Compare the2025 Lincoln AviatorVS 2025 Cadillac XT5

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Aviator 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.

Both the Aviator and XT5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Aviator 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 XT5’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.

The Lincoln Aviator 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 Aviator 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 Aviator’s optional Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The XT5 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Aviator 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 Aviator has standard Cross-Traffic Alert and Rear 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 Aviator’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 Aviator 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 and available all wheel drive.

The Lincoln Aviator weighs 407 to 947 pounds more than the Cadillac XT5. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

	Aviator	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 Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

	Aviator	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.

Warranty

The Aviator’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the XT5’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

The Lincoln Aviator’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the XT5’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Aviator 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.

Engine

The Aviator’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 165 more horsepower (400 vs. 235) and 157 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 258) than the XT5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Aviator’s 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 Motor Trend the Lincoln Aviator is faster than the Cadillac XT5 V6:

	Aviator	XT5
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	6.5 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	15.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.7 MPH	92.6 MPH

Transmission

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

Brakes and Stopping

The Aviator stops shorter than the XT5:

	Aviator	XT5
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Aviator has larger standard tires than the XT5 (255/55R20 vs. 235/65R18). The Aviator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT5 (275/40R22 vs. 235/65R18).

The Aviator’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 XT5’s standard 65 series tires. The Aviator’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the XT5’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the XT5. The Aviator’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the XT5.

Suspension and Handling

The Aviator has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Aviator’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 XT5 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Aviator’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 Aviator’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 Aviator is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than on the XT5.

The Aviator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51% to 49%) than the XT5’s (58.2% to 41.8%). This gives the Aviator more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the Aviator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XT5 (8.7 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the Aviator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Aviator Reserve/Black Label uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The XT5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

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

The Aviator has 36.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XT5 (140.6 vs. 104.5).

The Aviator has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front legroom, 2.4 inches more front hip room, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 3.5 inches more rear hip room and 5 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT5.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Aviator	XT5
Third Seat Folded	41.8 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	30 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	77.7 cubic feet	63 cubic feet

Towing

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

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Aviator 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

The Aviator’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 XT5’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Aviator the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the XT5 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Aviator’s 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 Aviator’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 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 Aviator’s available headlights were rated “Good” 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 Aviator’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 Aviator to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The XT5 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Aviator has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The XT5 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Aviator 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 is only available on the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport.

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lincoln Aviator has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers wireless charging.

The Aviator 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 XT5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

The Aviator will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Aviator will retain 50.49% to 57.9% of its original price after five years, while the XT5 only retains 46.63% to 47.63%.