Compare the2023 Cadillac XT5VS 2022 Toyota Highlander

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 Highlander doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 Highlander doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the XT5 and the Highlander 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, 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 Toyota Highlander:

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 XT5 is safer than the Toyota Highlander:

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

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

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

The XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 15 more horsepower (310 vs. 295) and 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (271 vs. 263) than the Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cadillac XT5 V6 is faster than the Toyota Highlander:

On the EPA test cycle the XT5 gets better mileage than the Highlander:

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

The XT5 FWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Highlander (19.4 vs. 17.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The XT5 AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Highlander (21.7 vs. 17.9 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 Highlander doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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 Toyota Highlander (5). This means the XT5 produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Highlander every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac XT5, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Highlander.

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

The XT5 stops much shorter than the Highlander:

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

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 Highlander’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 Highlander doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The XT5 AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Highlander Platinum AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XT5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Highlander Platinum AWD (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The Cadillac XT5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 250 pounds less than the Toyota Highlander.

The XT5 is 5.3 inches shorter than the Highlander, making the XT5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 Highlander doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume than the Highlander with its rear seat up (30.2 vs. 16 cubic feet).

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

The XT5 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Highlander 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 Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 32% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

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 Highlander doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Highlander does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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

The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’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 Highlander doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XT5 is less expensive to operate than the Highlander because typical repairs cost much less on the XT5 than the Highlander, including $102 less for a starter, $21 less for fuel injection, $210 less for a fuel pump and $722 less for a timing belt/chain.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Cadillac XT5 and the Toyota Highlander, based on reliability, safety and performance.