2022 Cadillac XT5 vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch, fitting well within the Volvo family thanks to features like “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille. Gasoline models offered a white contrasting roof for a retro look. The XC40 Recharge was distinguished by a blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels, with a gloss black roof and mirror caps. The interior was minimalist yet premium, featuring real metal trim and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery, creating a coherent and high-quality design.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 mixed Cadillac’s trademark design cues, such as a bold grille and vertical taillights, with a compact footprint and tall profile, resulting in an ungainly appearance. The Premium Luxury and Sport models had different exterior styling cues, with the former featuring bright chrome and the latter darker trim and a mesh grille. The interior felt luxurious, especially with the optional Platinum Package, which added semi-aniline leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped instrument panel. However, the interior design lacked a strong theme and brand-specific markers, making it less distinctive.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup. The base FWD T4 had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The electric Recharge model shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor per axle for a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft, powered by a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The Recharge could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, while the T5 and T4 took 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The XC40 emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads, and the Recharge model offered one-pedal driving and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The optional 3.6-liter V6, standard on the Sport trim, delivered 310 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. The V6 provided linear power delivery and smooth shifts, making the XT5 feel reasonably quick. The Platinum Package included a performance suspension with adaptive dampers, which excelled at providing a comfortable ride and excellent body control. The steering was well-suited to a luxury vehicle, offering a quick ratio without being overly sensitive. The cabin was impressively quiet, enhancing the overall luxury experience.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had no difference in passenger or cargo space between the Recharge and gasoline models. However, it offered less legroom and headroom compared to competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive in interior space against rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Volvo compensated for the lack of space with clever storage solutions, such as a removable trash bin in the center console and extra-large door bins. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped for holding a phone, and a wireless charging pad was optional.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 compared favorably to German luxury crossovers in terms of interior space, offering more front headroom than the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, but less than the BMW X3. It had more legroom in both rows compared to its German rivals, though less front legroom than the Lincoln Corsair. The seats were fairly comfortable but could have used more padding. The XT5 offered 30 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63 cubic feet with them folded, beating the Q5, X3, and GLC. A hands-free power liftgate was available. Up front, a small cubbyhole below the touchscreen provided handy storage, compensating for the limited space on the center console.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, offering Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. Gasoline models continued with the previous system. The standard setup included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge also had OTA update capability, allowing for updates to the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. The Recharge lacked a start button, instead allowing drivers to simply shift out of park with the key fob on their person.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. An 8-inch digital instrument cluster and a head-up display were available with the Technology Package. While usability was improved over previous Cadillac systems, it still lagged behind competitors in screen size, graphics, and voice-recognition tech. The rotary controller and haphazardly placed buttons on the center console were not user-friendly. The optional Bose Performance Series 14-speaker system provided excellent sound quality, enhanced by the XT5’s quiet interior.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver-assistance system. The Recharge model had Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keep assist. The optional Driver Assist Package added adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic emergency braking. The Technology Package included rear pedestrian alert, a surround-vision camera system, night vision, and automatic parking assist. The XT5 received top “Good” scores in all IIHS crash tests and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.