Compare the2021 Cadillac XT5VS 2020 Buick Envision

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

Safety

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The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Envision doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 Envision 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 Envision 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 Envision doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the XT5 and the Envision 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, daytime running lights, 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 Buick Envision:

	XT5	Envision
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	147	220
Neck Injury Risk	24%	32%
Neck Stress	188 lbs.	271 lbs.
Neck Compression	11 lbs.	27 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37%	51%
Neck Stress	155 lbs.	170 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	22/17 lbs.	230/563 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, results indicate that the Cadillac XT5 is safer than the Buick Envision:

	XT5	Envision
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	151 G’s	155 G’s
Hip Force	184 lbs.	297 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XT5 the rating of “Top Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 207 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Envision was last qualified as a “Top Pick” in 2016.

Warranty

The XT5 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Envision’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the XT5 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Buick covers the Envision. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Envision ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The XT5’s 6 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Envision runs out after 100,000 miles.

Engine

The XT5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 40 more horsepower (237 vs. 197) and 66 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 192) than the Envision’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 58 more horsepower (310 vs. 252) than the Envision Premium’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XT5 AWD turbo 4 cyl. gets better fuel mileage than the Envision Premium AWD turbo 4 cyl. (21 city/27 hwy vs. 20 city/25 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the XT5’s fuel efficiency. The Envision doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The XT5 FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Envision (19.4 vs. 17.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The XT5 AWD’s standard fuel tank has 4.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Envision (21.7 vs. 17.3 gallons).

The XT5 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Envision doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Cadillac XT5 higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Buick Envision (5). This means the XT5 produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Envision every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	XT5	Envision
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.6 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 Envision are solid, not vented.

The XT5 stops much shorter than the Envision:

	XT5	Envision
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XT5 has larger tires than the Envision (235/65R18 vs. 225/60R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XT5 offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Envision’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

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

Suspension and Handling

The XT5 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Envision’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The XT5 has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Envision doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XT5’s wheelbase is 4.2 inches longer than on the Envision (112.5 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XT5 is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than on the Envision.

The XT5 AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Envision Premium pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XT5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Envision Premium (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The XT5 has 3.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Envision (104.5 vs. 100.6).

The XT5 has .3 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear legroom, 1.7 inches more rear hip room and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Envision.

Cargo Capacity

The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Envision with its rear seat up (30.2 vs. 26.9 cubic feet). The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Envision with its rear seat folded (63 vs. 57.3 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the XT5. The Envision doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Buick Envision is limited to 1500 pounds. The XT5 offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Buick. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 24% lower rating, Buick is ranked 13th.

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 Envision does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The XT5’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Envision’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

On a hot day the XT5’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Envision can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

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 Envision Premium’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Economic Advantages

The XT5 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the XT5 will retain 38.6% to 39.93% of its original price after five years, while the Envision only retains 32.33% to 37.32%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XT5 is less expensive to operate than the Envision because typical repairs cost much less on the XT5 than the Envision, including $83 less for front brake pads, $35 less for a starter, $127 less for a fuel pump, $604 less for front struts and $139 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Cadillac XT5, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Buick Envision isn't recommended.

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