Compare the2021 Cadillac XT5VS 2020 Dodge Journey

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
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 Journey 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 Journey doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The XT5 has standard Automatic Emergency Braking, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Journey doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

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 Journey doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The XT5 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Journey doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

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 Journey doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The XT5’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Journey doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Journey only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Journey doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Journey doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The XT5 has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Journey doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the XT5 and the Journey 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, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

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 Dodge Journey:

	XT5	Journey
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	147	158
Neck Injury Risk	24%	27%
Neck Stress	188 lbs.	250 lbs.
Neck Compression	11 lbs.	14 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	213/542 lbs.	502/600 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	287	321
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37%	52%
Neck Stress	155 lbs.	164 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	22/17 lbs.	631/373 lbs.

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

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Cadillac XT5 is safer than the Journey:

	XT5	Journey
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Restraints	GOOD	MARGINAL
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	0 cm	12 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	24 cm	24 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Femur Force R/L	.3/.6 kN	6.3/2.9 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	22%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Tibia index R/L	.41/.29	.8/.83

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 Dodge Journey:

	XT5	Journey
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	184 lbs.	190 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	825 lbs.	972 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	16 inches

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the XT5 is 1% to 3.4% less likely to roll over than the Journey.

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 Journey was not even a “Top Pick” for 2016.

Warranty

The XT5 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Journey’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 Dodge covers the Journey. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Journey ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the XT5 has a standard 170-amp alternator. The Journey’s 160-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the XT5 has a standard 730-amp battery. The Journey’s 525-amp battery 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 38 points higher than the Journey.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac fifth in reliability, above the industry average. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 17th.

Engine

The XT5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 65 more horsepower (237 vs. 172) and 93 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 165) than the Journey’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder. The XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 138 more horsepower (310 vs. 172) and 106 lbs.-ft. more torque (271 vs. 165) than the Journey’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XT5 FWD turbo 4 cyl. gets better fuel mileage than the Journey (22 city/29 hwy vs. 19 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 Journey doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the XT5’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The Journey doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The XT5 AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Journey (21.7 vs. 20.5 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 Journey 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 Dodge Journey (3). This means the XT5 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Journey every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

For more complete vehicle control the XT5 has a manually controlled automatic, with the available convenience of an automatic transmission and the complete gear control of a manual transmission without the inconvenience of a clutch. A manually controlled automatic allows the driver to eliminate unwanted shifts and maximize engine braking by down shifting while cornering. The Journey doesn’t offer a transmission that allows complete gear control.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac XT5, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a four-speed automatic is available for the Journey.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	XT5	Journey
Front Rotors	13.6 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 Journey are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XT5 has larger tires than the Journey (235/65R18 vs. 225/65R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XT5 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Journey SE Value. The XT5’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Journey Crossroad.

The Cadillac XT5’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Dodge Journey 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 Journey’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 Journey doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XT5 is 3 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than on the Journey.

The XT5 AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Journey AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XT5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Journey AWD (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Chassis

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 Journey doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The XT5 has .4 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 2.9 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear hip room than the Journey.

Cargo Capacity

The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume than the Journey with its rear seat up (30.2 vs. 10.7 cubic feet).

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

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the XT5 has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Journey doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Dodge Journey is limited to 1000 pounds. The XT5 offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The XT5 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Journey uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Dodge. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 59% lower rating, Dodge is ranked 26th.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster) and outside mirror angle. The Journey doesn’t offer a memory system.

The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Journey doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Journey doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The XT5’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Journey’s parking brake has to released manually.

The XT5’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its front windows also automatically close, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Journey’s power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

The XT5’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Journey’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Journey’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XT5 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Journey only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the XT5 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Journey doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

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

When the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Journey’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Journey has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The XT5 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Journey, and are only available on the Journey Crossroad. The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Journey.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Journey doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers an optional Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Journey doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity is standard on the XT5, connecting the driver and passenger’s cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle’s stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily. Bluetooth costs extra on the Journey.

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 Journey 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 Journey doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XT5 is less expensive to operate than the Journey because typical repairs cost much less on the XT5 than the Journey, including $503 less for a muffler, $21 less for front brake pads, $384 less for a fuel pump and $163 less for front struts.

Recommendations

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

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