Compare the2023 Lexus NXVS 2023 Cadillac XT5

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus NX 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 Lexus NX 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.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the NX’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The XT5 doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The NX has a standard blind spot warning system that 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 XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the NX has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert to warn the driver of approaching traffic and automatically engage the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert and the XT5’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The NX’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 XT5 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the NX 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 and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the NX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XT5 last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

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 Lexus NX’s reliability 14 points higher than the XT5 and the Lexus NX Hybrid is rated 36 points higher than the XT5.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 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 Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Cadillac is ranked 17th.

As tested in Motor Trend the NX 450h 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Cadillac XT5 V6:

On the EPA test cycle the NX running on electricity gets better mileage than the XT5:

On the EPA test cycle the NX running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the XT5:

The NX 450h can travel with zero emissions for 37 miles. The XT5 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the NX 350h/450h’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The XT5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The NX offers an available 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 NX stops shorter than the XT5:

The NX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XT5’s standard 65 series tires. The NX’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the XT5’s optional 55 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the NX 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.

For better maneuverability, the NX’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the XT5’s (38 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The NX’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the XT5 w/20” wheels’ (38 feet vs. 39 feet).

The Lexus NX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Cadillac XT5.

The NX is 6.1 inches shorter than the XT5, making the NX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The NX has .2 inches more front hip room and .1 inches more rear headroom than the XT5.

The front step up height for the NX is .7 inches lower than the XT5 (17.8” vs. 18.5”). The NX’s rear step up height is 1.8 inches lower than the XT5’s (18.2” vs. 20”).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Cadillac. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 17% lower rating, Cadillac is ranked second.

The NX’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.

The NX has a standard locking fuel and charge port 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 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 NX’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the XT5’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The NX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The XT5 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The XT5’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The NX’s optional 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.

The NX will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the NX will retain 49.01% to 51.34% of its original price after five years, while the XT5 only retains 42.02% to 43.14%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Lexus NX will be $6362 to $10184 less than for the Cadillac XT5.

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Lexus NX 350h as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Lexus NX outsold the Cadillac XT5 by 79% during 2022.