Cadillac's midsize luxury crossover delivers on space and quietness but trails the segment in cabin refinement and tech polish. The exterior still looks sharp, and if you need three rows of seating with a premium badge, it checks that box without fuss. The interior materials and infotainment, though, feel a generation behind Lexus and the Germans, acceptable for daily hauling, underwhelming if you're cross-shopping aggressively. The 2024 transmission hiccups have been addressed, but the XT5's bigger problem is that it's standing still while competitors sprint ahead. Buy it if you're a Cadillac loyalist who values space over cutting-edge design. Skip it if you expect your luxury SUV to feel modern past the first lease cycle.
Toyota built a reputation on the 2008-2022 Sequoia's unkillable 5.7L V8, owners routinely cruise past 300k miles on oil changes alone, and one just hit 500k before needing spark plugs. The 2023 redesign looks sharp and the 437-hp hybrid hauls hard, but the cargo area is a mess: the battery placement means the third row won't fold flat, leaving you with a stepped floor where the Tahoe gives you actual usable space. The twin-turbo V6 is unproven long-term, fuel economy still hovers around 16 mpg, and you're paying $75k+ for the privilege. If you need three-row towing muscle and don't mind dated tech, hunt down a clean second-gen and enjoy bulletproof engineering. If you want the new one, load it with your actual gear first, that weird tiered trunk might be a dealbreaker, and at this price the American competition suddenly looks reasonable.