2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport 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 of the XT5 had distinct exterior styling cues to differentiate them. The Premium Luxury model was adorned with bright chrome, giving it a more traditional Cadillac appearance, while the Sport model featured darker trim and a mesh grille, signaling performance. Standard 18-inch alloy wheels were included on the Luxury and Premium Luxury models, with 20-inch wheels standard on the Sport model. Optional Onyx and Radiant styling packages offered additional customization with dark and bright chrome, respectively, along with 20-inch wheels.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport embraced a "modernist" and "reductive" design philosophy, emphasizing clean and simple lines. This approach might not have appealed to those seeking a flashy luxury SUV, as Land Rover offered limited options for making the Range Rover Sport stand out, such as Firenze Red paint and diamond-turned 23-inch wheels. However, a performance-tuned SVR model with a twin-turbocharged V8 and more vivid paint colors was anticipated for the future.

Our test vehicle arrived in subdued Eiger Gray paint with silver 23-inch wheels and a subtle Black Exterior Pack, exuding understated luxury. Inside, it featured a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim. The Range Rover Sport was available in SE P360, SE Dynamic P400, and Autobiography P440e specifications, with various optional packages and upgrades. Highlights of the new design included premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and surface LED taillights, contributing to its excellent aerodynamics with a coefficient of drag of 0.29.

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 engine, 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.

Equipped with the optional V6, the XT5 Premium Luxury test car felt reasonably quick, though it was not a performance model. The V6 provided linear power delivery and smooth, quick shifts from the nine-speed automatic transmission. The performance suspension with adaptive dampers, part of the optional Platinum Package, offered a comfortable ride, cushioning bumps while maintaining excellent body control. The steering was well-suited to a luxury vehicle, providing nimbleness without requiring constant corrections. The cabin was impressively quiet, enhancing the overall luxury experience.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport aimed to balance refinement, comfort, and driver-focused engagement. It featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology, available in two power outputs: 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque in the SE P360, and 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque in the SE Dynamic P400. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain was also available, offering 434 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque with an estimated 51 miles of electric driving range.

Our test vehicle’s 395-horsepower inline-six provided ample power, with Land Rover claiming a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds. The SUV drove all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission and an Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, with a towing capacity of 7,716 pounds. The Range Rover Sport achieved an average of 22.3 mpg on our evaluation route, with a highway fuel economy of 25.1 mpg.

The Range Rover Sport featured a new vehicle architecture with a 35-percent increase in torsional stiffness and a standard adaptive damping air suspension. It also included Dynamic driving mode, cornering brake control, brake-induced torque vectoring, and roll stability control. The First Edition model had four-wheel steering and Dynamic Response Pro active electronic roll control. While the Range Rover Sport excelled in city driving and off-road conditions, it did not match the handling prowess of similarly priced sport-tuned SUVs from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz on twisty roads.

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

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport maintained the Range Rover Command Driving Position, providing a tall, airy feel with a low dashboard, upright windshield angle, and thin roof pillars. The air suspension could kneel for easier entry and exit, and the front seats were comfortable with adjustable inboard armrests. Our test vehicle featured Windsor leather, 20-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, and optional massage functionality. The rear seat offered more legroom and knee clearance than before but remained tight for taller passengers. The back seat was deeply bucketed with excellent support, though the seatback angle was too reclined. The cargo area provided 31.9 cubic feet of space, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. A full-size spare tire was included, and Land Rover provided a handy contraption to prevent smaller items from rolling around.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with an 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 ideally placed and lacked physical feedback. The optional Bose Performance Series 14-speaker system produced excellent sound, enhanced by the XT5’s quiet interior.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an Online Pack with connected services. However, the Pivi Pro infotainment system was often confusing and frustrating to use. The native digital assistant struggled with basic commands, and the automatic driver exit assist feature was inconvenient. The Range Rover Sport offered impressive Meridian audio systems with up to 29 speakers and 1,430 watts of power, and a next-generation Active Noise Cancellation system. A wireless smartphone charging pad was included but difficult to access.

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 scores in IIHS crash tests and a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. It also featured automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system with ClearSight Ground View. Remote Park Assist was available, allowing the SUV to park itself while the driver directed it using a smartphone app. The adaptive cruise control and steering assist were not as smooth or reliable as expected, particularly on freeway curves.