“The XT5 has big footsteps to fill. And we are pretty sure it will do so with ease. Based on GM’s new, SUV-optimized “Chi” platform, it comes with front- and all-wheel drive, and it is driven by a 310-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6, now mated to an eight-speed automatic. That’s on par with the outgoing SRX, which is powered by an earlier version of that engine. But since the XT5 is a whopping 278 lbs. lighter than the outgoing SRX, it should be significantly more agile and spirited ... The weight savings come despite a larger body, which turns the XT5 into a far more comfortable cruiser. Rear-seat legroom increases by a full 3.2 inches. And the passengers are surrounded by far richer and more contemporary appointments. The dashboard is perhaps Cadillac’s most futuristic to date, with layers of leather and decor made of real wood, aluminum or carbon fiber. The top-of-the-line Platinum model gains microfiber suede elements, including the headliner. And the color palette is contemporary and daring, with a whole range of classic and contemporary combinations. There is a ‘phone shrine’ to charge your cellular device while traveling, and this Cadillac finally gains an electronic shifter.” -- Jens Meiners, New York Daily News

“The panoramic glass roof, which Cadillac says will be featured on just about 95 percent of XT5 models, eats into backseat headroom -- to the point that anyone taller than 5 feet 9 inches is going to be uncomfortable sitting in back. My 6-foot-tall bulky frame found plenty of legroom in back, but my head was cocked at an angle to even fit into the backseat. With the backseat slid to its rearmost position and reclined to its lower slot, my head rested solidly against the rigid headliner. One good Detroit pothole and I’d be breaking vertebrae. This is not a problem with competitors’ SUVs.” -- Aaron Bragman, Cars.com

“An all-new name kick starts the growing crossover lineup with the 2017 Cadillac XT5. Replacing the dated SRX, the XT5 claims a slightly larger size with reduced weight. In the sea of Cadillac reinvention, the XT5 will have the 3.6-liter V6 engine found in the Cadillac ATS, CTS, and CT6 sedans, while also employing start/stop technology to achieve better fuel consumption. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard, as well as an electronically controlled transmission shifter. The interior is simplified in an attempt to reflect the brand’s new goal of modern sophistication. It will feature infotainment already present in new Cadillacs, but the XT5 will be one of the first crossovers in the industry to offer a digital rear-camera monitor system for the rearview mirror.” -- Consumer Reports

“In the styling department, the XT5 gets many familiar cues from its sedan siblings. The headlight treatment, for example, is a riff on the CT6, and the taillights are similar to the ATS and CTS. Like the Q5 and GLE, the overall look is a bit conservative, especially compared to the sharp and edgy 2016 Lexus RX. For more visual punch, customers can upgrade from the standard 18-inch wheels to larger 20 inchers, which also add continuous damping control.” -- Erick Ayapana, Motor Trend

“Perhaps most important, the XT5 is one of four new crossover entries coming from Cadillac. Looking at competitors’ lineups, it stands to reason that at least one of those would be above the XT5 in size and price -- with three rows of seats and likely sharing much of its underthings with the next-generation Buick Enclave and friends. Another would be below the XT5, to do battle with the likes of the Audi Q3 in the compact arena. The fourth? Well, if we were in Vegas laying bets on future automobiles, we’d lay odds on a crossover ‘coupe’ variant like the BMW X4 or X6. Whatever it is, where the XT5 leads, more Caddys will follow.” -- Joe Lorio, Car and Driver

“The XT5 is likely to become Cadillac’s best-selling model, thanks to surging popularity for midsize luxury SUVs in the U.S. and China, the two markets where GM will build and sell it starting next spring.” -- Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press

“Cadillac’s ferocious V-series sedans have served notice that GM’s luxury brand is serious about taking on the German titans at luxury’s pinnacle. Now the all-new XT5 (formerly SRX) brings the same commitment to SUVs where Caddy has been product-poor. The XT5 goes on a 300-pound diet making it the lightest entry in segment -- a full 650 pounds below a Mercedes GLE -- that will pay dividends in handling and fuel efficiency. Perhaps more important to frustrated soccer moms who have taken to banging the CUE infotainment system with both fists, the new system is reportedly three times faster -- and with more emphasis on touchscreen functions than haptic sliders (Bang! Bang! Bang!).” -- Henry Payne, The Detroit News

“The 2017 Cadillac XT5 rides on a completely new platform that uses high-strength steels and other weight-saving tricks that allow front-wheel-drive models to shed up to 278 lb compared to today’s SRX. All-wheel-drive XT5s will weigh the same as the front-wheel-drive SRX, a drop of 165 lbs. versus the SRX AWD.” -- Jake Holmes, Automobile

“I’m hoping that Cadillac designers spent as much time refining cabin NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) as they did trimming the fat. The XT5’s predecessor, the SRX, was a dreadful -- and dreadfully overpriced -- crossover. And previous iterations of the Cadillac CUE system were quite atrocious as well. So here’s to hoping the XT5 drives and infotains as good as it looks.” -- Nick Jaynes, Mashable

“The panoramic glass roof, which Cadillac says will be featured on just about 95 percent of XT5 models, eats into backseat headroom -- to the point that anyone taller than 5 feet 9 inches is going to be uncomfortable sitting in back.

That ain't good.