Cadillac Looks to Expand Its Crossover Lineup

2014 Cadillac SRX (Credit: General Motors )

Right now, crossovers are hot. They’re so hot that they’re outselling sedans, which is creating a huge shift in the automotive market. Different brands are responding to this change by churning out new crossover models that hopefully consumers love and fully embrace, which is exactly what Cadillac is up to.

The Escalade certainly is not going away, because like it or not there is a market for a big, blingy, luxurious, body-on-frame SUV. Cadillac also realizes there are plenty of people who want a vehicle that provides some increased utility over a sedan, but that also has a unibody construction like one. That’s why the current plan calls for two more crossover models.

One of the new crossovers will be smaller than the SRX while the other will be larger. Naturally, the biggest of the three crossover models will have three rows of seating. It is rumored that the vehicle will be based on the GM Lambda architecture, which also is the basis for the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave. There is also a chance that the new model will be based on the new Omega architecture, which features rear-wheel drive. Since Cadillac’s management in the past has stated that rear-wheel drive is the future of the brand (along with all-wheel drive) the second option seems highly likely.

As for the smaller model, it will probably break free of the rear-wheel drive dogma like the SRX in the interest of saving on space and production costs. It will go up against the likes of the Audi Q3, Mercedes GLA and BMW X1. Going with a larger lineup of crossovers will only help Cadillac take the fight to the Germans, especially if the brand’s new models pack a convincing punch like the ATS.