2018 Cadillac XTS review
Cadillac XTS highlights
Customer rating
Pros
- Comfortable and spacious interior with high-quality materials throughout
- Offers plenty of standard features
- Optional turbo V6 engine provides strong power
Cons
- Surprisingly narrow trunk opening
- Touch-sensitive controls can be a hassle while on the move
- Some driver aids exclusive to upper trims
Mileage (EPA estimate)
15 city, 21 highway, 17 combined
Pricing for current inventory
(no current inventory)
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The 2018 Cadillac XTS offers classic American luxury sedan values
A modern interpretation of a classic American luxury sedan, the 2018 Cadillac XTS comes with plenty of features, comfortable seating, and a quiet and isolated driving experience. Under the hood is a V6 engine driving either the front or all four wheels; for more power-hungry drivers, a turbocharged version is available. Either way, the XTS is no sport sedan, but is instead much better suited to long interstate drives.
On the technology front, the XTS keeps it modern, mostly. Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ are standard, and the Premium Luxury trim and above come with a good sampling of driver assistive features, including adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning.
Now out of production, the XTS does feel a bit dated in a few ways. The climate control system could be stronger, and the driver-assistive systems sometimes don’t feel very smooth and are confined to upper trims. Additionally, the touch-sensitive controls can be finicky to use. Despite this, the XTS represents a solid luxury car proposition.
All Cadillac XTS years
What is new for the 2018 Cadillac XTS?
- The Vsport Premium Luxury trim has been discontinued for 2018.
- XTS trims have been upgraded with Automated Parking as standard equipment this year.
- The Premium Luxury trim now comes with 20 Inch Plus Wheels as standard equipment.
2018 Cadillac XTS trims
Base:
- 304-hp, 264-lb-ft of torque 3.6L
- Rear Defroster
- Cruise Control
- Leather Seats
- Power Seats
- Power Mirrors
- Traction Control
- Side Airbags
- Overhead Airbags
- View our Cadillac XTS inventory
Luxury:
- Includes all features available on the Base
- Memory Seats
- Front Seat Heaters
- Rear Seat Heaters
- A/C Seats
- Heated Steering Wheel
- 4WD/AWD
- Navigation System
- Automated Parking
- View our Cadillac XTS Luxury inventory
Premium Luxury:
- Includes all features available on the Luxury
- Rear Air Conditioning
- Head Up Display
- Blind Spot Monitor
- Lane Departure Warning
- 20 Inch Plus Wheels
- View our Cadillac XTS Premium Luxury inventory
Platinum:
- Includes all features available on the Premium Luxury
- Sunroofs
- Panoramic Sunroof
- Automated Cruise Control
- Seat Massagers
- Rear Sunshade
- View our Cadillac XTS Platinum inventory
Vsport Platinum:
- Includes all features available on the Platinum
- 410-hp, 369-lb-ft of torque 3.6L
- Turbo Charged Engine
Cadillac XTS photos
5 reasons to buy the 2018 Cadillac XTS
What We Like
Seat comfort and interior quiet: It should come as no surprise that a Cadillac is comfortable and quiet. The front seats are soft and cushy, perfect for long road trips, especially on upper trims that feature heated and cooled seats. The rear seats are nearly couch-like in their comfort, and all the armrests are softly padded. The XTS also isolates its passengers from road noise, providing a hushed interior experience.
Infotainment: It’s nice to see that even in 2018, GM was making Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ standard on the XTS, something other luxury makers were charging extra for. Even better, the available Bose sound system sounds great.
Driver aids: Driver assistive systems were still gaining traction in 2018, and the XTS implementation still holds up well today. We’re especially fond of the unique way Cadillac indicates things like lane drift. Rather than just simple beeps, the driver’s seat bottom vibrates the left side if the car is drifting to the left, and vice versa. It’s an intuitive approach.
What Needs Improvement
Climate control: Considering its apparent role as the big Interstate cruiser, we’re surprised the climate control feels sub-par. It’s fine on moderate days, but if the weather heats up, or gets too cold, it struggles to keep up. We suggest looking for models with heated and cooled seats to help keep at least the driver and front passenger comfortable.
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Ratings & reliability
RepairPal gave the Cadillac XTS an overall reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Above Average. This rating ranks Cadillac XTS 16th out of 48 among Luxury Fullsize Cars.
View RepairPal's full rating of the Cadillac XTSCadillac XTS features and specs
Luxury 2WD 4D Sedan
Standard Features
- A/C Seat(s)
- ABS Brakes
- Air Conditioning
- Alloy Wheels
- AM/FM Stereo
- Android Auto
- Apple CarPlay
- Automated Parking
- Automatic Transmission
- Auxiliary Audio Input
- Bluetooth Technology
- BOSE Sound System
- Cruise Control
- Front Seat Heaters
- Heated Steering Wheel
- Leather Seats
- Memory Seat(s)
- Navigation System
- Overhead Airbags
- Parking Sensors
- Power Locks
- Power Mirrors
- Power Seat(s)
- Power Windows
- Rear Defroster
- Rear Seat Heaters
- Rear View Camera
- Remote Start
- Satellite Radio Ready
- Side Airbags
- Smart Key
- Traction Control
- Blind Spot Monitor
- Lane Departure Warning
- Panoramic Sunroof
Drive Wheels
Front Wheel Drive (2WD)
Engine size
3.6L
Horsepower
304
Torque (ft-lbs)
264
Engine type
Gas
Fuel capacity
19
Wheelbase
111.7"
Overall length
200.9"
Width
72.9"
Height
59.4"
Leg room
F 42.1"/R 40"
Head room
F 39"/R 37.8"
Front tires
P245/45R19
Rear tires
P245/45R19
Seating capacity
5
Max towing capacity
100/1000 lbs.
Transmission
Automatic
2018 Cadillac XTS FAQ
The 2018 Cadillac XTS is available in multiple trims, each with its own estimated fuel economy, here are the EPA estimates for each trim:
- Luxury: 19 MPG City and 28 MPG Highway
- Platinum: 19 MPG City and 28 MPG Highway
- Premium Luxury: 19 MPG City and 28 MPG Highway
- Vsport Platinum: 16 MPG City and 23 MPG Highway
- Base: 15 MPG City and 21 MPG Highway
The Cadillac XTS received a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars from RepairPal, which RepairPal describes as Above Average. This rating ranks the Cadillac XTS as 15 out of 48 among Luxury Fullsize Car
The 2018 Cadillac XTS has received an average 5.0 out of 5 stars from our customers. If you're in the market for a 2018 Cadillac XTS, check out reviews from customers just like you. 2018 Cadillac XTS Reviews.
The 2018 Cadillac XTS has a maximum towing capacity of 1000 pounds, when properly equipped. Various factors may impact towing capacity, including weight of passengers, cargo, and options/accessories.
Here is what's new for the 2018 Cadillac XTS:
- Automated Parking
- 20 Inch Plus Wheels
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We hope you found this information helpful. This content is intended to inform and is not meant to indicate that a particular vehicle is currently available or recommended for you.
Statements of fuel economy or EV range are based on EPA and other third-party estimates for vehicles when new. Fuel economy and EV range will degrade with time and vary based on age, driving conditions, vehicle history, and other conditions. See fueleconomy.gov for more info.
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