Compare the2022 Buick EncoreVS 2022 Cadillac XT5

The Buick Encore has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The XT5 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the Encore and the XT5 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors 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 Buick Encore is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

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 Buick Encore is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

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

There are over 2 times as many Buick dealers as there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Encore’s warranty.

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 Encore’s reliability 34 points higher than the XT5.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Encore third among small suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The XT5 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick 7th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is ranked 14th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Buick fourth in reliability. Cadillac is ranked 21st.

On the EPA test cycle the Encore gets better fuel mileage than the XT5:

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

The Encore stops much shorter than the XT5:

The Encore’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XT5’s standard 65 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the Encore’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the XT5’s (36.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Encore’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the XT5 w/20” wheels’ (36.7 feet vs. 39 feet).

The Buick Encore may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 1000 pounds less than the Cadillac XT5.

The Encore is 1 foot, 9.2 inches shorter than the XT5, making the Encore easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Encore uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The XT5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The front step up height for the Encore is 1.7 inches lower than the XT5 (16.8” vs. 18.5”). The Encore’s rear step up height is 3.2 inches lower than the XT5’s (16.8” vs. 20”).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Encore easier. The Encore’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.8 inches, while the XT5’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

The Encore offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The XT5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the Encore owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Encore will cost $570 less than the XT5 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Encore is less expensive to operate than the XT5 because it costs $537 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Encore than the XT5, including $163 less for a water pump, $347 less for a muffler, $147 less for a starter, $330 less for fuel injection, $330 less for a timing belt/chain and $317 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Buick Encore will be $16810 to $20858 less than for the Cadillac XT5.

The Buick Encore has won recognition from these important consumer publications: