2022 Cadillac XT5 Pros vs Cons

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 is a small sized, compact luxury SUV. The interior effortlessly offers the comfort, versatility and spaciousness that one would expect from a brand like Cadillac. The XT5's visionary exterior brims with cosmopolitan confidence that will make you own the asphalt runway. There's a lot of room for your cargo in this compact SUV. It also offers excellent performance.

With compact SUVs and crossover vehicles are currently popping all over the market, the Cadillac XT5 faces a lot of competition. Thankfully, the numbers decline a bit when we only take luxury vehicles into account. The two strongest rivals of the XT5 in 2022 will be the BMW X3 and the Volvo XC60.

Here's a rundown of what's new with the XT5 for 2022 and how it stacks up to its top two competitors. Also covered will be ten of the best reasons to buy a new 2022 Cadillac XT5. There are also a handful of unfortunate negatives for the XT5. Potential buyers should be aware of these before making any final decisions on a purchase.

What's New for 2022?

Cadillac hasn't made any major changes for the XT5 in 2022. The Sport gets some upgraded brakes by Brembo, the innovator and manufacturer of high performance brake systems. These come with eye-catching front and rear red painted calipers for some visual flair. For a powerful sports car, upgraded brakes are a good addition to provide that much needed precise, consistent braking.

Ten Reasons You May Like the 2022 Cadillac XT5 – The Pros

1. The Sharp Exterior Style

Cadillac has always been known for their stunning cars. This is a brand that many want to own as a status symbol. The XT5 has a mouth-watering beautiful shape. Its distinctive grille designs and finishes give the XT5 a bold face, whilst clean lines and elegant curves perfectly meet the jewel headlamps and taillamps for unmistakable style. Cadillac offers a number of different paint schemes and wheel designs. Glossy black body-side moldings and trim is available as well.

2. A Luxurious Interior

Suited for greatness, the Cadillac XT5's interior is a haven that everyone dreams of being in. There's a standard Dual-Zone Climate Control to keep everyone comfortable and an Air Ionizer that filters the air  of pollen, odors and dust. The front seats have 6-way power adjustments with 2-way adjustable lumbar support. A humidity detector takes things one step further to produce a perfect environment. The premium materials, expert craftsmanship and strong finish are all impeccable inside of the XT5.

3. Room for All of Your Cargo

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 has a bigger and more reconfigurable cargo hold than most vehicles in its class. An area organizer, cargo net and cargo tie-downs are all available as well. With a whole carload full of passengers, one can still get 30 cubic-feet of cargo stowed away in the back. By folding the rear seats down flat, this can be greatly expanded. The XT5 has a maximum cargo volume of 63 cubic-feet.

4. Room for Family and Friends

Not only does the 2022 Cadillac XT5 offer plenty of room for hauling cargo, but it's a capable people hauler too. There's ample room for up to five people to ride comfortably. Overall, there's an amazing 104.5 cubic-feet of passenger space crammed into this compact luxury vehicle. There's plenty of headroom and legroom both up from and in the back too.

5. The High-Tech Infotainment System

Cadillac spared no expense for the infotainment system in the XT5. The standard audio setup for all trim levels is a premium stereo and eight speakers by Bose. This can even be upgraded to a Bose Performance Series System with 14 speakers. There's an 8-inch multi-touch color screen and Voice Recognition Technology. A navigation system is included on the higher trim levels.

6. Strong Performance

The Cadillac XT5 merges luxury with refined power and speed with two engine choices. The base model runs on a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. For the ultimate in power and performance, there's also an available V6 engine, standing apart with 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque.

7. Excellent Handling

Steering and handling are strong points for the 2022 Cadillac XT5. For the best handling, there's the Sport trim level. This model has all-wheel drive with a twin clutch to make the handling even better. The XT5 glides on curvy roads effortlessly. There's a tight turning radius that makes this compact SUV easy to maneuver.

8. The Smooth Ride Quality

Cadillac is esteemed for their smooth rides and the latest XT5 is no exception to this law. There's a 4-wheel independent suspension system for improved ride and handling and does a fantastic job of soaking up every bump in the road.

9. Available AWD

Cadillac gives the freedom of all-wheel drive on most trim levels of the 2022 XT5. This makes for better overall steering and handling. It also makes the vehicle safer to drive over slick pavement or during inclement weather.  It even adds to the performance, giving the XT5 better acceleration from a dead stop.

10. Over 20 Safety and Driver-Assist Features

Cadillac offers an extremely high number of modern driver-assist features at every trim level. Seven airbags is standard across the board. Every model also gets Electronic Traction Control to make for a safer driving experience in all weather. A Rear-Vision Camera and Tire-Pressure Monitoring System are standard features as well.

When it comes to driver-assist tech, the XT5 gets Lane-Keep Assist with Lane-Departure Warning, Lane-Change Alert with Side Blind-Zone Alert and Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking. HD Surround Vision and Night Vision features use technology to enhance the driver's awareness of their surroundings.

Reasons You May Not Like the 2022 Cadillac XT5 – The Cons

1. Small Exterior Mirrors

The exterior mirrors on the 2022 Cadillac XT5 are strangely small. This is simply a poor design. Some may be wondering why this is such a big deal, but it does matter. It makes it hard to use the mirrors for their intended purpose, to see surrounding traffic. The small mirrors leave way too big of a blind-spot.

2. Some Outside Noise

While the Cadillac XT5 does provide a smooth ride, the cabin is not always as quiet as it should be. Since Cadillac usually sound proofs their cabins well, this is a bit disappointing. There's no vibrations and little engine noise, but the poor sound proofing lets in too much of everything else.

3. Lack of Small-Item Storage

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 could use some more pockets, cubbyholes, cup holders and other spaces to store small items. Some may overlook these minor inconveniences of the interior design when test driving an XT5. Once you drive an XT5 for an extended period of time, however, these omissions can become annoying.

4. Average Fuel Economy

It cannot be said that the XT5 has a bad fuel-economy, but its a fact that many of its competitors offer better. The 2.0L Turbo engine gives 22 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the highway for a combined fuel-economy rating of 24 mpg. The 3.6L V6 engine offers 18 miles per gallon in the city, 26 on the highway and 21 in combined driving. While these numbers aren't bad, they could have been better.

How It Stacks Up to the Competition:

2022 Cadillac XT5 vs 2022 BMW X3

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 and the 2022 BMW X3 are both compact luxury SUVs. Both have almost identical starting prices with the Cadillac being just a bit more expensive. These two SUVs are attractive and stylish. Which one looks better will entirely be up to the buyer. On the inside, they have equally comfortable seats and a comparable amount of standard features.

The BMW interior is more upscale overall. The Cadillac offers a lot more cargo space and room for passengers to stretch out in. The extra interior space may just put the Cadillac XT5 over the edge as the most comfortable of the two vehicles. The ride quality is fantastic in both of these luxury SUVs.

Horsepower, torque and fuel economy are too similar to matter here, at least when comparing the base trim levels. The Cadillac has better steering dynamics and handling. It's more fun to drive. With the roomier interior and extra cargo space, the XT5 squeezes by the BMW X3 as the best vehicle here.

2022 Cadillac XT5 vs 2022 Volvo XC60

When comparing the Cadillac XT5 to Volvo's XC60, the Cadillac is marginally more expensive at the base trim level. The Volvo is marginally more expensive when comparing the top trim levels. The price shouldn't really factor into anyone's decision here. Both have 2.0-liter turbocharged engines with the same amount of torque. The Volvo has slightly more horsepower.

 

The Cadillac prides in a stronger V6 engine, making it the ultimate winner for the most horsepower from a gas engine. However, the Volvo does offer a plug-in hybrid, which is a good option if you want to go green or save some money at the gas station. Unlike the Volvo, the Cadillac has all-wheel-drive and better steering and control.

The Cadillac has the nicer interior and more standard features. It also offers a nicer overall ride quality. Unless getting a hybrid vehicle is a priority, the 2022 Cadillac XT5 will be the better choice for most buyers. It by far offers the best value between these two vehicles.

Conclusion

It's easy to recommend the 2022 Cadillac XT5 to anyone looking for a smaller luxury SUV. This compact car is big on cargo space and passenger room. It's attractive on the outside and on the inside. It's comfortable, luxurious and well equipped with convenience, entertainment and safety features. The Cadillac XT5 also holds up well when compared to any other vehicle in its class.