If you haven’t heard, Cadillac is in the midst of some pretty big changes. The luxury automaker is revamping its product portfolio, changing the way customers experience it, and leaping head-first into electric vehicles. But those big changes also mean that Caddy needs the styling direction to reflect its renaissance. Luckily, we can find the past, present and future Cadillac styling neatly summed up in just a single photo, giving us a perfect way to compare the brand’s design language.
The three models in the photo hail from Cadillac’s XT crossover SUV lineup, starting with the midsize-plus XT6 on the left and the midsize XT5 on the right, flanking the compact XT4 in the middle.
2020 Cadillac XT6
Let’s start with the biggest-of-the-bunch – the XT6. This model wears the latest Cadillac design language, as inspired by the Escala concept that debuted in Pebble Beach in 2016. With thin, horizontal headlamps, nearly vertical LED lighting signatures in the sides of the front fascia, and streamlined, horizontal character lines, this is the design direction that Cadillac crossovers and all of Cadillac are headed in the future.
Notably, this is the design language used by other Cadillac models – the refreshed 2019 CT6 as well as the 2020 CT5 and CT4.
2020 Cadillac XT5
Meanwhile, styling for the smaller XT5 and XT4 were done prior to the design direction set out by the Escala concept, and represent previous iterations of Cadillac’s design language. The XT5 carries the oldest styling of the three, hailing from the last-generation Art & Science era. And though the XT5 was updated a bit with the most-recent 2020 model year refresh, it still carries over most of the styling from the pre-facelift model.
2019 Cadillac XT4
Slotting between the XT6 and XT5 in terms of Cadillac styling is the XT4, which offers an intermediary design language. This model bridged the gap between the Art & Science language seen on the XT5 with the most modern design language of the XT6. This intermediary stylistic was noted by the addition of horizontal elements in the headlights and tail lights. But, as you can see, the newfound horizontal elements are not as pronounced as they were on the XT6.
This aesthetic evolution is representative of even deeper changes throughout the Cadillac brand. Not only is Caddy knee-deep in a major product offensive right now, with a new model planned for release every six months through 2020, but it’s also gearing up to become the leading technology powerhouse for parent company, General Motors, carrying the torch as it were in terms of electric vehicles and self-driving technologies.
Unnamed Cadillac EV crossover concept
To that point, the next-generation Cadillac Escalade will also carry new styling and offer an all-electric variant with upwards of 400 miles of range per charge at some point in its lifecycle. We also expect a new Cadillac EV to drop by 2021, which will take styling cues from the unnamed Cadillac EV crossover concept whose photo was briefly shown during Cadillac’s presentation of the XT6 at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this past January.
Left to right: 2020 Cadillac XT6, 2020 XT4, 2020 XT5
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Geoff
I saw a CT4 on Woodward yesterday and WOW. That car is absolutely staggering in person. I’m sold on one.
Alex Luft
Yeah, they are great-looking cars. The armchair quarterbacks are dead wrong on it.
Frank Ricciardi
I currently lease a 2017 XT5 Platinum and CTS Luxury, both leases are up in 2020. I was hoping to replace the XT5 with an XT6, but may not need the additional size. I’ll probably lease another XT5…Its a great Car/ SUV. Not sure what to do about my CTS. I think the current generation CTS is stunning. Its elegant and sporty all at once. From what I’ve seen of the CT5 ITS NOT EVEN ATTRACTIVE. After 17 new Cadillacs in a row, I may be forced to switch brands. I wish Cadillac had consulted loyal Cadillac buyers before making such a drastic change to an ELEGANT automobile.
Alex Luft
Frank – I’ve seen your comments in expressing the dislike of the CT5 styling and don’t agree whatsoever, so I have to ask… have you seen one in person?
I have yet to meet one person who saw the CT5 at a show and walked away with anything negative to say about it.
Greg
I have to say that if the current CTS is so great why have sales been so very low, ever since it’s introduction? No offence intended. I like the car very much myself. But, I think Cadillac had to do something. The current design paradigm had to be superceded. I agree with Alex. Wait until you can see it in 3 dimensions.
NabZ
I have seen the CT5 in person, I was lucky to do so at a Cadillac Training. IT IS STUNNING! The interior smell reminded me of an Italian Hand Made shoe.. it shows the quality put into the car. The leather is so nice, and keep in mind its a pre-production car.. I am pretty sure you will change your mind once you see it and drive it..
John Engelman
Icurrently have a 2018 CT6 Platinum, a 2016 CTS V, a 2017 Escalade Platinum, which I hardly ever drive, and two Corvettes. I am not remotely interested in SUV’s, and they are NOT in my future. I only got the Escalade to haul my sisters luggage, when she comes to visit from Augusta on the train with her cat and 13 suitcases and occassionally to haul crap like mulch, or plants, otherwise it sits in the garage about 80% of the time. I hate driving a truck. I’m a car man. I love my CT6, CTS V, and my Corvettes. Ordered a C8….
If Cadillac doesn’t have something as big as the CT6, or bigger, planned, I was hoping the Escala would become a reality, then I may need to switch to Mercedes, and I hate Mercedes, and all foreign cars…
Bobert
I saw a CT4 on Woodward yesterday and WOW. That car is absolutely staggering in person. I’m sold on one.