Quintessential American premium SUV
Is Cadillac getting its mojo back? We were eager to find out with the company’s XT6 premium SUV!
To give you an idea, the XT6 is the fourth and latest of the Cadillac range of SUVs and is a 7-seater. It sits at the top of the XT range and fits in between the XT5 and the Escalade, the all-American full sized SUV, as they would say back there. It is bigger than any SUV we have in India although on the LA roads it seems just right.
The styling of the XT6 is rather staid though the front is impressive with a large grille, the nice Caddy badge sitting in its centre. On either side are these gaping air intakes with long vertical LED DRLs. Well that about all the excitement there is about design though 20 and 21in wheels do make the side profile interesting, the rear, though not as bland as the front is nothing to write about.
The interiors do look premium but are a big disappointment as they again seem to be from a previous generation especially if compared to some of the other SUVs in competition at the LA Drives. There is plenty of space though and even the third row is one of the most comfortable I have seen in SUVs of about 5m in length. The SUV is loaded with comfort and convenience features starting from USB ports at each seat to wireless charging, surround camera view and a 14-speaker Bose audio system. There are a whole lot of driver assistance and safety features as well including radar based ones like adaptive cruise control as well as night vision.
The V6 engine is smooth and mated to the nine speed automatic transmission that isn’t as quick as some of the other modern ones, makes for a good powertrain option. Good but not exciting. It misses the low end diesel like grunt that comes with modern turbocharged engines though it can function as a four-cylinder engine when extra power is not required.
The XT moniker stands for crossover touring and it seems that the XT6 is a crossover made for just that. While it drives well without being sporty on the mountain roads, its inherent strength is cruising on the highways. I am left with the feeling that if I was driving the XT6 about 5 years back, I would have been impressed. It seems that the latest SUV from Cadillac is a case of too little too late.