Compare the2023 Infiniti QX50VS 2023 Cadillac XT5

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Infiniti QX50 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Cadillac XT5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Infiniti QX50 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 XT5 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The QX50 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 QX50 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 XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the QX50 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 Infiniti QX50 is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

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

The QX50 comes with a full 4-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The XT5’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 10,000 miles sooner.

The QX50’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the XT5’s (7 vs. 6 years).

Infiniti pays for scheduled maintenance on the QX50 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Infiniti will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Cadillac only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the XT5.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 10 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 33 more horsepower (268 vs. 235) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 258) than the XT5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 271) than the XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Infiniti QX50 is faster than the Cadillac XT5 V6:

On the EPA test cycle the QX50 gets better mileage than the XT5:

The QX50 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 XT5 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The QX50 stops shorter than the XT5:

For better traction, the QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT5 (255/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

The QX50’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 QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the XT5’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX50 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the XT5.

The QX50 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 XT5 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the QX50 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The XT5 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The QX50 AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the XT5 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The QX50 AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the XT5 AWD (26.7 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 27.1 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the QX50’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the XT5’s (36.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The QX50’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the XT5 w/20” wheels’ (36.4 feet vs. 39 feet).

For greater off-road capability the QX50 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XT5 (8.6 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the QX50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The QX50 is 4.9 inches shorter than the XT5, making the QX50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The QX50 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The XT5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The QX50 has 1.3 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more rear headroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT5.

The front step up height for the QX50 is 1.3 inches lower than the XT5 (17.2” vs. 18.5”). The QX50’s rear step up height is 2.3 inches lower than the XT5’s (17.7” vs. 20”).

The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XT5 with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 30.2 cubic feet). The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XT5 with its rear seat folded (65.1 vs. 63 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the QX50 easier. The QX50’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26.6 inches, while the XT5’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

The QX50’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 XT5’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the QX50 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows 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 QX50 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 XT5 doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The QX50’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 XT5’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 QX50’s available headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the XT5’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The XT5’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The QX50 Sensory/Autograph’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.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the QX50 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The XT5 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Infiniti QX50 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers wireless charging.

The QX50 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the QX50 will retain 43.84% to 45.08% of its original price after five years, while the XT5 only retains 42.02% to 43.14%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the QX50 is less expensive to operate than the XT5 because it costs $664 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the QX50 than the XT5, including $263 less for a muffler, $36 less for front brake pads, $120 less for fuel injection and $252 less for a timing belt/chain.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Infiniti QX50 and the Cadillac XT5, based on reliability, safety and performance.