Compare the2023 Toyota Rav4VS 2023 Cadillac XT4

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 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 XT4 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Rav4 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The XT4 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.

The Rav4’s standard 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. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the XT4.

The Rav4’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 XT4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Rav4 and the XT4 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, 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 Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Cadillac XT4:

	Rav4	XT4
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	284	350
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches

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, results indicate that the Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Cadillac XT4:

	Rav4	XT4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	114
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	138 lbs.	185 lbs.
Hip Force	246 lbs.	328 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	169
Spine Acceleration	49 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	508 lbs.	598 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Rav4 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XT4 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Cadillac only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the XT4.

There are over 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4’s warranty.

Reliability

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 Rav4’s reliability 33 points higher than the XT4.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Cadillac is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Cadillac is ranked 17th.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 gets better mileage than the XT4:

			MPG
Rav4
	FWD	XLE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/34 hwy
		LE/Limited 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/35 hwy
	AWD	LE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/34 hwy
		XLE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/33 hwy
		Adventure/Limited 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy
		TRD Off-Road 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
XT4
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/30 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Rav4 uses regular unleaded gasoline. The XT4 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Brakes and Stopping

The Rav4 stops much shorter than the XT4:

	Rav4	XT4
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	172 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	140 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 LE/XLE’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the XT4’s (36.1 feet vs. 38 feet). The Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the XT4’s (37.4 feet vs. 38 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 LE/XLE has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the XT4 (8.4 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Rav4 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited/Adventure/TRD Off-Road’s minimum ground clearance is 1.9 inches higher than on the XT4 (8.6 vs. 6.7 inches).

Chassis

The Toyota Rav4 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 300 pounds less than the Cadillac XT4.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Rav4 Limited 4WD is quieter than the XT4 Sport AWD (38 vs. 39 dB).

Passenger Space

The Rav4 has .1 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT4.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Rav4’s rear seats recline. The XT4’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XT4 with its rear seat up (37.6 vs. 22.5 cubic feet). The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XT4 with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 48.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Rav4 easier. The Rav4’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the XT4’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

The Rav4’s cargo area is larger than the XT4’s in every dimension:

	Rav4	XT4
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	40”/73.4”	37.5”/67.4”
Max Width	59”	50”
Min Width	39.4”	38.7”
Height	36.6”	26.6”

Ergonomics

The Rav4’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The XT4’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Rav4 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. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the XT4 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Rav4 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The XT4 doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Rav4 Adventure/TRD Off-Road has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The XT4 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Rav4 is less expensive to operate than the XT4 because it costs $291 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Rav4 than the XT4, including $203 less for a water pump, $672 less for a muffler, $14 less for front brake pads, $144 less for fuel injection, $44 less for front struts and $379 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Rav4, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Cadillac XT4 isn't recommended.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Cadillac XT4 by over 18 to one during 2022.