2026 Cadillac XT5

The 2026 Cadillac XT5 will likely carry forward with few noteworthy changes, which is surprising considering how long this midsize luxury SUV has been around. This Caddy has its strengths, mainly in the form of generous passenger space, with ample headroom and legroom for front and rear seat passengers. It's also relatively affordable, at least compared to its primary competition. But the reality is that the XT5 is long in the tooth and has a hard time keeping up with more modern rivals, most of which have been revised at least once since this Cadillac was introduced.

Edmunds spotlight: On life support

Rumors swirled early this year that Cadillac was going to pull the plug on the XT5 after the 2025 model year. One of the primary motivators for this was Cadillac's push to go all-electric by the 2030 model year, and the new Cadillac Optiq electric SUV is very similar in size to the XT5. However, in light of modest EV demand growth and other market factors, Cadillac is keeping the XT5 in its fleet at least until the end of the 2026 calendar year. Just don't expect many changes this late in the first-generation XT5's life cycle.

Competitors to consider

Since its debut way back in 2017, the XT5 has only received minor updates. In the meantime, key rivals like the Lexus RX have been thoroughly redone, and new competitors have been introduced, including the similarly sized Genesis GV80 and slightly smaller GV70. Other considerations include the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3, although they're a touch smaller and their prices tend to escalate rapidly.

Unless you're a Cadillac die-hard, the harsh truth is that there are better ways to spend your dollars on a luxury two-row SUV than the XT5. It's not bad; it's simply behind the times and can't quite keep up with its more modern rivals, though the price is undeniably attractive.