2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2022 Cadillac XT5

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 featured a design that balanced between the futuristic angularity of the Lexus NX and the more traditional styling of the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. It incorporated Cadillac’s signature design elements, such as a bold grille, distinctive daytime running lights, and vertical taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillacs. However, this combination resulted in an awkward mix with the XT5’s compact size and tall profile, making it unmistakably a Cadillac, but not a particularly graceful one. The Premium Luxury and Sport models had different exterior styling cues, with the former showcasing bright chrome and the latter featuring darker trim and a mesh grille. Standard 18-inch alloy wheels were included on the Luxury and Premium Luxury models, while the Sport models came with 20-inch wheels.

Inside, the XT5’s interior felt luxurious, especially with the optional Platinum Package, which added semi-aniline leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped instrument panel, door trim, a microfiber sueded headliner, and a heated steering wheel. Without this package, it was unclear if the XT5 met luxury-car standards. The interior design lacked a strong theme, unlike competitors such as the Volvo XC60, Lincoln Corsair, or Genesis GV70, and didn’t have brand-specific markers like Audi, BMW, or Mercedes interiors, making it easy to forget you were in a Cadillac.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, despite being a glorified minivan, offered a practical and appealing option for those needing an SUV without the higher costs and lower fuel efficiency of larger vehicles. Prices started at $33,700 for the base LS with front-wheel drive, while the top-tier High Country model cost $53,400. All-wheel drive was available across the lineup, though its 7.5-inch ground clearance limited its off-road capabilities. The 2022 model received a light restyle with new headlights, taillights, front bumper, grille designs, and updated color choices. Appearance packages like Redline Edition, Midnight Edition, and Sport Edition added blacked-out trim.

Our RS trim test vehicle, positioned above the LS and LT models but below the Premier and High Country trims, featured blacked-out trim and dark gray 20-inch wheels. The Traverse’s design, with its crisp lines, swollen fenders, and tasteful details, stood out in its segment. The RS trim’s interior included black leather upholstery with red and light gray contrast stitching, black carpets, a black headliner, and gloss black trim. While hard plastic surfaces were prevalent, the overall design was simple and logical, with matte-finish black switchgear reducing glare and reflections. The Traverse’s stereo controls and cabin temperature adjustments were user-friendly, and the vehicle offered a pleasant ride quality, though it could feel disconnected from the road at higher speeds.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with two engine options. The base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, standard on the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims, produced 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The 3.6-liter V6, standard on the Sport trim and optional on the Premium Luxury, delivered 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The V6-equipped Premium Luxury test car felt reasonably quick, with smooth and quick shifts from the transmission. The optional Platinum Package included a performance suspension with adaptive dampers, 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 luxury experience.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse offered a single engine option: a 3.6-liter V6 producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Traverse had a tow rating of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped and featured Tow/Haul, Snow, and Off-Road driving modes. The V6 engine provided adequate power for the Traverse’s size, though it could whine under acceleration. The official EPA fuel economy rating for the AWD model was 20 mpg in combined driving, and our test car returned 20.9 mpg. The Traverse offered a firm yet compliant ride, though it could feel disconnected from the road at higher speeds. On the highway, it provided a comfortable ride, though road and wind noise were more noticeable. The Traverse’s handling was predictable, with good performance from the V6 drivetrain, Active Return Assist steering, and extended-life Duralife brakes.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 offered competitive interior space compared to German luxury crossovers, with more front headroom than the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, though less than the BMW X3. It also had more legroom in both rows but less front legroom than the Lincoln Corsair. The seats were fairly comfortable but could have used more padding, especially in the rear. The XT5 provided 30 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 63 cubic feet with them folded, surpassing the Q5, X3, and GLC but falling short of the Infiniti QX50. A hands-free power liftgate was available. The center console had limited space, but a small cubbyhole below the touchscreen was handy for small items.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, in RS, Premier, or High Country trims, offered seven-passenger seating with captain’s chairs in the second row. The RS trim included power-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and triple-zone climate control. The second-row Smart Slide function and long rear doors made accessing the third-row seat easier. The all-black cabin of the RS trim was comfortable, with generous legroom, headroom, and foot room in the second row, though the captain’s chairs lacked leg support. The third-row seat was accessible through a wide pass-through or the Smart Slide function. The Traverse offered 23 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, 57.8 cubic feet with them folded, and a maximum of 98.2 cubic feet. It also had a hidden storage compartment behind the infotainment screen and another under the cargo floor.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with a standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. An 8-inch digital instrument cluster display and a head-up display were available with the optional Technology Package. While the touchscreen was easy to navigate, the array of secondary controls, including a rotary controller and capacitive touchpads, were not user-friendly. The standard eight-speaker Bose audio system could be upgraded to a 14-speaker Bose Performance Series system, which provided excellent sound quality.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system on the LS and LT Cloth models, while other trims had an 8-inch high-definition display. The Premier and High Country trims included an 8-inch digital instrumentation panel. Both infotainment systems offered Bluetooth connectivity for two smartphones, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a WiFi hotspot. The 8-inch system could be upgraded with navigation, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and Alexa Built-in. The RS trim came with a seven-speaker Bose premium sound system, though it was not particularly impressive. The voice recognition system was responsive and accurate, and the available digital rearview mirror and surround-view camera were useful features.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear park assist, automatic high-beam headlamps, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. The optional Driver Assist Package added adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and rear automatic 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.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse came standard with Chevy Safety Assist, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following-distance indicator. The optional Safety Package for the LS trim added rear parking assist sensors, blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. The RS, Premier, and High Country trims included adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking, and rear pedestrian alert. The Traverse received top “Good” ratings in most IIHS crash tests, though it rated “Acceptable” in a new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 Traverse at the time of writing.