I'm with corrado. Exterior is nice, but the dash s**ks. Confusing-looking shifter (even more so than the one in the XT5, which is the same one as in my Lacrosse). And those two rows of dozens of identical-looking buttons under the CUE screen is the same nonsense we saw from GM back in the 1990s.

 

 

Sorry, but I'm going to disagree. I see plenty of resemblance, though, of course, they generally didn't use video-screens back then.

"Younger Buyers", where Cadillac is concerned, is a relative term. Marketers may aim this vehicle at younger-than-traditonal Caddy buyers, but that's no guarantee it will sell to that group. For proof, look no further than the competing Lincoln MKC, which has a median buyer age of 63.

 

I don't understand how you can criticize the shifter as confusing looking, when you have posted that after a week or 2 in your Lacrosse, it wasn't confusing anymore?

 

I agree, but IMO it would be best if it didn't take a couple of weeks to get used to something that should be intuitive to start with, from the moment you slide into the car. In fact, that was indeed the case for decades after the shift-standardization of the 1960s.....until BMW decided to toss that out the window with its first E-shifters, and Mercedes converted to the shift-stubs in the column.

 

 

I think you are full of it. The dash is beautiful. You continually criticize the same shifter you bought! There is nothing wrong with it. I'm glad to see more buttons/switches added to the dash. My XT5 has none and controls are not easy to use.

 

Well, I got used to the XT5/Lacrosse shifter after about two weeks. I still don't like its design, but am generally well-pleased with the rest of the car. Unfortunately, even if one likes a vehicle, one cannot always pick and choose every individual component inside a vehicle that he or she wants. My comments in the thread, BTW, are not alone about the XT4 interior. There are others who don't care for it as well.

 

The dash is not bad. I don't know why there is so much constant talk about the GM shifter, it free's up space and is something different Not the end of the world,

Redundant buttons are good. Why are the controls in your XT5 not easy to use?

 

Lincoln also manages to free up space under the dash with a much simpler PRNDL button design.

 

How on earth is the button design "simpler"? If you are in a parking lot, you can't shift by feel--you have to take your eyes off of where you are driving, and actually look down to make sure you press the correct button--that's not better in any way, other than freeing up console space, as you state. My car has a shifter similar to your Buick, and I can shift from P to R and vice-versa without having to look down. THAT is "simpler". Even with a dial shifter, you could do this if there are distinct notches for each shift. I presume this is why Honda has that weird looking button configuration--each button has a distinct feel, unlike Lincoln.

 

To answer your question, with the GM E-shfter, it's sometimes difficult (or at least, awkward) to get into R or N when you want one of them. The D (Drive) to M (Manual) mode is also confusing. To get from D to M, you pull the lever back, so common sense would dictate you push it forward to go back from M to D. Only it doesn't work that way. To get from M to D, you pull the lever back again, a second time. Makes no sense at all in my book....but I did get somewhat used to it. Every now and then, though, I still find myself in M what I want to be in D...usually the giveaway is rapidly increasing RPMs in first gear when you first start up from a stop.

Most, if not all, of these problems, IMO, are avoided with the Lincoln push-button system.

There have been a couple of references in this thread as to why I criticize the GM shifter, knowing that it was in the car when I bought it, and why complain after I got used to it after a couple of weeks. True, I think there are better designs, but I like the rest of the car enough that I was willing to put up with a less-than-ideal shifter. Besides, IMO, there never was a perfect car, and, to my tastes, probably never will be....though the new Lacrosse certainly comes close.

 

 

Well, it's not only this thread, but most threads including your own reviews of vehicles that don't even have e-shifters. You always find a way to criticize them. I think for those who frequent CL we all know how you feel about the shifter. It's time to put it to a rest and move on.

To Jill, as for controls on the XT5, for one it took me a week to figure out how to turn the radio off since there is no on/off **** like every vehicle I've ever owned. Also, being the first touch screen I've owned there is volume slider control that is right where one's wrist rests when trying to use the screen causing wild volume fluctuations until I learned to **** my wrist to avoid the slider. But all is well now after a learning curve much like Marrshall took to learn the e-shifter but still can't accept it. More switches and ***** on the XT4 is an improvement over the XT5 which Cadillac must have realized their mistake.