Compare the2025 BMW X1VS 2025 Cadillac XT5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The BMW X1 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help 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 X1 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies 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 X1. But it costs extra on the XT5.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the X1’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The XT5 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The X1 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 and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the X1 has standard Cross Traffic Warning with braking function and automatically engage the brakes. 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 X1’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 X1 and the XT5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the BMW X1 is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

	X1	XT5
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31.9%	37%
Neck Stress	135 lbs.	155 lbs.

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 BMW X1 is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

	X1	XT5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	77	112
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	142 lbs.	151 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	102	183
Hip Force	676 lbs.	825 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	230	399
Hip Force	648 lbs.	799 lbs.

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

Warranty

The X1’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the XT5’s (12 vs. 6 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X1 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Cadillac only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the XT5.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the X1 has a standard 210-amp alternator. The XT5’s standard 170-amp alternator and largest (V6 without Towing Package) 155-amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Cadillac.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac With 6 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks BMW higher than Cadillac.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 13 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

Engine

The X1 xDrive28i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 6 more horsepower (241 vs. 235) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 258) than the XT5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The X1 xDrive28i’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 24 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 271) than the XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6. The X1 M35i xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 3 more horsepower (313 vs. 310) and 24 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 271) than the XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the BMW X1 is faster than the Cadillac XT5 V6:

	X1 xDrive28i	X1 M35i xDrive	XT5
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	4.7 sec	6.6 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	14.3 sec	11.7 sec	17.8 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.6 sec	5.9 sec	7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	13.3 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	99 MPH	106 MPH	93 MPH
Top Speed	149 MPH	155 MPH	130 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the X1 gets better mileage than the XT5:

			MPG
X1
	AWD	xDrive28i 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy
		M35i 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy
XT5
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the X1’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The XT5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The X1 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.

Transmission

The X1 offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The XT5 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The X1’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The XT5 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the X1 M35i xDrive’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the XT5:

	X1 M35i xDrive	XT5
Front Rotors	15.2 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.4 inches

The X1 stops much shorter than the XT5:

	X1	XT5
70 to 0 MPH	162 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X1’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT5 (245/45R19 vs. 235/65R18).

The X1’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 X1’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the XT5’s optional 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The X1’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56.7% to 43.3%) than the XT5’s (58.2% to 41.8%). This gives the X1 more stable handling and braking.

The X1 M35i xDrive handles at .88 G’s, while the XT5 AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The X1 M35i xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the XT5 AWD (25.9 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.1 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the X1’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the XT5’s (38.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The X1’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 X1 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XT5 (8.1 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the X1 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The X1 xDrive28i is 1 foot shorter than the XT5, making the X1 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The X1 has 2.4 inches more front headroom and .9 inches more rear headroom than the XT5.

Towing

The X1’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT5’s (3500 vs. 1000 pounds).

Ergonomics

If the windows are left open on the X1 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the XT5 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The X1’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.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X1 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The XT5 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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 X1’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the XT5’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The BMW X1 has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW X1 and the Cadillac XT5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X1 second among small premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The XT5 isn’t in the top three in its category.

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