space options. It has reinvented versatility to give luxury a new name.
As we drove around the busy highways and cruised along vacant inner roads, we got to taste its progressive features. Like the surround vision, which, we learnt quickly, is all about establishing a higher perspective. It provides you with a bird’s eye view of the area surrounding your vehicle when you are driving in low speed or reversing your car, giving you that added advantage in reducing blind spots and better maneuverability in tight spots.
To complement surround vision, the Cadillac XT5 also has a rear camera mirror, which streams what lies behind the driver on to the rearview mirror. This makes driving so much fun as it provides a wider and less obstructed field of view, in comparison to other traditional mirrors. What is more, it can be reverted back to its regular view with just a toggle. According to a product brochure, there is an integrated washing system that keeps the camera lens exceptionally clear.
With winter slowly making its way home, the ‘UltraView’ Sunroof will prove to be a boon. The sunroof covers both the seating rows, ensuring that every passenger can have his/her share of the sky view. You could have your eyeful of sky even in the noon time with power sunshade, which blocks out light and helps keep the cabin cool.
As we said earlier, the focus is on enjoying its progressive features… Like the visionary lighting system that frames its sharp exterior while earning you envious glances from other road users. LED Cornering lamps cast light into curves as you drive along, while available LED Intellibeam headlamps automatically switch between high and low beams as other vehicles approach you. And, whether you call it a functional feature or a beauty addition, the XT5 also comes with Illuminating Door Handles, which light up when the doors are unlocked, giving you a welcome glow in low light conditions.
Safety is, of course, a top requirement and the XT5 relies on technology to assure safety. Using a sophisticated network of radars, sensors and cameras, its safety features are engaged in monitoring the road and alerting you of possible hazards. Of particular importance are the Side Blind Zone Alert and the Pedestrian Collision Mitigation, which scans the road ahead for pedestrians or large animals and sends an alert, while engaging automatic braking to help avoid collisions. Other safety feature is the Adaptive Cruise Control, which allows you to follow a vehicle ahead at a selected gap time while you steer and also reduces your need to brake or accelerate.
The XT5 also has Automatic Stop/Start, a fuel saving technology that stops the vehicle’s engine under certain conditions; Electronic Precision Shift (EPS), a technologically advanced feature that allows you to use a console mounted lever to shift gears electronically; and Wireless Charging, which enables you to charge your Smartphone without ever having to connect cables. The XT5 is definitely a smart choice.