2021 Cadillac XT5 vs 2021 Honda Passport

The 2021 Cadillac XT5 and the 2021 Honda Passport shared distinctive design philosophies, each appealing to different sensibilities.

The Cadillac XT5 underwent significant updates in 2020, which carried over to the 2021 model. Its exterior featured a snub-nosed design with trim-level differentiation, giving it a luxurious yet muscular appearance. Standard LED lights at the front and rear highlighted its sleek proportions, while 20-inch wheels provided a solid stance. Inside, the Premium Luxury trim exuded elegance with cut-and-sewn leather, natural wood, and carbon fiber accents. The XT5's cabin emphasized simplicity and horizontal design lines, offering an upscale experience compared to the Chevrolet Blazer.

In contrast, the 2021 Honda Passport was essentially a sporty version of the Pilot, featuring a two-row configuration. The exterior looked sporty and rugged, similar to the three-row Pilot but more compact. Inside, the Passport shared the Pilot's layout, including the unconventional "button shifter" design. The Passport's interior boasted high-quality materials, spaciousness, and well-thought-out features such as tri-zone climate control, a push-button start, and options like a power moonroof in higher trims.

The 2021 Cadillac XT5 offered flexibility with its engine options. Luxury and Premium Luxury trims came equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. An optional 3.6-liter V6 provided a more robust 310 horsepower and 237 pound-feet of torque, standard on the Sport trim. Both engines paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, which was smooth on upshifts but somewhat clunky on downshifts. The V6's throttle response was immediate, although it could benefit from more low-end torque. Front-wheel drive was standard in Luxury and Premium Luxury, with all-wheel drive as an option, while the Sport trim included all-wheel drive as standard. During testing, the XT5 achieved around 25 mpg in mixed driving conditions.

The 2021 Honda Passport featured a single 3.5-liter V6 engine across all trims, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided strong acceleration and mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission that managed power effectively. The Passport offered front-wheel drive as standard with optional all-wheel drive. It featured Intelligent Traction Management with modes for Snow, Sand, and Mud in AWD models. The Passport also had a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds in AWD configurations. While the engine's stop-start system could be abrupt, it offered a switch to deactivate it.

The interior space and cargo capacity of the 2021 Cadillac XT5 and the 2021 Honda Passport catered to different needs.

The Cadillac XT5 provided seating for four adults in two rows, with a three-seat bench in the second row. While legroom was good, the back seat offered limited headroom. Heated front seats were standard, and when activated, the system automatically adjusted to the interior climate. Cargo space measured 30 cubic feet, less than competitors like the Nissan Murano and Lincoln Nautilus, but benefited from a deep rear cargo area. However, the width was restricted by wheel bump-outs. The XT5 featured a hands-free programmable height liftgate and a cargo-management system but had limited small-item storage.

The Honda Passport excelled in cargo capacity, offering 100.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded and 50.5 cubic feet with the second row in use. An additional 2.5 cubic feet of under-floor storage added convenience. The EX-L trim included a power liftgate, while higher trims featured a hands-free power liftgate. The Passport provided excellent rear seat headroom and legroom, with seats that could recline and slide, enhancing passenger comfort. The center console had a deep storage bin and an open cargo tray, while door pockets in both front and rear seats accommodated water bottles and other items.

The 2021 Cadillac XT5 featured a streamlined infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen housed in Piano Black plastic. Climate control was integrated into the same material with hidden-button functionality. Front-seat occupants adjusted temperature through a chrome toggle switch, while rear passengers had separate controls. Available features included a heated steering wheel, heated outboard rear seats, a rotary infotainment controller, one-touch phone pairing, an eight-speaker Bose sound system, Bluetooth, wireless charging, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and a 14-speaker Bose Performance Series sound system.

For the 2021 Honda Passport, Honda made Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard, along with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. However, the infotainment graphics were dated, and the menu layout was confusing. A volume dial was included, but the absence of a tuning dial was noticeable.

The 2021 Cadillac XT5 featured several safety technologies, such as front automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert with side blind-zone alert, rear-seat reminder, and a rearview camera. Night Vision technology was available, enhancing nighttime drivability by detecting large wildlife and hazards before headlights illuminated them. General Motors' Teen Driver software allowed parents to monitor and limit certain vehicle features.

The 2021 Honda Passport came equipped with advanced safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Additional options included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Passport received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and mostly top "Good" scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), though it scored "Acceptable" for passenger-side small overlap front crash test, headlights, and child-seat anchor ease of use.