Cadillac XT4, a future Oscar for Best Small Luxury SUV?

Did you watch the Oscars on Sunday? If so, you might have spotted a commercial announcing the introduction of the new 2019 Cadillac XT4, set to be revealed in a world premiere at Cadillac House on March 27, ahead of the New York International Auto Show.

Of course, this is Cadillac’s first-ever entrant into the small luxury SUV segment. As the XT5’s little brother, the XT4 aims to take full advantage of the growing popularity of subcompact and compact luxury SUVs, meaning it will compete directly with the likes of the Volvo XC40, Audi Q3, BMW X1/X2 and Mercedes-Benz GLA, not to mention the upcoming Lexus UX.

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From a design standpoint, it will likely be a bit more daring and flashier than the XT5. For example, while the daytime running lights are essentially identical based on the two teaser images released by Cadillac, the taillights appear to take on a different and more prominent shape.

The interior of the Cadillac XT4 will inevitably be tighter, but the biggest difference perhaps will reside under the hood. Whereas the XT5 uses a 310-horsepower 3.6L V6 exclusively, expect a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine (shared with the ATS sedan) to motivate this new SUV. A combination of all-wheel drive and eight-speed automatic transmission looks like a sure thing, too.

Canadian pricing is bound to start at just under $40,000.

We’ll know all about the new 2019 Cadillac XT4 at the end of the month, so stay tuned!