2022 Cadillac XT5 vs 2021 Honda CR-V

The 2021 Honda CR-V shared the uniform aesthetic that many crossovers on the market had, often making it indistinguishable at first glance. Its external design had some unique features like the distinctive grille opening and certain chrome accents, but these did little to set it apart significantly. The vehicle was offered in eight colors: various shades of gray, black, white, two blue hues (Obsidian Blue Pearl and Aegean Blue Metallic—the latter being particularly vibrant), and Radiant Red Metallic. However, most of these colors were restricted to higher trims, leaving the base LX with just black, silver, and upcharge white.

Inside, the CR-V offered black, gray, and ivory cloth or leather upholstery options, enhancing its modern appeal with angular seat designs and upscale trim features like wood panels and additional chrome in higher trims. Despite this, the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson held a clear advantage in interior and exterior styling, especially at mid-tier trims.

In stark contrast, the 2022 Cadillac XT5 positioned itself distinctly within the luxury segment. Its styling combined the angularity of the Lexus NX with the more classical profiles of the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. Signature Cadillac elements like a bold grille, distinguished daytime running lights, and vertical taillights cemented its brand identity, although the blend sometimes felt mismatched due to the XT5's compact stature.

The Premium Luxury and Sport trims offered unique exterior features—premium chrome details for the former and darker, mesh grille accents for the latter. Standard 18-inch alloy wheels for the Luxury and Premium Luxury models, and 20-inch wheels for the Sport model further diversified the visual appeal. The optional Onyx and Radiant styling packages introduced more variants with darker and brighter chrome accents, respectively.

Inside, the XT5 aimed for luxury with semi-aniline leather upholstery, microfiber suede headliner, and a wrapped instrument panel available through the optional Platinum Package. Nonetheless, the overall design lacked a strong thematic identity, falling behind competitors like the Volvo XC60, Lincoln Corsair, or the Genesis GV70. The materials were high quality, but the seats—while decent—did not fully meet expectations for a luxury SUV.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was equipped with a 190-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine across all its trims. Contemporary road tests demonstrated an acceleration capability of about 7.8 seconds to reach 60 mph. While this performance wouldn't win street races, it was competitive within its segment. The CR-V utilized a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which emphasized smoothness rather than performance thrills, directing buyers seeking driving engagement towards competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, which featured eight-speed automatic transmissions.

Front-wheel drive was standard with an optional all-wheel drive for an additional cost. The CR-V's handling was facilitated by a unitized body structure and a suspension setup consisting of MacPherson struts in the front and multi-link suspension at the rear. This configuration provided predictable and steady performance without unpleasant surprises.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 had different engine configurations depending on the trim. The base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivered 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, while the 3.6-liter V6 engine—standard on the Sport trim and optional on Premium Luxury—offered 310 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. These engines paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, which impressed with its smooth and accurate gear shifts.

The V6 engine in our test car proved sufficiently quick for everyday driving needs, and the XT5's "performance suspension" with adaptive dampers, part of the Platinum Package, provided a comfortable ride, effectively absorbing bumps without compromising body control. Comfortable steering and a well-insulated cabin added to the overall appeal, ensuring that the luxury expectations of Cadillac buyers were met, although the XT5 didn't match the excitement of Cadillac's V-Series performance models.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was designed with functionality in mind, aiming to comfortably seat five passengers and store their gear. Offering a generous 102.9 cubic feet of passenger space, it trumped the Toyota RAV4 in terms of headroom and legroom. The CR-V's cargo space was ample, with 75.8 cubic feet available when the rear seats were folded down, ensuring it could handle significant loads effortlessly.

Accessing the cargo area varied by trim level. Lower trims required manual lifting of the tailgate, whereas the EX-L offered a powered tailgate, and the top-tier Touring trim featured a hands-free tailgate activated by a foot motion sensor. Roof rails were exclusive to the highest trim, limiting cargo-carrying versatility for lower trims.

In comparison, the 2022 Cadillac XT5 provided generous passenger space, though it had less rear headroom than its German rivals like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. However, it excelled in legroom, offering more space in both the front and rear seats compared to these rivals. Despite the space, the seats themselves were not the most comfortable for a luxury SUV.

In terms of cargo capacity, the XT5 offered 30 cubic feet with the rear seats upright and 63 cubic feet with them folded, outperforming competitors like the Q5 and X3 but falling short of the Infiniti QX50. Features like the hands-free power liftgate facilitated convenient access to the cargo area. Up front, the XT5 included practical storage options like a small cubbyhole below the touchscreen.

The technology offerings in the 2021 Honda CR-V varied widely by trim. The base CR-V LX was relatively basic with a 5-inch screen offering Bluetooth connectivity. However, other trims featured a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The mid-range trims offered a 180-watt audio system with six speakers, stepping up to eight speakers in the EX-L trim. The top-tier Touring trim went further, with a 300-watt system, a subwoofer, and a satellite navigation system.

Charging options were plentiful, excluding the base LX trim. These included USB ports and a 12-volt outlet in the center console, with the Touring trim featuring a wireless phone charger.

In contrast, the 2022 Cadillac XT5 came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Additional features included an 8-inch digital instrument cluster display and an optional head-up display as part of the Technology Package.

Despite the improvements over previous Cadillac infotainment systems, the system's usability was considered merely adequate. The touchscreen was user-friendly, but the array of secondary controls, including a rotary controller and scattered buttons, was less intuitive, sometimes complicating ease of use while driving. The optional Bose Performance Series 14-speaker system provided excellent sound quality, benefiting from the XT5's quiet interior.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in safety, boasting a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and earning an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick award. However, it missed the highest Top Safety Pick+ rating due to lower headlight scores and a marginal ease-of-use rating for its LATCH system.

Honda's commitment to safety was evident in the CR-V’s extensive list of standard features, even in the base trim. The Honda Sensing suite included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The only feature not standard in the lowest trim was the blind spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert.

Similarly, the 2022 Cadillac XT5 came well-equipped with advanced safety features. Standard offerings included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, park assist, lane-keep assist, and the Safety Alert Seat. Additional features were available through optional packages, such as adaptive cruise control, enhanced braking, rear pedestrian alert, and night vision.

The XT5 also achieved the top “Good” scores in IIHS crash tests and received the highest “Superior” rating for its front-crash prevention technology when equipped with the enhanced automatic emergency braking. However, it garnered a “Marginal” rating for headlights and a merely “Acceptable” rating for its LATCH system. The NHTSA awarded it a five-star overall safety rating.