Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2016 Dodge Charger VS 2016 Cadillac XTS Near Phoenix, AZ

Both the Charger and the XTS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

There are almost 2 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Charger’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Charger has a standard 730-amp battery. The XTS’ 660-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The battery on the Charger is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures which can degrade battery life. By keeping the Charger’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The XTS’ battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2015 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge 18th in initial quality. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is ranked 21st.

The Charger has more powerful engines than the XTS:

As tested in Motor Trend the Charger R/T Scat Pack is faster than the Cadillac XTS V6:

On the EPA test cycle the Charger gets better fuel mileage than the XTS:

On the EPA test cycle the Charger R/T gets better fuel mileage than the XTS Vsport (16 city/25 hwy vs. 16 city/23 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down half of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Charger R/T’s fuel efficiency. The XTS doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

For better stopping power the Charger R/T Scat Pack’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XTS:

The Charger stops much shorter than the XTS:

The Charger has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Charger flat and controlled during cornering. The XTS’ suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Charger’s wheelbase is 8.5 inches longer than on the XTS (120.2 inches vs. 111.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Charger is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the XTS.

The Charger’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the XTS’ (57.8% to 42.2%). This gives the Charger more stable handling and braking.

The Charger R/T Scat Pack handles at .92 G’s, while the XTS AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Charger R/T Scat Pack executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the XTS AWD (25.3 seconds @ .8 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Charger’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the XTS’ (37.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Charger is 3.6 inches shorter than the XTS, making the Charger easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Charger has 1.1 inches more front hip room, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear legroom, 1.8 inches more rear hip room and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the XTS.

The Charger has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and fuel theft. The XTS doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Charger’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The XTS’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

Insurance will cost less for the Charger owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Charger will cost $765 less than the XTS over a five-year period.

The Charger will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. Kiplinger’s estimates that the Charger will retain a greater percentage of its original price after three and five years than the XTS.

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Dodge Charger will be $15214 to $27059 less than for the Cadillac XTS.

Both the Dodge Charger and Cadillac XTS won an award in Kiplinger’s 2015 car issue.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Charger first among large cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The XTS isn’t in the top three in its category.

 The Charger is ranked first in its class and received the 2015 “Total Quality Award.” The XTS is not ranked.

The Dodge Charger outsold the Cadillac XTS by over four to one during the 2015 model year.