Compare the2024 Cadillac XT5VS 2022 Lexus RX

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

Safety

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The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The RX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the XT5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The RX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The RX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the XT5 and the RX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors 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 Cadillac XT5 is safer than the Lexus RX:

	XT5	RX
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	147	194
Neck Injury Risk	24%	33.2%
Neck Stress	188 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	11 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	213/542 lbs.	433/719 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	287	305
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37%	40.1%
Neck Stress	155 lbs.	267 lbs.
Neck Compression	53 lbs.	70 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	22/17 lbs.	403/457 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 Cadillac XT5 is safer than the Lexus RX:

	XT5	RX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	184 lbs.	214 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	44 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	44 G’s

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

Warranty

There are over 2 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the XT5’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the XT5 third among midsize premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The RX isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in initial quality. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is rated lower.

Engine

The XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 2 more horsepower (310 vs. 308) than the RX 450h’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cadillac XT5 V6 is faster than the RX 450h 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid:

	XT5	RX
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	7 sec
Quarter Mile	15 sec	15.3 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
XT5
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy
RX
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the XT5’s fuel efficiency. The RX doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Regardless of its engine, the XT5’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the RX 450h, and doesn’t offer a disable button.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Cadillac XT5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The RX 450h requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The XT5 FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (19.4 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The XT5 AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX’s standard fuel tank (21.7 vs. 19.2 gallons).

The XT5 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The RX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Cadillac XT5 higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Lexus RX (5 to 7). This means the XT5 produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the RX every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac XT5, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the RX.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the XT5’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the RX:

	XT5	RX
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.9 inches

The XT5 stops much shorter than the RX:

	XT5	RX
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	178 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Cadillac XT5’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Lexus RX only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XT5’s wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than on the RX (112.5 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

The XT5 AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the RX 350 F Sport AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The XT5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the RX 450h (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

Chassis

The Cadillac XT5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 400 pounds less than the Lexus RX.

The front grille of the XT5 2.0 Turbo uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The RX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The XT5 has .3 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room and 1 inch more rear legroom than the RX.

Cargo Capacity

The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the RX with its rear seat up (30.2 vs. 16 cubic feet). The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RX with its rear seat folded (63 vs. 32.6 cubic feet).

Towing

The XT5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RX’s (1000 vs. 0 pounds).

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on the XT5, using the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the RX.

Ergonomics

The XT5’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The RX does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional Automatic Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The RX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XT5 is less expensive to operate than the RX because typical repairs cost much less on the XT5 than the RX, including $631 less for a water pump, $22 less for front brake pads, $338 less for a starter, $105 less for a fuel pump, $972 less for a timing belt/chain and $1343 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

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