2021 CADILLAC XT6
A Cadillac with three rows of seats, but without the Escalade’s hefty size or price
As with all of General Motors’ vehicle divisions, Cadillac offers multiple types and sizes of utility vehicles along with a wide range of powertrains. The XT6 the newest and is also one of the larger members of the group.
Slotted between the fivepassenger XT5 and the eight-passenger Escalade, the XT6 has room for up to seven souls spread across three rows of seats (or six people with the optional secondrow bucket seats).
The XT6 is built on the XT5’s platform and comes from the same Tennessee plant, along with the GMC Acadia. Although the distance between the front and rear wheels is identical for both Caddys, the XT6 is about nine inches longer, 2.3 inches wider and three inches taller.
The XT6 even looks like the XT5, with an understated front-end design. The XT6’s roofline slopes to a lesser degree than the XT5’s, and the liftgate is more vertical, which helps provide third-row riders a reasonable amount of headroom and anti-claustrophobia side glass. Similar to the third rows of competing models, in the XT6 adultsized occupants sit close to the floor with their knees pointing upward.
The squared-off shape means 25-percent-greater cargo capacity than the XT5 has, with the rear rows folded forward.
With the third-row bench in use, there’s not a great deal of stowage space to be had in the XT6.
Similarities between the two models carry through to the interior where the two dashboards differ only slightly. The XT6’s unconventional gear changer takes some getting used to since you toggle, rather than shift, your selections.
Before the XT6, the only way to get three rows of seats in Cadillac was to buy an Escalade, which is substantially more money. Or, go with the smaller XT5 and settle for two . rows of seats. PHOTO: CADILLAC Beside it, a rotary dial controls the various functions (i.e. infotainment, navigation, etc.) displayed on the eight-inch touch-screen.
The XT6 scores points for its supportive, yet cushy seats and a whisper-quiet interior that contributes to an enjoyable firstclass ride.
For 2021, the XT6 adds a turbocharged 2.0-liter base engine that delivers 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The formerly standard 3.6-liter V-6 with 310 horsepower and 271 poundfeet is now optional.
Base fuel economy is pegged at 21 mpg city, 27 on the highway and 23 combined.
According to Cadillac, the V-6equipped XT6 hits 60 mph from rest in 6.9 seconds (Cadillac has not provided times for the four-cylinder). That’s reasonably rapid for a vehicle weighing in the 4,400-4,600-pound range. The power is plentiful and comes on seamlessly.
The nine-speed automatic transmission — common to both engines — also reacts quickly and always seems to be in the right gear, no matter the speed or the throttle position.
Although front-wheel-drive is standard with the $49,000 (including destination charges) base Luxury trim level, most buyers will likely opt for the $2,000 all-wheel-drive that’s offered with either engine.
The Luxury comes with tri-zone climate control, leather upholstery, power liftgate, power-folding thirdrow seat, panoramic sunroof and an eight-speaker Bose-brand audio system, to name just some of the standard goodies.
The XT6 Sport adds all-wheeldrive plus blacked-out grille and trim, carbon-fiber interior bits, heavy-duty cooling system and a dynamic (constantly adjusting) suspension. This feature allows all available torque to be directed to either outside wheel when turning (torque vectoring).
Options for the Luxury and Sport include automatic parking assist, trailer hitch guidance (the XT6 has a 4,000-pound towing capacity), reverse automatic braking, headup information display and an infrared nightvision camera that can detect and track otherwise unseen people or animals beyond headlight range.
For families with kids and/or for people requiring more cargo room, selecting the XT6 over the XT5 might be the smart play, especially when considering the extra cost of stepping up to the Escalade.