Compare the2023 Cadillac XT4VS 2022 Kia Niro

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Cadillac XT4 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 Niro doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The XT4 Premium/Sport offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Niro doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The XT4 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Niro doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The XT4 Premium Luxury/Sport offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Niro 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 XT4 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. Only the Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the XT4 has a standard rear 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 Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium has a rear cross-path warning system.

The XT4 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 Niro 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 XT4 and the Niro 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 and available lane departure warning systems.

The Cadillac XT4 weighs 426 to 779 pounds more than the Kia Niro. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Cadillac XT4 is safer than the Kia Niro:

	XT4	Niro
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Stress	218 lbs.	291 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	34%	80%
Neck Stress	131 lbs.	207 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 XT4 is safer than the Kia Niro:

	XT4	Niro
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	114	138
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	185 lbs.	196 lbs.
Hip Force	328 lbs.	342 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	169	170
Spine Acceleration	51 G’s	77 G’s
Hip Force	598 lbs.	993 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	204	214
Hip Force	522 lbs.	712 lbs.

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

Warranty

The XT4’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Niro’s (6/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Engine

The XT4’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 96 more horsepower (235 vs. 139) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 195) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cadillac XT4 is faster than the Kia Niro:

	XT4	Niro
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	9.9 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	17.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89.8 MPH	80.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the XT4’s fuel efficiency. The Niro doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Both the XT4 and Niro have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The XT4 has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The XT4 FWD’s standard fuel tank has 4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (15.9 vs. 11.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The XT4 AWD’s standard fuel tank has 4.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (16.3 vs. 11.9 gallons).

The XT4 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 Niro doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac XT4, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Niro.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the XT4’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Niro:

	XT4	Niro
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	12.4 inches	10.3 inches

The XT4’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Niro are solid, not vented.

The XT4 stops much shorter than the Niro:

	XT4	Niro
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XT4 has larger standard tires than the Niro (235/60R18 vs. 205/60R16). The XT4’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Niro (245/45R20 vs. 225/45R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XT4 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium. The XT4’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Niro Touring SE.

The XT4 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Niro doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The XT4 offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Niro; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The XT4 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 Niro’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The XT4 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 Niro doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XT4’s wheelbase is 3.1 inches longer than on the Niro (109.4 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XT4 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Niro.

The XT4 Sport AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the Niro LXS pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XT4 Sport AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the Niro LXS (26.3 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the XT4 Premium Luxury/Sport uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Niro doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The XT4 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Niro doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The XT4 has 2.4 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, 1 inch more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.5 inches more rear hip room than the Niro.

Cargo Capacity

The XT4 has a much larger cargo volume than the Niro with its rear seat up (22.5 vs. 19.4 cubic feet).

The XT4’s cargo area is larger than the Niro’s in almost every dimension:

	XT4	Niro
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	37.5”/67.4”	31.8”/64”
Max Width	50”	48.2”
Min Width	38.7”	41”
Height	26.6”	36”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the XT4. The Niro doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the XT4 has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the XT4 Premium Luxury/Sport, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Niro doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The XT4 has a 2500 lbs. towing capacity. The Niro has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the XT4 uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Niro doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The XT4 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Niro 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 Kia. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 46% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the XT4 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 Niro doesn’t offer a memory system.

The XT4 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard easy entry system 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 Niro doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The XT4’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 Niro does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The XT4 Premium Luxury/Sport offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Niro doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The XT4’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Niro’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The XT4’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 Niro’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

On a hot day the XT4’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Niro can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The XT4’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 Niro’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The XT4 Luxury’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Niro’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The XT4 Premium/Sport’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the XT4 (except Luxury) offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Niro doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The XT4’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Niro Touring SE/EX Premium.

The XT4 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 Niro offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the XT4 and the Niro offer available heated front seats. The XT4 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Niro.

The XT4 Premium Luxury/Sport offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Niro.

Both the XT4 and the Niro offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the XT4 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Niro doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The XT4 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional Automatic Park Assist can parallel park by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The Niro doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Cadillac XT4 outsold the Kia Niro by 29% during 2020.

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