Compare the2024 Cadillac XT5VS 2022 Lexus RXL

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 RXL 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 RXL 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 RXL doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the XT5 and the RXL 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 RXL:

	XT5	RXL
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 RXL:

	XT5	RXL
	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

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the XT5 has a standard 730-amp battery. The RXL’s 580-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the XT5 third among midsize premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The RXL 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 450hL’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cadillac XT5 V6 is faster than the RX 350L 3.5 DOHC V6:

	XT5	RXL
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	7.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.4 MPH	89.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
XT5
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy
RXL
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the XT5’s fuel efficiency. The RXL 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 RXL Hybrid.

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 450hL 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 RXL 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 RXL’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 RXL 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 RXL (5 to 7). This means the XT5 produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the RXL 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 RXL.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	XT5	RXL
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.9 inches

The XT5 stops much shorter than the RXL:

	XT5	RXL
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	133 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 RXL only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

The XT5 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The RXL’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

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

The XT5 AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the RX 350L AWD pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XT5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the RX 350L (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Chassis

The Cadillac XT5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 pounds less than the Lexus RXL.

The XT5 is 7.3 inches shorter than the RXL, making the XT5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 RXL doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The XT5 has .3 inches more front hip room and 8.1 inches more rear legroom than the RXL.

The front step up height for the XT5 is 2 inches lower than the RXL (18.5” vs. 20.5”). The XT5’s rear step up height is .8 inches lower than the RXL’s (20” vs. 20.8”).

Cargo Capacity

The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the RXL with its rear seat up (30.2 vs. 7.5 cubic feet). The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RXL with its rear seat folded (63 vs. 58.5 cubic feet).

Towing

The XT5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RXL’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 RXL.

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 RXL does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The XT5’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The RXL’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 RXL 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 RXL because typical repairs cost much less on the XT5 than the RXL, 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 RXL, based on reliability, safety and performance.