2022 Cadillac XT5 vs 2022 Nissan Rogue

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. 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. The XT5 Luxury and Premium Luxury models came with standard 18-inch alloy wheels, while the Sport models boasted 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 standards. The interior design lacked a strong theme, unlike the Volvo XC60’s minimalism or the Lincoln Corsair’s Midcentury Modern look. It also didn’t have brand-specific markers like Audi, BMW, or Mercedes interiors, leaving little to remind occupants they were in a Cadillac.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue, redesigned in 2021, continued to impress with its mature and sophisticated styling. It shared several design features with other current-generation Nissan vehicles, including the V-motion grille, multi-level LED headlights, and a floating roof illusion created by dark supporting pillars. The SL and Platinum trims included LED fog lamps, and the vehicle featured active grille shutters and underbody covers to improve airflow. The slightly bulging liftgate completed the sleek look.

Inside, the Rogue’s cabin followed a layered dash design with distinct horizontal layers, creating a sophisticated and detailed look. The center console was a highlight, featuring an electronic gear selector lever that freed up space for additional storage. The 9-inch center infotainment display was positioned near the driver’s eye line, and the instrument panel offered a 7-inch center display on lower trims or a full 12.3-inch digital screen on upper trims. The Zero Gravity bucket-style front seats were comfortable, and the second row provided ample legroom and space for two adults or three in a pinch. The fit and finish were exemplary, especially on the top-of-the-line Platinum model.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 offered 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 XT5 Sport 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 engine provided a reasonably quick performance, with smooth and quick shifts from the transmission. The optional Platinum Package included a performance suspension with adaptive dampers, which offered a comfortable ride and excellent body control. The steering was well-suited to a luxury vehicle, providing a nimble feel without being overly sensitive. The cabin was impressively quiet, enhancing the luxury experience.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue received a significant performance boost with its new 1.5-liter VC-Turbo engine, which produced 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque. This engine featured Variable Compression technology, allowing it to adjust the compression ratio for improved power or efficiency as needed. The new engine offered an 11 percent increase in horsepower and a 24 percent increase in torque compared to the previous 2.5-liter engine. The Rogue’s fuel economy was also impressive, with EPA estimates of 30 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. The new CVT transmission provided a wider range of gear ratios, improving acceleration and responsiveness. The Rogue’s chassis and suspension delivered a smooth and controlled ride, with minimal body roll and good steering feel. The 35.4-foot turning diameter was tight, making it easy to maneuver.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 offered competitive interior space compared to German luxury crossovers. It had more front headroom than the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class but less than the BMW X3. The XT5 also trailed all three German vehicles in rear headroom but offered more legroom in both rows. 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 the seats folded, surpassing the Q5, X3, and GLC but falling short of the Infiniti QX50. A hands-free power liftgate was available. The front cabin included a small cubbyhole below the touchscreen for storing small items, compensating for the limited space on the center console.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue excelled in interior space and storage options. The front cabin featured numerous storage areas, including bottle holders in the doors, cupholders in the console, a glove compartment, a center console bin, a tray beneath the center console, and cubbies in the dash. USB-A, USB-C, and 12-volt outlets were available in the center stack, along with a wireless charging pad. Rear-seat passengers had storage options in the doors, seatbacks, and center armrest, along with USB-A and USB-C charge-only ports. The second-row seat was a 60/40 split reclining bench. The Rogue offered 31.6-36.5 cubic feet of cargo space, depending on the configuration, and 74.1 cubic feet with the second row folded flat.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, 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 ideally placed and lacked physical feedback. 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 Nissan Rogue continued its technology upgrade from the 2021 model. Upper trim levels featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 9-inch center infotainment touchscreen, and a 10.8-inch head-up display. Navigation-equipped models used Google Maps and Waze with voice commands. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with wireless Apple CarPlay available on upper trims. ProPilot Assist, Nissan’s hands-on driver-assist technology, was available and integrated with the navigation system on models with ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link. This system could adjust speed proactively based on road conditions ahead. Nissan’s Intelligent Key allowed for unlocking the rear doors by tapping the button on the rear door handle, a convenient feature for families.

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 Safety Alert Seat vibrated when a warning system was triggered. An optional Driver Assist Package added adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and rear automatic braking. The Technology Package included a rear pedestrian alert function, surround-vision camera system, night vision, and automatic parking assist. Blind-spot monitoring was available. The XT5 received top “Good” scores in all IIHS crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech with optional enhanced automatic emergency braking. However, it received a “Marginal” headlight rating and an “Acceptable” rating for LATCH child seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the XT5 a five-star overall safety rating.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue featured the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of safety technologies across all trim levels. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. The Rogue had ten supplemental airbags and extended crumple zones for passive safety. Nissan’s Intelligent Driver Alertness technology and rear door alert were standard. Blind spot intervention and traffic sign recognition were available. ProPilot Assist combined steering-assist and adaptive cruise control to help control acceleration, braking, and steering. The enhanced ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link added integration with the navigation system for predictive speed control. The 2022 Rogue received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. The IIHS gave the 2021 Rogue a Top Safety Pick+ rating, but 2022 ratings were not yet available.