Compare the2025 Ford ExplorerVS 2025 Cadillac XT5

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Ford Explorer 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 XT5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Ford Explorer has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The XT5 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Explorer has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The XT5 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Explorer 4WD’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The XT5 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Explorer has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Explorer has standard Cross Traffic Alert and Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert and the XT5’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The Explorer’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 XT5 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Explorer and the XT5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Explorer is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

	Explorer	XT5
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	125	147
Neck Stress	167 lbs.	188 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/210 lbs.	213/542 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29.2%	37%

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 Ford Explorer is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

	Explorer	XT5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	65	112
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	86	183
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	604 lbs.	825 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	12 inches
HIC	288	399
Hip Force	573 lbs.	799 lbs.

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

The Ford Explorer has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The XT5 is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

There are over 5 times as many Ford dealers as there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Explorer’s warranty.

Reliability

The Explorer 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 XT5 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Explorer has a standard 760-amp battery. The XT5’s 730-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 35 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is rated below average.

Engine

The Explorer’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 65 more horsepower (300 vs. 235) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 258) than the XT5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Explorer’s 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 39 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 271) than the XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6. The Explorer’s optional 3.0 turbo V6 produces 90 more horsepower (400 vs. 310) and 144 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 271) than the XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Ford Explorer is faster than the Cadillac XT5 V6:

	Explorer turbo 4 cyl.	Explorer turbo V6	XT5
Zero to 30 MPH	2.2 sec	1.8 sec	2.3 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	5.2 sec	6.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.9 sec	13.8 sec	15.2 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Explorer
	RWD	2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy
XT5
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/26 hwy

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Explorer, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the XT5.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Explorer ST	XT5
Front Rotors	14.3 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	12.4 inches

The Explorer stops much shorter than the XT5:

	Explorer	XT5
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Explorer has larger standard tires than the XT5 (255/65R18 vs. 235/65R18). The Explorer’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT5 (275/45R21 vs. 235/65R18).

The Explorer’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XT5’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Explorer offers optional 21-inch wheels. The XT5’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the Explorer can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The XT5 doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Explorer’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The XT5 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Explorer’s wheelbase is 6.6 inches longer than on the XT5 (119.1 inches vs. 112.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Explorer is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than on the XT5.

The Explorer’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the XT5’s (58.2% to 41.8%). This gives the Explorer more stable handling and braking.

The Explorer ST 4WD handles at .86 G’s, while the XT5 AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Explorer ST 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the XT5 AWD (26.4 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 27.1 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Explorer’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the XT5’s (38.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Explorer’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the XT5 w/20” wheels’ (38.4 feet vs. 39 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Explorer Platinum has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XT5 (8.2 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the Explorer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Explorer Active 4WD is quieter than the XT5 AWD:

	Explorer	XT5
At idle	40 dB	44 dB
Full-Throttle	73 dB	77 dB
70 MPH Cruising	66 dB	68 dB

Passenger Space

The Explorer offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the XT5 can only carry 5.

The Explorer has 48.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XT5 (152.9 vs. 104.5).

The Explorer has 1 inch more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front legroom, 3.1 inches more front hip room, 3.5 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear headroom, 4.3 inches more rear hip room and 5.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT5.

Cargo Capacity

The Explorer’s cargo area provides more volume than the XT5.

	Explorer	XT5
Third Seat Folded	46 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	30 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	85.8 cubic feet	63 cubic feet

The Explorer’s cargo area is larger than the XT5’s in every dimension:

	Explorer	XT5
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	20.8”/49.8”/84.1”	n.a./41.5”/75”
Min Width	48.1”	41.6”
Height	33.7”	30”

Towing

The Explorer’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT5’s (5000 vs. 1000 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Explorer is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XT5. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Explorer’s available exterior PIN entry system. The XT5 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its OnStar® can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Explorer’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The XT5’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Explorer’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the XT5’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The XT5’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Explorer Platinum’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Explorer to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The XT5 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Explorer (except Active) offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the XT5.

The Explorer (except Active) offers an optional 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 XT5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

The Explorer will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Explorer will retain 49.94% to 56.18% of its original price after five years, while the XT5 only retains 46.63% to 47.63%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Explorer is less expensive to operate than the XT5 because it costs $346 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Explorer than the XT5, including $32 less for a water pump, $117 less for a muffler, $50 less for front brake pads, $193 less for a starter, $229 less for fuel injection, $27 less for front struts and $207 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

The Ford Explorer outsold the Cadillac XT5 by almost seven to one during 2023.

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