The Cadillac XT5 is attending the 2019 Chicago Auto Show, and it’s looking decidedly darker than usual. While it would be nice to hear that the XT5 has taken on a more sinister personality, the truth is actually veiled under the covers of a new add-on package that Caddy is introducing for its SUV. It’s called the XT5 Sport Package, and while the upgrades are mostly cosmetic in nature, they do enhance the XT5’s profile, showcasing the SUV in a different light. The Sport Package is offered on the XT5’s Luxury and Premium Luxury trims at a price of $1,995 and $2,995, respectively. Cadillac will start taking orders for the package in the spring.

I like the Cadillac XT5. It’s not the best-handling SUV in its class, but the ride is smooth enough that you don’t feel cheated that you’re driving an SUV with Cadillac’s crest on it. The XT5’s interior is probably its biggest selling point, but it’s also loaded with standard features, as well as available options should you feel the need to have them included. It returns great value, too, thanks to a $41,695 base price that’s one of the most affordable price tags in its class. Most of all, I like the Cadillac XT5 because, unlike in past years, Cadillac is giving it the attention it deserves.

The XT5 Sport Package for the 2019 XT5 is a good example of that. In truth, the XT5 probably doesn’t need the Sport Package. The contents of the package are nice, but unless you’re the type who really wants to stand out, you can buy the XT5, drive home with it sans the package, and nobody’s going to think any less of your purchase. But Cadillac is offering the package because it wants you to look at the XT5 in a different light. It wants you to look at the SUV and believe that it could be more than what it is. Guess what? That’s exactly what the XT5 Sport Package accomplishes.

It doesn’t come with an exclusive coat of paint for the exterior, but it does offer LED headlights, which is normally an optional add-on for the Luxury trim of the SUV. As a nice contrast to the front LEDs, the taillights come with clear lenses. The XT5’s front grille also receives a gloss black treatment, complete with a metallic surround. Side steps are also part of the package, which should make getting in and out of the SUV a little easier for most of us. The highlight of the package, though, at least as far as the XT5’s exterior is concerned, is the set of 20-inch aluminum wheels, all of which feature a sleek Technical Grey finish. The contents aren’t overwhelming, but each piece is important in its own right. Put them all together as part of a package and you have something that’s worth the amount you’re going to have to install it into your XT5s.

The XT5’s interior also benefits from the Sport Package. You might even say that this is the package’s real hook, at least from the standpoint of personalization. Buy the package and you have two upholstery choices for the interior. You can opt for an entirely black cabin so you can play off of the XT5’s exterior, or you can jazz the cabin up a bit by throwing in a two-tone color combo of Jet Black and Cirrus. There are images of the interior yet, but I imagine the latter being a soft, warm shade of blue, which reflects the shade of cirrus clouds from which the color gets its name. Sport pedals are available, though, in the most heinous of oversights, Cadillac forgot to include floor mats in the package. Blasphemy, Cadillac!

Jokes aside, the contents of the XT5 Sport Package play well with all the standard trim and equipment that comes with either the Luxury and Premium Luxury trim of the XT5. That includes Adaptive Remote Start, a Bose eight-speaker audio system, an automatic heated steering wheel, a programmable memory height power liftgate, and leather-appointed heated front seats that are heated and ventilated in the Premium Luxury trim of the SUV. You won’t feel stiffed when it comes to connective features. Both trims employ Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, as well as Cadillac’s Connected Apps software. The interior also boasts a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot.

The fun doesn’t end there as both the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims of the XT5 also include a Driver Awareness Package. This is the package that helps ease your safety concerns out on the road. The package includes forward collision alert with low-speed automatic braking and pedestrian detection. Lane keep assist, lane departure warning, follow distance indicator, and blind zone monitor are all features of the Driver Awareness Package, as well.

Unfortunately, the XT5 Sport Package has nothing to show for an engine upgrade, though you shouldn’t be surprised about that anymore. Fortunately, the SUV still comes with a decent amount of power — 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque — that comes from a 3.6-liter V-6 engine. That power courses through an eight-speed automatic transmission, which, in turn, sends all of it to the two front wheels. You can opt for all-wheel drive, so if that’s something you’re interested in, you can throw that in to go along with the XT5 Sport Package.

The package itself isn’t cheap, but it’s not going to break your piggy banks, either. It’s appealing in its own merits and you shouldn’t have any problem throwing it in, for as long as the contents are exactly what you want your XT5s to receive.

2019 Cadillac XT5 Drivetrain Specifications

Engine

3.6L V6 VVT DI (LGX)

Cylinder head material

cast aluminum

Valvetrain

DOHC, four-valves per cylinder, continuously variable valve timing (VVT)

Ignition system

coil-on-plug

Fuel delivery

direct high-pressure fuel injection

Compression ratio

11.5:1

Horsepower

310 HP @ 6,700 RPM

Torque

271 LB-FT @ 5,000 RPM

Transmission

AWF8F45 paddle-shift Eight-Speed Automatic (MRC)


Further reading

Read our full review on the 2017 Cadillac XT5.

Read our full driven review on the 2017 Cadillac XT5.