Long gone are the days when Detroit dominated the huge American luxury car market. In fact, Cadillac and rival Lincoln are barely also-rans these days.
But Cadillac is intent on regaining its once-lofty position and the new XTS is aimed at some serious competitors, notably including the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6.
The General Motors division is called the XTS its ‘flagship’, and it was for a while, until the CT6 rocked up on the scene.
The new XTS does a credible job of pointing the brand in the right direction. The new saloon features a more refined and elegant take on the so-called Art and Science design theme popularised by the Cadillac CTS, here a bit less edgy, introducing a slight coupé-like curve to the roof that flows into vestigial fins reminiscent of Cadillac’s golden days, and the 2017 update just helps refine that character further.
The XTS cabin is handsome and comfortable and here Cadillac gives Audi, the generally perceived interior benchmark, a run for its money. The reconfigurable, all-glass gauge cluster is especially appealing. There are six trims to choose from - XTS, Luxury, Premium Luxury, Platinum, V-Sport Premium Luxury and V-Sport Platinum, with entry-level models getting 19in alloy wheels, adaptive suspension, rear parking sensors, keyless entry and Cadillac's CUE infotainment system with a Bose sound system as standard.
