Compare the2023 Subaru ForesterVS 2023 Cadillac XT4

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Forester 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 Forester has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The XT4 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Forester. But it costs extra on the XT4.

The Forester’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 Forester Touring’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 Forester and the XT4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 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 Subaru Forester is safer than the Cadillac XT4:

	Forester	XT4
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	186	190
Neck Injury Risk	23%	28%
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	43 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	293	350
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	34%
Leg Forces (l/r)	105/93 lbs.	73/175 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 Subaru Forester is safer than the Cadillac XT4:

	Forester	XT4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	66	114
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	122 lbs.	185 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	121	204

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 Forester 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

There are over 12 percent more Subaru dealers than there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Forester’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 Forester’s reliability 45 points higher than the XT4.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 10 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

Engine

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The XT4 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Forester
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/33 hwy
		Wilderness 2.5 DOHC flat-4	25 city/28 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 Subaru Forester uses regular unleaded gasoline. The XT4 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

The Forester has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The XT4 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Forester stops shorter than the XT4:

	Forester	XT4
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	172 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Forester Wilderness has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the XT4; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

Suspension and Handling

The Forester Limited handles at .82 G’s, while the XT4 Sport AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Forester’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the XT4’s (35.4 feet vs. 38 feet).

Chassis

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

Passenger Space

The Forester has 10.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XT4 (111.6 vs. 101.3).

The Forester has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear hip room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT4.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear seats recline. The XT4’s rear seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Forester is 1.5 inches lower than the XT4 (15.5” vs. 17”). The Forester’s rear step up height is .3 inches lower than the XT4’s (17.25” vs. 17.5”).

Cargo Capacity

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XT4 with its rear seat up (28.9 vs. 22.5 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XT4 with its rear seat folded (74.2 vs. 48.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Forester easier. The Forester’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.4 inches, while the XT4’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

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

	Forester	XT4
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	35.7”/73.1”	37.5”/67.4”
Max Width	51.5”	50”
Min Width	43.3”	38.7”
Height	34.8”	26.6”

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Forester Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The XT4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XT4. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s exterior PIN entry system. The XT4 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its OnStar® can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Forester 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 XT4 (except Luxury)’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Forester’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.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Forester owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Forester will cost $645 less than the XT4 over a five-year period.

The Forester will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Forester will retain 54.16% to 57.43% of its original price after five years, while the XT4 only retains 45.4% to 45.5%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Forester is less expensive to operate than the XT4 because it costs $228 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Forester than the XT4, including $63 less for a water pump, $562 less for a muffler, $36 less for front brake pads, $435 less for a timing belt/chain and $480 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Forester will be $10850 to $13657 less than for the Cadillac XT4.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Forester as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Cadillac XT4 isn't recommended.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its January 2019 issue and they ranked the Subaru Forester Touring higher than the Cadillac XT4 Premium Luxury AWD.

The Subaru Forester outsold the Cadillac XT4 by over five to one during 2022.