Compare the2023 Land Rover Range Rover VelarVS 2023 Cadillac XT5

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Land Rover Range Rover Velar 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 XT5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

Both the Range Rover Velar and XT5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Range Rover Velar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The XT5’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Range Rover Velar. But it costs extra on the XT5.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Range Rover Velar’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The XT5 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Range Rover Velar 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. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Range Rover Velar 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.

The Range Rover Velar’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 Range Rover Velar and the XT5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The battery on the Range Rover Velar is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Range Rover Velar’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The XT5’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The Range Rover Velar has more powerful engines than the XT5:

On the EPA test cycle the Range Rover Velar gets better mileage than the XT5:

Regenerative brakes improve the Range Rover Velar’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The XT5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Range Rover Velar has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the XT5 FWD’s standard fuel tank (21.7 vs. 19.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Land Rover Range Rover Velar higher (7 out of 10) than the Cadillac XT5 (6 to 7). This means the Range Rover Velar produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the XT5 every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Range Rover Velar’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XT5:

The Range Rover Velar stops shorter than the XT5:

For better traction, the Range Rover Velar has larger standard tires than the XT5 (255/50R20 vs. 235/65R18). The Range Rover Velar’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT5 (265/45R21 vs. 235/65R18).

The Range Rover Velar’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 Range Rover Velar’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the XT5’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Range Rover Velar has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the XT5. The Range Rover Velar’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the XT5.

The Range Rover Velar offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the XT5; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The Range Rover Velar has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Range Rover Velar’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The XT5 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Range Rover Velar’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.1% to 49.9%) than the XT5’s (58.2% to 41.8%). This gives the Range Rover Velar more stable handling and braking.

The Range Rover Velar handles at .82 G’s, while the XT5 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the XT5 AWD (26.2 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.1 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Range Rover Velar has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XT5 (8.4 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the Range Rover Velar to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Range Rover Velar w/Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 2.1 inches higher than on the XT5 (9.9 vs. 7.8 inches).

The Range Rover Velar has a larger cargo volume than the XT5 with its rear seat up (30.9 vs. 30.2 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Range Rover Velar easier. The Range Rover Velar’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.7 inches, while the XT5’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

The Range Rover Velar’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT5’s (5291 vs. 1000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Cadillac XT5 is only 3500 pounds. The Range Rover Velar offers up to a 5511 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the Range Rover Velar is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XT5. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport, the Range Rover Velar has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Range Rover Velar’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 Range Rover Velar’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The XT5’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Range Rover Velar to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The XT5 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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

The Range Rover Velar will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Range Rover Velar will retain 46.61% to 47.97% of its original price after five years, while the XT5 only retains 42.02% to 43.14%.