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2020 Cadillac XT4 Sport Drivers' Notes | Worth a look, or two

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 is Cadillac’s smallest crossover in its burgeoning lineup of SUVs. Most of the attention is on the new Escalade these days, but the XT4 is where someone with a lighter budget might enter the Cadillac brand. Our tester happens to be the Sport model, giving it a distinctive appearance, separate from the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims. This one has a gloss black mesh grille, black trim throughout the exterior and Sport-specific wheels — the others rely much more heavily on chrome. Cadillac stepped it up in the design studio for the XT4, as one of its best qualities is the exterior design. It compares well to other small crossovers and doesn't look like your typical cookie-cutter crossover on the road. ThereÂ’s only one engine available, and itÂ’s a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. When the XT4 came out for the 2019 model year, this engine was brand new. Today, Cadillac is passing it around the lineup to vehicles like the CT5 and CT4. A nine-speed automatic transmission is the only transmission option, as well. Our tester has all-wheel drive, but front-wheel drive is standard on lesser XT4s. There isnÂ’t a whole lot changed for the 2020 model year, but Cadillac did add an “Off Road” mode and made a bunch of safety equipment standard. With our test car being a Sport trim with all-wheel drive equipped, the base price is $42,295, a fair bit greater than the $36,690 standard car. After options, our XT4 totaled $48,310. The most expensive extra is a $1,500 Bose Centerpoint audio system, combined with navigation. An $1,100 Driver Assistance package brought adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking and reverse automatic emergency braking. A Cold Weather package added heated seats all around and a heated steering wheel for $850. Finally, the $470 Driver Awareness package brought automatic high beams and lane-keep assist. Senior Editor, Green John Beltz Snyder: This one grew on me the more I drove it. I was unconvinced for the first part of my drive, but then things started to feel more well-though-out as I used them. For instance, the line of buttons across the center stack looks daunting, until you turn the car on and their labels are illuminated. Then everything is easy to find thanks to the lighting, symmetry and the fact that you only have to look down a single line of buttons rather than hunt around a grid pattern.

How Indy 500's JR Hildebrand made an emergency pitstop in Goodland, Kansas

INDIANAPOLIS, In. – Race driver JR Hildebrand is an Indianapolis 500 celebrity, but last week on his way to Indy he was just another repair job at AlexÂ’s Radiator and Auto Repair in Goodland, Kansas. Well, not just any repair job. Hildebrand, a true car guy whoÂ’s just as comfortable driving his bagged 1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville as he is a 230-mile-per-hour Dallara IndyCar, decided to pull the grand old ride out of storage in Boulder, Colorado, and cruise 1,100 miles to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. At 33, Hildebrand loves the classics, especially cruising in a ride nearly twice his age. It helps him separate from the pull of Twitter, Instagram and text messages before two weeks of foot-to-the-floor stress. Interstate 70 would be his perfect world. Except Â…           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by JR Hildebrand (@jrhildebrand) “It was highly eventful for the first 300 miles,” said Hildebrand, who is practicing this week for his 11th start in the 500 on May 30.  The Caddy, a 390-powered pink beauty he calls Rosie, “had been sitting for a year, but it fired right up” and cruised just fine early in the trip. But as it approached the Colorado-Kansas state line, the suspension's airbag controller started flickering, the windows were slow to roll up, the gas gauge didnÂ’t work and the engine started to stumble. “IÂ’m thinking maybe IÂ’m only getting seven miles per gallon and IÂ’m out of gas,” Hildebrand said. “So I peeled off, ran a light and got to a gas station. It only took 12 1/2 gallons and was dead. ItÂ’s pretty unlikely that the collector in the fuel tank was leaving six gallons in this thing. I took a jump, and once I got it fired up, I got it back on the road and it ran fine for another 40 or 50 miles, and then the same thing started to happen. I pulled in and got another jump." (His wife Kristin was following behind in their Subaru, along with their dog). He stopped in Goodland and bought a new battery, “figuring the battery was toast at that point, whether that was the problem or not,” he said. “They did their diagnostics thing at the parts store, and it wasnÂ’t totally clear what was wrong.” Assuming the problem was somewhere in the charging system, he headed toward a nearby NAPA only to find it was closed. Along the way, though, he noticed AlexÂ’s Radiator and Auto Repair.

Best Large SUVs of 2024

When it comes down to large SUVs, there's more to consider than price and just how large it is. First, it comes down to what's underneath the skin. Some are built on a truck-like body-on-frame chassis — this would be the traditional, literal definition of an "SUV." Others use car-like, unibody construction, which would make them a crossover. What really matters, though, is how you use them. For most American families, a large three-row crossover is going to be your best bet. They have loads of passenger and cargo space, and deliver superior fuel economy, handling and ride quality than those big traditional SUVs. They're cheaper, too. On the other hand, those traditional large SUVs like the Chevy Tahoe and Ford Expedition are better-suited for more heavy-duty tasks like towing. Most now have bigger third rows than big crossovers, while extended-length versions like the Chevy Suburban have way more cargo capacity behind their third rows than everything but an airport shuttle. As for luxury large SUVs, they fall into those same two categories as well, with American choices mostly being truck-based. The pros and cons of choosing one over another are similar. Below, you will find our list of the best large SUVs broken down into three categories: large family crossover, large traditional SUV and large luxury SUVs, which comprise both construction types.  Best Large Family Crossovers  |  Best Large Traditional SUVs  |  Best Large Luxury SUVs Best Large Family Crossovers 2024 Honda Pilot Why it stands out: Exceptional storage and cargo space; unique second-row functionality; refined ride; versatile and capable TrailSport; advanced AWDCould be better: Subpar acceleration with lackadaisical transmission and engine response; so-so driver assistance tech Read our full 2024 Honda Pilot Review The Honda Pilot was completely redesigned for 2023. It maintains its predecessor's family-friendly packaging and overall focus, but it has injected a welcome sense of style (especially in the TrailSport pictured above) that makes it stand out much better from the big crossover crowd. The Pilot's restrained adornment and classic proportions are refreshing compared to the increasingly busy Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade and Subaru Ascent. Let's talk about practicality, though, which is ultimately the Pilot's best attribute.