2021 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2022 Cadillac XT5

The car market has evolved tremendously over the past decade. Electric cars are cool, the Corvette is mid-engine, the Mustang is an electric SUV, and Ford no longer builds sedans and hatchbacks. There are a lot of firsts and a lot of rethinks about how we drive and buy cars. But it seems no matter how much has evolved, the traditional ideals of luxury in motoring are still very much a thing. Sure, some brands may incorporate performance as their luxury identity, but if you are Lincoln, it means elegant styling, plush interiors, and a hushed boulevard-cruising ride.

With the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus, Ford's premium brand has found a way to channel that traditional definition of luxury without feeling dated. The Nautilus is at once classically comfortable and thoroughly modern. With plenty of standard tech that is easy to use, the Nautilus is also an approachable, upscale SUV. Lincoln’s approach is different from that of BMW, Audi, or Lexus. So does taking a different path work better than trying to keep up with the overseas rivals? Read on to find out.

Cadillac spent the early 2000s methodically developing sports sedans in pursuit of BMW, but while it focused on that market trends turned toward SUVs. So for the past few years, Cadillac has tried to execute a product planning sidestep with more SUVs and updated versions of existing models.

The Cadillac XT5 (short for Crossover Touring 5) was introduced for the 2017 model year as the replacement for the SRX crossover SUV. It now sits between the XT4 and XT6 in Cadillac’s SUV lineup, and is positioned against small luxury crossovers like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Infiniti QX50, Lexus NX, Lincoln Corsair, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class.

Most of those models have benefitted from recent redesigns, while the XT5 carries over to the 2022 model year with minimal changes. The lineup still consists of Luxury base model, Premium Luxury, and Sport trim levels. For 2022, the XT5 Sport gets front Brembo brakes, red front and rear brake calipers, and new 20-inch 12-spoke wheels with a Pearl Nickel finish. All trim levels also get color-keyed floor mats and new Latte Metallic and Rosewood Metallic extra-cost paint colors.

There are no mechanical changes to report, so the XT5 is still offer with turbocharged four-cylinder and naturally-aspirated V6 engines, with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). Our test car was a Premium Luxury model with the V6, AWD, and the optional Platinum Package.