2022 Cadillac XT5 vs 2023 Cadillac XT5

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 featured a design that balanced between the futuristic angularity of the Lexus NX and the more traditional aesthetics 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 created 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 of the 2022 XT5 had distinct exterior styling cues to differentiate them. The Premium Luxury trim showcased bright chrome accents, giving it a more traditional Cadillac appearance, while the Sport trim featured darker trim and a mesh grille, signaling performance. Standard 18-inch alloy wheels adorned the Luxury and Premium Luxury models, whereas the Sport model came with 20-inch wheels. The interior, especially with the optional Platinum Package, felt luxurious with semi-aniline leather upholstery and other high-end materials, but without this package, it was unclear if the XT5 met luxury standards. The interior design lacked a strong theme, unlike its competitors, and didn’t have brand-specific markers to remind occupants they were in a Cadillac.

The 2023 Cadillac XT5 aimed to deliver affordable luxury but fell short in some areas. The cabin, while intuitively laid out and spacious, felt more akin to a high-end Buick or top-trim Chevy rather than a luxury Cadillac. The XT5 offered good headroom and legroom in both rows, and its above-average cargo space of 30 cubic feet behind the second-row seats was a notable advantage. Cadillac retained many physical controls, which made the cabin feel more intuitive compared to rivals that had shifted to all-touch interfaces, but this also made the interior feel somewhat dated.

The 2023 XT5’s interior featured synthetic leather upholstery as standard, with genuine leather, heated front and rear seats, and a heated steering wheel available on higher trims like the Premium Luxury. The panoramic sunroof added a light and airy feel to the cabin. Despite these features, the XT5’s interior didn’t stand out in terms of design or materials, and it lacked the memorable or unique touches found in competitors like the Porsche Macan or Volvo XC60.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine on the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims, producing 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The XT5 Sport and the optional engine for the Premium Luxury trim featured a 3.6-liter V6, delivering 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The V6-equipped Premium Luxury model felt reasonably quick, with smooth and quick shifts from the transmission, and the adaptive dampers in the Platinum Package provided a comfortable and controlled ride.

The 2023 Cadillac XT5 was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and available in either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The base powertrain offered 0-60 mph acceleration in the high-seven-second range but could sound rough under heavy throttle. The available V6 engine, producing 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque, provided a more suitable driving experience, but the XT5 lacked notable driving excitement with either engine. Handling was decent, but ride quality suffered on broken pavement, with more vibration and noise in the cabin than expected.

Compared to rivals, the 2023 XT5 had ground to make up. The Porsche Macan S delivered 340 horsepower, and while other models emphasized refinement over performance, the XT5 couldn’t match the handling of the BMW X3 or the smoothness and responsiveness of the Genesis GV70. Cadillac didn’t offer any performance variants or upgrades for the XT5, unlike competitors that provided more powerful and performance-oriented options. The 2023 XT5’s fuel economy ranged from 22 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined for the turbo-four with FWD, to 18/25/21 mpg city/highway/combined for the V6 with AWD.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 offered interior space that compared favorably to German luxury crossovers. It had more front headroom than the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, though less than the BMW X3, and trailed all three in rear headroom. The XT5 provided 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 boasted 30 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63 cubic feet with them folded, surpassing the Q5, X3, and GLC, but not the Infiniti QX50. A hands-free power liftgate was available, and a small cubbyhole below the touchscreen provided additional storage.

The 2023 Cadillac XT5’s interior featured more hard plastics and cheaper materials than expected, but Cadillac incorporated useful storage spaces, including multiple places to stash a phone and a deep center console storage bin. The glove box was small but adequate for paperwork. Front-seat ergonomics were good, with everything positioned for easy viewing and reach. Rear-seat storage was less generous, but passengers had access to large seatback pockets and a fold-down armrest with cupholders. The XT5 offered 30 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 63 cubic feet with the seats folded. The wide liftgate opening and low load floor made accessing the cargo area easy, and the hands-free power liftgate was available. These specs were generous compared to rivals like the Porsche Macan and Genesis GV70.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with 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 in the optional Technology Package. While usability was improved over previous Cadillac systems, the tech was still merely adequate compared to other luxury brands offering larger screens and more sophisticated voice-recognition tech. 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 2023 Cadillac XT5’s CUE (Cadillac User Experience) infotainment system offered an intuitive, responsive interface with crisp graphics and smooth navigation. The system ran on an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, dual-zone climate controls, and more. Passengers could interact with the system using a rotary controller, voice commands, or the touchscreen. Cadillac offered a Bose premium audio system with 14 speakers, wireless charging, and navigation. The XT5 retained physical buttons for the climate system and steering wheel controls, which was a refreshing move compared to rivals that had shifted to all-touch interfaces. While not as intuitive or smooth as Volvo’s system, Cadillac’s CUE was more than acceptable and not distracting for the driver.

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 one of the warning systems was triggered. The optional Driver Assist Package added adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and rear automatic braking. The Technology Package added 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 NHTSA.

The 2023 Cadillac XT5’s last full crash test results were from the 2021 model, which earned top “Good” scores in all crash test areas, a “Marginal” score for its headlights, and an “Advanced” rating for vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention. The optional crash prevention system earned a “Superior” score. Standard safety tech included automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, front and rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, front pedestrian braking, a vibrating safety alert seat, and more. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was available as an option. The Driver Assist Package included adaptive cruise control, automatic seatbelt tightening, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and reverse automatic braking. Other options added rear pedestrian braking, automatic parking assist, and a rear camera mirror.