Compare the2023 Fiat 500XVS 2023 Cadillac XT4

The 500X has standard Reactive Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Reactive Head Restraints system moves the headrests 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 500X. But it costs extra on the XT4.

The 500X Sport’s optional 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 500X and the XT4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, front and rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 500X the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 227 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XT4 has not been fully tested, yet.

The engine in the 500X has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the XT4 has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

On the EPA test cycle the 500X gets better mileage than the XT4:

The 500X stops much shorter than the XT4:

For better maneuverability, the 500X’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the XT4’s (36.3 feet vs. 38 feet).

The Fiat 500X may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 600 pounds less than the Cadillac XT4.

The 500X is 1 foot, 1.9 inches shorter than the XT4, making the 500X easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 500X’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 XT4 Luxury’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Insurance will cost less for the 500X owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the 500X with a number “5” insurance rate while the XT4 is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 500X is less expensive to operate than the XT4 because it costs $628 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 500X than the XT4, including $65 less for a water pump, $646 less for a muffler, $42 less for front brake pads, $104 less for a starter, $23 less for fuel injection, $71 less for front struts, $698 less for a timing belt/chain and $277 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Fiat 500X will be $5699 to $6401 less than for the Cadillac XT4.