Compare the2024 Land Rover Range Rover VelarVS 2024 Cadillac XT4

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 XT4 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

Both the Range Rover Velar and XT4 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 XT4’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 XT4.

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 XT4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Range Rover Velar and the XT4 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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 XT4’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The Range Rover Velar P250’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (247 vs. 235) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (269 vs. 258) than the XT4’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Range Rover Velar HST P400’s standard 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid produces 160 more horsepower (395 vs. 235) and 148 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 258) than the XT4’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Range Rover Velar P250 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Cadillac XT4:

Regenerative brakes improve the Range Rover Velar’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The XT4 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Range Rover Velar has 5.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the XT4 FWD’s standard fuel tank (21.6 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Range Rover Velar has 5.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the XT4 AWD’s standard fuel tank (21.6 vs. 16.3 gallons).

For better stopping power the Range Rover Velar’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XT4:

The Range Rover Velar stops shorter than the XT4:

For better traction, the Range Rover Velar has larger standard tires than the XT4 (255/50R20 vs. 235/60R18). The Range Rover Velar’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT4 (265/45R21 vs. 245/45R20).

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 XT4’s standard 60 series tires. The Range Rover Velar’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the XT4’s optional 45 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 XT4. The Range Rover Velar’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the XT4.

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 XT4; 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 XT4 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Range Rover Velar’s wheelbase is 3.7 inches longer than on the XT4 (113.1 inches vs. 109.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Range Rover Velar is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the XT4.

The Range Rover Velar’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.1% to 49.9%) than the XT4’s (58.4% to 41.6%). This gives the Range Rover Velar more stable handling and braking.

The Range Rover Velar handles at .82 G’s, while the XT4 Sport AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Range Rover Velar Dynamic SE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the XT4 Sport AWD (26.2 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Range Rover Velar has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the XT4 (8.4 vs. 6.7 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 3.2 inches higher than on the XT4 (9.9 vs. 6.7 inches).

The Range Rover Velar has .2 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT4.

The Range Rover Velar has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XT4 with its rear seat up (30.9 vs. 22.5 cubic feet). The Range Rover Velar has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XT4 with its rear seat folded (62.7 vs. 48.9 cubic feet).

The Range Rover Velar’s cargo area is larger than the XT4’s in almost every dimension:

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Range Rover Velar’s optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The XT4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Range Rover Velar’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT4’s (5291 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Cadillac XT4 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 XT4. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the XT4 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 XT4’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 XT4’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 XT4 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 XT4 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Range Rover Velar has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the XT4.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Land Rover Range Rover Velar has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the XT4 Premium Luxury/Sport offers wireless charging and it costs extra.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its January 2019 issue and they ranked the Land Rover Range Rover Velar higher than the Cadillac XT4 Premium Luxury AWD.