By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Cadillac is in the process of reinventing itself as a contemporary luxury brand, and the cornerstone of its effort is the compact/mid-sized crossover, which has been its best seller over the past few years. Sales of the outgoing SRX were nearly three times that of the next best-selling Cadillac in 2015.

So the success of Cadillac's transformation rests with the SRX replacement, the all-new XT5. The new crossover brings an attractive updated design, excellent passenger space, an upscale interior loaded with new technology, and an engaging driving experience. We found the XT5 a solid effort that should keep SRX-like sales intact, even as it goes up against some formidable competition.

The XT5 is built on a new lighter chassis shedding about 300 pounds compared to the SRX, creating more nimble handling and improved fuel economy.

Designers at Cadillac have paid special attention to presenting the XT5 with a more sophisticated execution of the "art and science" exterior design. The new grille has a softer look with more rounded edges and features the prominent new Cadillac shield. Front LED headlamps and rear taillamps carry the thin, vertical look seen on both the Escalade and new CT6 sedan. Overall the look is elegant and striking from all angles.

Like the SRX, the XT5 is still a five-passenger crossover with no options for a third row of seats. Second row seats recline slightly, and can slide fore and aft 5.5 inches to maximize cargo space or add to passenger legroom. Front-wheel-drive is standard — the remainder of the Cadillac lineup has a rear-wheel setup — with all-wheel-drive a $2,645 option that is unavailable on the base trim model. Unique to the XT5 — the driver can even shut off the optional all-wheel drive system to squeeze out a bit more gas mileage.

The XT5 is powered by GMs latest version of its 3.6-liter 310-horsepower direct-injection V6. The engine includes cylinder deactivation that allows it to switch down to four cylinders when the vehicle decides it doesn’t need the extra power, and will also shut off completely when the vehicle is stopped to save fuel. It’s connected to an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission. This is the only engine and transmission currently offered in the XT5.

We were pleased with the smooth-shifting performance measured at 6.7 seconds from 0-to-60 and 15.4 seconds @ 92.6 mph in the quarter mile. These very decent numbers translate to effortless merging and passing in real-life driving situations. We didn't carry more than three people during our week-long test drive so we cannot report on performance under a full load.

Even more rewarding than the straight-ahead performance is the excellent feel from the electrically assisted steering and the crossover's cornering prowess. Continuous damping control shocks and hefty anti-roll bars help eliminate typical crossover cornering lean without sacrificing a relatively plush ride. This all happens in a pleasingly quiet cabin.

Inside you will find supple ventilated leather upholstery, real carbon fiber interior trim pieces, and real wood veneers. The cabin is sophisticated, upscale and decadent. Every XT5 comes with Cadillac's infotainment system called Cadillac User Interface (CUE). CUE was a real headache in its early applications, but we found that the latest iteration responded quickly to inputs, navigation was easy to use, and for 2017 Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard across all models.

Unfortunately, Cadillac has not seen fit to reinstate a good old-fashioned volume knob to the audio system. You still have to swipe a horizontal bar to set volume, one of the most head-scratching and driver-distracting designs of the decade. We do like a new feature, a pass-through storage area under the center console. Additional standard equipment includes power liftgate, power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, eight-way power driver's seat, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and ignition and a Bose eight-speaker sound system with satellite radio.

If there is one concern that stands out it’s the rearward visibility that’s compromised with thick rear roof pillars and a very small rear window. However some help is available with standard blind spot monitoring and the inside rearview mirror that comes standard in the top trim level. The mirror actually is a display from a rear view camera and does take some getting used to.

The XT5 comes in base, Luxury, Premium Luxury and Platinum trims starting at $39,990. Prices rise through the trims to the lavishly equipped AWD Platinum edition for $63,495 including destination charge. Edmunds says that model can be purchased for $60,650. Our Crystal White Tricoat Platinum trim all-wheel drive test vehicle with the Driver Assist Package ($2,340) carried a bottom line of $65,835.

Essentials
Base price: $39,990; as driven, $65,835
Engine: 3.-liter V-6
Horsepower: 310 @ 6,700 rpm
Torque: 270 foot-pounds @ 4,900 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Drive: all-wheel
Seating: 2/3
Wheelbase: 112.5 inches
Length: 189.5 inches
Curb weight: 4,257 pounds
Turning circle: NA
Luggage capacity: 30 cubic feet
Cargo capacity: 63 cubic feet
Towing capacity: 3,500 pounds
Fuel capacity: 22 gallons (premium)
EPA rating: 18 city, 26 highway, 21 combined
0-60: 6.7 seconds (Car and Driver)
Also consider: Porsche Macan, BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace

The Good
• Luxurious, quiet interior
• Generous interior space
• Excellent cornering capability
• Plush ride

The Bad
• Compromised rear visibility

The Ugly
• Only one engine option