April 1st 2019
After its induction in the luxury SUV market of the Middle East, the new Cadillac XT4 is winning people’s hearts thanks to its beguiling design, lavish interior, and latest technological features. The third in Cadillac’s SUV lineup, the most distinctive feature is XT4’s 9-Speed transmission. Assisting its 2.0L turbo engine, the GM’s advanced Hydra-Matic 9-speed automatic transmission improves fuel efficiency, performance, and finesse.
Today, we will discuss nine things that make the Cadillac XT4’s 9-speed transmission stand out in its segment:
- Start/Stop Technology:
The brand’s first-ever compact SUV supports the stop/start technology. In certain stop-and-go situations, the engine stops working, thus saves fuel. The transmission stores energy for unnoticeable engine restarts and the software assists in efficient takeoffs.
- Highly Responsive Shifts for Smooth Performance:
When it comes to quicker shifts, the XT4’s 237 hp 2.0-liter turbo engine renders fast performance. As you hit the throttle, the transmission kicks in and picks the right gear for the best performance.
- Smooth and Accurate:
The XT4’s 9-speed transmission makes use of clutches, torque convertor, and gearsets to render accurate and effortless shifts. The vehicle employs five planetary gearsets, four fixed clutches and three revolving clutches for this purpose. Moreover, Cadillac has improved the torque convertor technology for efficient takeoffs.
- Efficient Fuel System:
The new Cadillac XT4’s 9-speed transmission is extraordinarily fuel efficient in comparison to the 8-speed transmission systems. This XT4 delivers 7.8 l/100 km on the highway.
- Enhanced Cruising and Acceleration Capability:
The wider 7.6:1 ratio minimizes engine noise and optimizes acceleration while driving. The difference in the top and first gear ratios further improves off-the-line acceleration. The highway driving supports low-rpm cruising to attain optimum efficiency-to-horsepower proportion.
- Flexible Shift Controls:
The Automatic grade braking is yet another impressive feature of the shift controls, which helps in the responsive injection of brakes when driving downhill. The vehicle selects a lower gear to get the desired speed taking full benefit of the engine braking. The system observes brake pedal use, vehicle acceleration, throttle position, grade and if the vehicle is towing a trailer.
- One-way Clutch System:
The XT4’s transmission features a selectable one-way clutch and on-axis design to minimize the size of the fuel system. The package size is nearly equal to a six-speed transmission. The clutch system has the capability to retain freewheel as per the selected drive mode.
- Active Oil Management:
To attain maximum fuel efficiency, the XT4 uses an electronic system to manage the pressure and volume of the transmission. The valve body side keeps the excessive fuel for the time it is required later on. To take care of extreme driving conditions of the UAE, the automaker has added a special fluid inside the tank for optimum viscosity of the oil. It improves shift performance and does not need a change for a long time.
- Transmission Control Module (TCM):
The XT4’s 9-speed transmission employs a Transmission Control Module (TCM), which manages all kinds of shift actions in order to improve the driving performance. The TCM assists in achieving consistency and efficiency and also allows manual shift control.