We drove a $52,000 Cadillac XT4 crossover to see if the 2019 Car of the Year runner-up is worth the money

The GPS navigation was, in my testing, flawless. The XT4 also offers a range of driver-assist features, along with adaptive cruise control. Cadillac's Super Cruise handsfree highway self-driving tech could arrive on future models.

The system has been growing by adding apps. Younger drivers will definitely like Spotify. Bluetooth pairing is a snap, and there are also USB/AUX ports to connect devices. The XT4 also has wireless charging.

When my colleague Ben Zhang and I tested the quite good XT5, we had a few issues with the performance, later explained by Cadillac as being intended to maximize the MPGs.

But the XT4 gave us little to complain about. I knew as soon as I drove it in early 2019 that it would be a Car of the Year contender.

With fuel-economy ratings of 22 city/29 highway/24 combined, the XT4 is moderately easy on gas, but it doesn't lack for pep. The XT5's larger and more powerful V6 engine, oddly, does. With a 0-to-60 mph speed of around eight seconds, the XT4 isn't really quick. But its motor supplies abundant torque early, so it feels punchy (without being jerky, which would, of course, indicate actual speed).

What we have here isn't a thrilling crossover, but rather one that wears its mission with a dignity and reserve and belies its small size. The Audi Q3, for example, feels like a little car that wants to be big. The XT4 is far more content in its attractive skin.

Look, I'm old, so this sort of thing now appeals to me. Tightly sprung, overly firm Germanic performance sleds make my back hurt (I'm willing to trade the pain for the pleasure, up to a point). Cadillac has in the past sought to bring it to BMW with its V-Sport lineup, and those rides are harsh. But with newer products, the brand seems to have figured out that it can offer something to its customers that the Germans haven't: spirited comfort.

And technology. The truth is that tech has given Cadillac a key differentiator. Their target consumers for the XT4 are in their forties and fifties — GenXers who appreciate a functional tech interface and aren't as hung up on how their SUV tackles a corner (the few 30-something millennials in the market are even more tech-biased). Cadillac Cue has caught flak in the past, but it's superior to what BMW and Mercedes are selling, and neck-and-neck with Audi's system.

You could knock the XT4 for being a slightly nicer Buick, but that misses the point. Here's what this vehicle is: a member of a trio of critical offerings from Cadillac, as their brand shifts its portfolio permanently toward crossovers, away from sedans. In the context, you don't want some nutty good performance machine. You want a fine luxury SUV, modest of size yet rich with content, that can replace the CR-Vs and RAV4s of youth.

So sure, if you have it in your head that your compact luxury SUV should be track-worthy, look elsewhere. If you want a nice set of wheels for everyday luxury living, the XT4 is a fantastic choice.

What about that fifty-two grand price tag? Well, I debated whether it was worth it. My tester was loaded with extras, and they weren't cheap. But this in itself is a good plan for Cadillac. The brand isn't denying access to "entry level" luxury buyers. They can spend 40,000 clams for my XT4, minus the goodies. Or they can option up to their hearts' content.

That's a generous proposition, and one that I think many affluent consumers will accept — good news for Cadillac and its average transaction prices. The bottom line is that we've been waiting for Cadillac to get its crossover act together, and with the XT4, the front door to that segment for the brand is definitely inviting.

That's why it's a 2019 Car of the Year runner-up.