Compare the2022 Volvo XC90VS 2022 Cadillac XT5

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC90 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac XT5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for the middle seat belts.

Both the XC90 and XT5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC90 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The XT5’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC90 offers an optional built in child booster seat. It’s more crash worthy than an added child seat because of its direct attachment to the seat. Cadillac doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the XT5. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC90 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC90 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC90’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The XT5’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The XC90 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The XT5 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The XC90 has standard Automatic Braking After Collision, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The XT5 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the XC90’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The XT5 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The XC90 has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the XC90 has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport has a cross-path warning system.

The XC90’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The XT5 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the XC90 and the XT5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo XC90 is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

	XC90	XT5
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	217	287
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	37%
Neck Compression	25 lbs.	53 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 Volvo XC90 is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

	XC90	XT5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	51	112
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.9 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	94	183
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	608 lbs.	825 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	12 inches
HIC	209	399
Spine Acceleration	29 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	383 lbs.	799 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC90 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 68 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XT5 last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The XC90’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the XT5’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC90 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Cadillac only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the XT5.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the XC90 has a standard 210-amp alternator. The XT5’s standard 170-amp alternator and largest (V6 without Towing Package) 155-amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the XC90 has a standard 800-amp battery. The XT5’s 730-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The battery on the XC90 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the XC90’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The XT5’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volvo 3 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

Engine

The XC90 has more powerful engines than the XT5:

	Horsepower	Torque
XC90 T5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	250 HP	258 lbs.-ft.
XC90 T6 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder	316 HP	295 lbs.-ft.
XC90 Recharge 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid	400 HP	472 lbs.-ft.
XT5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	235 HP	258 lbs.-ft.
XT5 3.6 DOHC V6	310 HP	271 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Car and Driver the Volvo XC90 is faster than the Cadillac XT5 V6:

	XC90 T6	XC90 Recharge	XT5
Zero to 60 MPH	6 sec	5.3 sec	6.6 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	15.5 sec	14.6 sec	17.8 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	4.6 sec	n/a	4.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	14 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	98 MPH	93 MPH
Top Speed	132 MPH	132 MPH	130 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XC90 running on electricity gets better mileage than the XT5:

			MPGe
XC90
	AWD	Recharge Electric Motor	58 city/53 hwy
XT5
			MPG
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the XC90 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the XT5:

			MPG
XC90
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/30 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/28 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/28 hwy
		2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl.	19 city/28 hwy
XT5
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy

The XC90 Recharge can drive on battery power alone for up to 18 miles. The XT5 must run its internal combustion engine to move.

Regenerative brakes improve the XC90 T8’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The XT5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the XC90 Recharge’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XT5:

	XC90 Recharge	XT5
Front Rotors	14.4 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.4 inches	12.4 inches

The XC90 stops much shorter than the XT5:

	XC90	XT5
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XC90’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT5 (275/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

The XC90’s standard 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. The XC90’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the XT5’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC90 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the XT5. The XC90’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the XT5.

Suspension and Handling

The XC90 R-Design/Inscription has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XC90’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The XT5 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC90’s wheelbase is 5 inches longer than on the XT5 (117.5 inches vs. 112.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the XC90 is 1 inch wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the track on the XT5.

The XC90’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51.7% to 48.3%) than the XT5’s (58.2% to 41.8%). This gives the XC90 more stable handling and braking.

The XC90 T6 AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the XT5 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the XC90 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XT5 (8.8 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the XC90 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The XC90 w/Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 2.1 inches higher than on the XT5 (9.9 vs. 7.8 inches).

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the XC90 T6 AWD is quieter than the XT5 AWD:

	XC90	XT5
Full-Throttle	71 dB	77 dB
70 MPH Cruising	67 dB	68 dB

Passenger Space

The XC90 has standard seating for 7 passengers; the XT5 can only carry 5.

The XC90 has .1 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear hip room and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT5.

The front step up height for the XC90 is 2.7 inches lower than the XT5 (15.8” vs. 18.5”). The XC90’s rear step up height is 4 inches lower than the XT5’s (16” vs. 20”).

Cargo Capacity

The XC90’s cargo area provides more volume than the XT5.

	XC90	XT5
Third Seat Folded	35.6 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	30.2 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	65.5 cubic feet	63 cubic feet

The XC90’s cargo area is larger than the XT5’s in every dimension:

	XC90	XT5
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	21.8”/49.6”/80.3”	n.a./41.5”/75”
Max Width	54.7”	51”
Min Width	44.5”	41.6”
Height	35”	30”

Towing

The XC90’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT5’s (4000 vs. 1000 pounds).

Ergonomics

If the windows are left open on the XC90 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the XT5 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The XC90’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The XT5’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC90 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The XT5 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The XC90’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the XT5’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC90 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The XT5 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The XT5’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The XC90’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the XC90 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The XT5 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The XC90 Inscription offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the XT5.

The XC90 has a 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.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XC90 is less expensive to operate than the XT5 because it costs $210 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the XC90 than the XT5, including $381 less for a muffler, $9 less for fuel injection and $522 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

The Car Book by Jack Gillis recommends the Volvo XC90, based on economy, maintenance, safety and complaint levels.

Motor Trend selected the XC90 as their 2016 Sport Utility of the Year. The XT5 has never been chosen.

The XC90 was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2016. The XT5 has never been an “All Star.”

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC90 as the 2016 North American Truck of the Year. The XT5 has never been chosen.

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