Compare the2025 Mazda CX-50VS 2025 Cadillac XT5

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-50 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 Mazda CX-50 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 CX-50 has standard Secondary Collision Reduction System, 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-50. But it costs extra on the XT5.

The CX-50 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 CX-50 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking on the Turbo Premium Plus 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 CX-50’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 CX-50 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 around view monitors.

The Mazda CX-50 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.

The CX-50’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the XT5’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Cadillac is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 9 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 49 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 271) than the XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mazda CX-50 turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Cadillac XT5 V6:

On the EPA test cycle the CX-50 gets better mileage than the XT5:

Regenerative brakes improve the CX-50 Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The XT5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CX-50 has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the XT5. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The CX-50 has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The XT5 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The CX-50 stops much shorter than the XT5:

For better traction, the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT5 (245/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s 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.

The CX-50 handles at .87 G’s, while the XT5 AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the CX-50 Hybrid’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the XT5’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The CX-50’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the XT5 w/20” wheels’ (36 feet vs. 39 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 2.5 S Premium Plus has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XT5 (8.6 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The CX-50 is 3.8 inches shorter than the XT5, making the CX-50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus is quieter than the XT5 AWD:

The CX-50 has .5 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more rear headroom and .8 inches more rear legroom than the XT5.

The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume than the XT5 with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 30 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CX-50 easier. The CX-50’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.4 inches, while the XT5’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

The CX-50’s cargo area is larger than the XT5’s in almost every dimension:

The CX-50’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT5’s (2000 vs. 1000 pounds).

The CX-50’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.

The CX-50’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 CX-50’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 CX-50 Turbo’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.

The CX-50 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the CX-50 will retain 53.88% to 56.04% of its original price after five years, while the XT5 only retains 46.63% to 47.63%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mazda CX-50 will be $12421 to $16728 less than for the Cadillac XT5.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-50 and the Cadillac XT5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Mazda CX-50 outsold the Cadillac XT5 by 66% during 2023.