2023 Cadillac XT5 vs 2022 Lexus RX

The 2022 Lexus RX was available in several trims, including the base 350, F Sport, and L for its gas powertrain, with a hybrid model known as the RX 450h. The RX 350 and F Sport seated five, while the L trim offered a three-row, 7-passenger configuration. The RX's design, refreshed in 2020, remained modern and sporty, featuring aggressive styling that stood out among competitors like the Audi Q5 and BMW X5. The exterior boasted sharp character lines and angular features, particularly in the front and rear, creating a striking yet balanced look. The F Sport trim added a performance-oriented aesthetic with 20-inch wheels, black-housing mirrors, and unique front fascia.

Inside, the RX maintained a luxurious appeal across all trims, with the F Sport adding sporty elements like model-specific badging and Scored Aluminum trim. The cabin offered nearly a dozen color combinations, with non-F Sport models featuring a mix of NuLuxe or semi-aniline leather seats and various trim pairings. Despite the high-quality materials, the center stack felt dated due to an abundance of buttons. Comfort was a mixed bag, with the NuLuxe seats in the F Sport trim lacking cushioning and lumbar support. The limited-edition Black Line trim added exclusive black-colored features and contrast gray stitching for a premium look.

The 2023 Cadillac XT5 aimed to balance affordability and luxury but fell short in some areas. The cabin, while intuitively laid out, featured materials that felt more at home in a Buick or top-trim Chevy. Despite this, the XT5 offered good space across both rows and above-average cargo space, with 30 cubic feet behind the second-row seats. Cadillac retained many physical controls, making the cabin feel more intuitive but somewhat dated. The XT5's headroom and legroom were commendable, and the available panoramic sunroof added a light and airy feel. Standard synthetic leather upholstery could be upgraded to genuine leather in higher trims, which also included heated front and rear seats and a heated steering wheel.

The 2022 Lexus RX 350 came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, while the hybrid RX 450h combined a V6 with two electric motors for a total of 308 hp. All RX models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard on the RX 350 and AWD available. The hybrid RX was AWD only. Despite its sporty appearance, the RX's performance was underwhelming, with a lackluster engine note and unimpressive acceleration. The F Sport trim added performance dampers and an adaptive variable suspension, but the driving experience remained uninspiring. The RX excelled in comfort and cabin quietness, absorbing rough patches and isolating road noise effectively.

Fuel efficiency for the RX 350 was 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 combined, with slight drops for AWD and three-row models. The RX 450h hybrid achieved 30 mpg combined, with 31 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. The RX 450hL maintained the highway figure but had a combined mpg of 30 due to a 29-mpg city estimate.

The 2023 Cadillac XT5 offered a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and either FWD or AWD. Acceleration from 0-60 mph was in the high-seven-second range, and the engine could sound rough under heavy throttle. An available V6 engine produced 310 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque, providing a more suitable driving experience but still lacking excitement. Handling was decent, but ride quality suffered on broken pavement, with noticeable vibration and noise in the cabin. The 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 Lexus RX's two-row model offered 99.8 cubic feet of passenger volume, comfortably seating four adults, with a snug fit for five. Front headroom was 39.4 inches, and rear headroom was 39.1 inches. Front legroom measured 44.1 inches, with 38.0 inches in the rear. The three-row L models had limited space for anything but groceries. Cargo space in the two-row RX was 16.0 cubic feet behind the second row, expanding to 32.6 cubic feet with the seats folded down. The three-row models offered 7.45 cubic feet with all seats upright, 23.03 cubic feet with the third row down, and up to 58.48 cubic feet with both back rows down. The RX featured thoughtful interior elements like a dedicated smartphone slot, adjustable-height cup holder, and a flat-bottomed cargo net.

The 2023 Cadillac XT5's interior had more hard plastics and cheaper materials than expected, but Cadillac incorporated useful storage spaces. The center console storage bin was deeper than anticipated, and front-seat ergonomics were good, with everything within easy reach. Rear 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 down. The wide liftgate opening and low load floor made accessing the cargo area easy.

The 2022 Lexus RX featured an 8-inch touchscreen display as standard, with a 12.3-inch version available. Despite being moved 5.5 inches closer to the driver in 2020, the touchscreens were still ergonomically unfriendly. The screen's position within a cove on the center stack created access issues, partially blocking icons and forcing awkward tapping motions. The touchpad controller was frustrating to use, and the drive mode selector's placement next to it led to confusion. However, the RX offered a long list of tech features, including six USB ports, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, wireless charging, Amazon Alexa compatibility, a WiFi hotspot, and various premium audio systems. The Lexus App allowed for remote engine start, vehicle settings, and service scheduling.

The 2023 Cadillac XT5's CUE infotainment system provided 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 retained physical buttons for the climate system and steering wheel controls, offering a refreshing contrast to all-touch systems. The XT5 also featured a Bose premium audio system with 14 speakers, wireless charging, and navigation.

The 2022 Lexus RX came standard with the Lexus Safety System 2.0+, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, road-sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, a pre-collision system, and intelligent high beams. Additional standard safety features were blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and Lexus Enform Safety Connect. The RX was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS when equipped with optional triple-beam LED headlights but missed the top-tier "plus" designation due to its headlights rating. The NHTSA gave the RX four stars overall, with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal crashes and rollover resistance.

The 2023 Cadillac XT5's last full crash test results were from the 2021 model, which missed a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS. The XT5 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. Standard safety tech included automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, parking sensors, lane-keep assist, front pedestrian braking, and a vibrating safety alert seat. Optional features were blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and a rear camera mirror.