Compare the2021 Cadillac XT5VS 2020 Acura MDX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front shoulder belts of the Cadillac XT5 are height-adjustable, and the rear seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Acura MDX doesn’t offer comfort guides on its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the XT5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The MDX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The MDX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The MDX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the XT5 and the MDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Cadillac XT5 is safer than the Acura MDX:

	XT5	MDX
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	239	323
Neck Stress	198 lbs.	244 lbs.
Neck Compression	20 lbs.	34 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Cadillac XT5 is safer than the Acura MDX:

	XT5	MDX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	184 lbs.	244 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	52 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The XT5’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the MDX’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 3 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the XT5’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the XT5’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the MDX’s camshafts. If the MDX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the XT5 has a standard 170-amp alternator (155-amp - XT5 V6 without Towing Package). The MDX’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the XT5’s reliability 22 points higher than the MDX.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac 14th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 23 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2019 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac 23rd in reliability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 26th.

Engine

The XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 20 more horsepower (310 vs. 290) and 4 lbs.-ft. more torque (271 vs. 267) than the MDX’s standard 3.5 SOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Cadillac XT5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The MDX requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The XT5 AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the MDX’s standard fuel tank (21.7 vs. 19.5 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Cadillac XT5 higher (6 out of 10) than the Acura MDX (3). This means the XT5 produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the MDX every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the XT5’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the MDX:

	XT5	MDX	MDX Sport Hybrid
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.6 inches	13 inches

The XT5’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the MDX are solid, not vented.

The XT5 stops much shorter than the MDX:

	XT5	MDX
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	121 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Cadillac XT5’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Acura MDX only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XT5’s wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer than on the MDX (112.5 inches vs. 111 inches).

The XT5 AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the MDX SH-AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the XT5 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the MDX (7.8 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the XT5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The XT5 is 6.6 inches shorter than the MDX, making the XT5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the XT5 2.0 Turbo uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The MDX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The XT5 has 1.6 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more rear headroom and 2.4 inches more rear legroom than the MDX.

Cargo Capacity

The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume than the MDX with its rear seat up (30.2 vs. 15.8 cubic feet).

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the XT5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The MDX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The MDX doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

While the MDX SH-AWD Sport Hybrid is not recommended to tow, any XT5 can tow a minimum of 1000 pounds.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Acura. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac third in service department satisfaction. With a 14% lower rating, Acura is ranked 6th.

Ergonomics

The XT5’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The MDX does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the XT5 and the MDX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the XT5 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The MDX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the XT5 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The MDX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the XT5 has standard extendable sun visors. The MDX doesn’t offer extendable visors.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Cadillac XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The MDX doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The XT5’s optional Automatic Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The MDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the XT5 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the XT5 with a number “8” insurance rate while the MDX is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XT5 is less expensive to operate than the MDX because typical repairs cost much less on the XT5 than the MDX, including $118 less for front brake pads, $170 less for a starter, $950 less for fuel injection, $334 less for a fuel pump, $117 less for front struts and $257 less for a power steering pump.

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