Compare the2024 Cadillac EscaladeVS 2023 BMW X5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Cadillac Escalade are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Escalade are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Escalade has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The X5 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The X5 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Escalade and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 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 Escalade is safer than the BMW X5:

	Escalade	X5
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	146	209
Neck Injury Risk	23%	34%
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	152/161 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	233	342
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.8 inches
Neck Compression	66 lbs.	91 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 Escalade is safer than the BMW X5:

	Escalade	X5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	25	72
Abdominal Force	111 lbs.	130 lbs.
Hip Force	118 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	24 G’s	30 G’s
Hip Force	248 lbs.	584 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	239	308
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	764 lbs.	796 lbs.

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

Warranty

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the Escalade 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 60 percent more Cadillac dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escalade’s warranty.

Reliability

The Escalade has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The X5 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Escalade first among large premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The X5 was rated third in its category.

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 BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in initial quality. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in long-term dependability. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

Engine

The Escalade’s 6.2 V8 produces 85 more horsepower (420 vs. 335) and 129 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 331) than the X5 40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

The Escalade’s 3.0 turbo diesel produces 129 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 331) than the X5 40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Escalade gets better mileage than the X5:

			MPG
Escalade
	RWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Diesel	21 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Diesel	20 city/26 hwy
X5
	RWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/26 hwy
	AWD	4.4 turbo V8	16 city/22 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Escalade V8’s fuel efficiency. The X5 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Both the Escalade and the X5 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Escalades have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch for start/stop is only offered on the X5 M50i.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Cadillac Escalade uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X5 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Escalade has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the X5 (24 vs. 21.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Escalade 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 X5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is available on the Cadillac Escalade, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the X5.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Escalade’s brake rotors are larger than those on the X5:

	Escalade	X5 xDrive40i	X5 M Sport
Front Rotors	16.1 inches	13.7 inches	15.6 inches

The Escalade stops shorter than the X5:

	Escalade	X5
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Escalade has larger tires than the X5 (275/50R22 vs. 265/50R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escalade has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the X5.

The Cadillac Escalade’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X5 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Escalade has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The X5 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Escalade has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the X5; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

Suspension and Handling

The Escalade has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The X5 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escalade’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the X5 (120.9 inches vs. 117.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Escalade is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the X5.

For better maneuverability, the Escalade’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the X5’s (39.7 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Escalade Air Suspension has a 1.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the X5 (10 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Escalade to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Escalade offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the X5 can only carry up to 7.

The Escalade has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 4.7 inches more front legroom, 5.5 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 4.3 inches more rear legroom and 6.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the X5.

Cargo Capacity

The Escalade’s cargo area provides more volume than the X5.

	Escalade	X5
Third Seat Folded	72.9 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	33.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	121 cubic feet	72.3 cubic feet

The Escalade’s cargo area is larger than the X5’s in every dimension:

	Escalade	X5
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	24”/54”/89.5”	n.a./40.7”/70”
Max Width	49.5”	49”
Min Width	49.4”	44”
Height	36.5”	31.5”

The Escalade’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Payload and Towing

The Escalade’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the X5’s (8000 vs. 5952 pounds).

The Escalade 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Escalade can be unhitched and driven around locally. The X5 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escalade uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Escalade has a much higher standard payload capacity than the X5 (1636 vs. 827 lbs.).

The Escalade has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the X5 (1647 vs. 1030 lbs.).

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than BMW. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 14% lower rating, BMW is ranked 7th.

Ergonomics

The Escalade’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 X5 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Escalade has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Escalade’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the X5’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Escalade 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 X5.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Cadillac Escalade has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the X5.

The Escalade has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Escalade owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Escalade will cost $1590 to $3390 less than the X5 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Escalade is less expensive to operate than the X5 because typical repairs cost much less on the Escalade than the X5, including $362 less for a water pump, $921 less for a muffler, $104 less for front brake pads, $396 less for a starter, $177 less for fuel injection, $34 less for a fuel pump, $851 less for a timing belt/chain and $652 less for a power steering pump.

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