2022 Cadillac XT5 vs 2023 Toyota Venza

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 had a design that fell somewhere between the Cyberpunk angularity of the Lexus NX and the more traditional styling of the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. It featured Cadillac’s trademark design cues, such as a bold grille, daytime running lights extending past the headlights, and vertical taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillacs. However, this combination created an odd mix with the XT5’s compact footprint and tall profile, making it unmistakably a Cadillac, but an ungainly one. The Premium Luxury and Sport models had slightly different exterior styling cues, with the former featuring bright chrome and the latter darker trim and a mesh grille. Standard 18-inch alloy wheels were included on the Luxury and Premium Luxury models, while the Sport models came with 20-inch wheels.

Inside, the XT5’s interior felt luxurious, especially with the optional Platinum Package, which added semi-aniline leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped instrument panel and door trim, a microfiber sueded headliner, and a heated steering wheel. Without this package, it was unclear if the XT5 met luxury-car standards. The interior design lacked a strong theme, unlike the Volvo XC60’s Swedish minimalism or the Lincoln Corsair’s Midcentury Modern look. It also didn’t have brand-specific markers like Audi, BMW, or Mercedes interiors, leaving little to remind occupants that they were in a Cadillac.

The 2023 Toyota Venza was a midsize crossover SUV with a sleek and sculpted design, more akin to a Lexus than a typical Toyota. Its rear roofline tapered sharply at the taillights, avoiding the weak appearance of some "coupe-like" SUVs. The contoured body was a departure from the typical Toyota, with harmonious curves reminiscent of a Mazda, and none of the awkward side bulges around the rear wheels seen in other Toyota SUVs.

Inside, the Venza borrowed heavily from the Toyota RAV4, with a similar dashboard and center stack. However, it dressed up the cabin with nicer materials and details, such as integrated buttons for temperature control and more soft-touch surfaces. The materials felt more substantial than the vinyl-like coverings in more affordable Toyota models, approaching Lexus' level of luxury. Overall, the 2023 Venza was attractively styled inside and out, standing out as one of the best-looking vehicles in Toyota's lineup.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with two engine options. The base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, standard on the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims, produced 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The 3.6-liter V6, standard on the XT5 Sport and optional on the Premium Luxury, delivered 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The V6-equipped Premium Luxury test car felt reasonably quick, with smooth and quick shifts from the transmission. The performance suspension with adaptive dampers, part of the optional Platinum Package, provided a comfortable ride, cushioning bumps while maintaining excellent body control. The steering was well-suited to a luxury vehicle, making the XT5 feel nimble without being overly sensitive. The cabin was impressively quiet, enhancing the luxury experience.

The 2023 Toyota Venza featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid system, producing a combined 219 horsepower. The hybrid system included electric motor/generators paired with a 1.6-kilowatt-hour nickel metal hydride battery pack. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) sent power to the front wheels, while a separate electric motor powered the rear wheels for all-wheel drive. The Venza accelerated to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, a respectable time for its class. The brakes, combining regenerative and physical braking, provided seamless transitions. The Venza prioritized ride comfort over sporty handling, with light steering effort and adequate handling for easy and calm transportation. The ride quality was smoother than the RAV4 Hybrid's, with enough compliance to absorb most road imperfections.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 offered favorable interior space compared to German luxury crossovers. It had more front headroom than the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, but less than the BMW X3. The XT5 trailed all three in rear headroom but had more legroom in both rows, though less front legroom than the Lincoln Corsair. The seats were fairly comfortable but could have used more padding, especially in the rear. The XT5 provided 30 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63 cubic feet with them folded, beating the Q5, X3, and GLC, but not the Infiniti QX50. A hands-free power liftgate was available. Up front, a small cubbyhole below the touchscreen was handy for small items, compensating for limited center console space.

The 2023 Toyota Venza's front seats offered ample space for taller occupants, enhanced by large windows and a panoramic sunroof. The Star Gaze panoramic roof could turn opaque at the touch of a button, a feature more common in luxury vehicles. Outward visibility was excellent, though the roof pillar behind the driver could block the blind spot. Rear visibility was limited, typical for SUVs. The rear seats were spacious enough for average adults, with abundant legroom and foot room. The Venza offered 28.8 cubic feet of cargo space, less than competitors like the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The Venza was not rated for towing. However, it excelled in holding smaller personal items, with a wireless phone charger, well-sized cupholders, a deep center armrest bin, and large door pockets.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. An 8-inch digital instrument cluster display and a head-up display were available in the optional Technology Package. While usability was improved over previous Cadillac systems, it still lagged behind other luxury brands in screen size, graphics, and voice-recognition tech. The touchscreen was easy to navigate, but secondary controls, including a rotary controller and capacitive touchpads, were not ideally placed and lacked physical feedback. The standard eight-speaker Bose audio system could be upgraded to a 14-speaker Bose Performance Series system, which produced excellent sound, enhanced by the XT5’s quiet interior.

The 2023 Toyota Venza featured wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a wireless charging pad. The base LE trim had an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, while the XLE trim and above offered a 12.3-inch display. The new infotainment system delivered sharp graphics, quick responses, and a logical menu structure. A Wi-Fi connection was available for a 30-day trial, including remote vehicle monitoring and control via a smartphone app. The top Limited trim came with a one-year trial subscription to Drive Connect services, which used Google map data for navigation. The base audio system had six speakers and satellite radio for a three-month trial. A nine-speaker JBL premium audio system was optional on the XLE trim and standard on the Limited model, offering punchier bass and better sound quality.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear park assist, automatic high-beam headlamps, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. The Safety Alert Seat vibrated when a warning system was triggered. An optional Driver Assist Package added adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and rear automatic braking. The Technology Package included rear pedestrian alert, a surround-vision camera system, night vision, and automatic parking assist. Blind-spot monitoring was available. The XT5 received top “Good” scores in all IIHS crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech with optional enhanced automatic emergency braking. However, it received a “Marginal” headlight rating and an “Acceptable” rating for LATCH child seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the XT5 a five-star overall safety rating.

The 2023 Toyota Venza scored five out of five stars in overall and side crash protection from the NHTSA, and four stars in frontal and rollover protection. The IIHS awarded the Venza its highest score of "Good" in most tests, except for an "Acceptable" rating in the new side impact test. It was named a Top Safety Pick. All Venzas came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure assist, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and a traffic sign reader. The XLE trim added front and rear parking sensors and reverse automatic emergency braking. The Limited trim included a surround-view camera system, head-up display, and digital rearview mirror. The safety features functioned smoothly, with no false alarms reported.