Cadillac’s XT6 is a mid-size crossover styled to have the highway presence of a child Escalade. Cadillac is leaning closely into expertise because it strikes ahead and makes its semi-autonomous Tremendous Cruise and automated parking out there on the higher trims of the XT6. The premium three-row crossover boasts loads of room inside, glorious security rankings, and begins at $49,990 for the front-wheel-drive mannequin powered by a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Ideally, you will wish to go up the trim ranges and get the 310-horsepower V6 engine for extra comfy cruising.
The Cadillac XT6 is a extra reasonably priced premium stage three-row crossover and goes up towards automobiles just like the Lincoln Aviator and the tech-heavy Acura MDX. We have famous in earlier evaluations that the XT6 is not as refined as its opponents, although. For 2023, the one updates are three new paint choices and a few customary creature comforts on the mid- and top-spec trims, so we’re taking one other take a look at the XT6 with a highway journey, around-town driving, and a few again highway exploring to see if that opinion nonetheless holds towards the competitors.
Exterior: Street Presence
Certainly one of our favourite issues in regards to the XT6 is, admittedly, subjective. Whereas it has the design language of the imposing Escalade, together with the blade-style tail lights and expansive grille, we predict the XT6 is measured completely. With out the aggressive dimension and the understated styling, it is a extra refined look. Whereas we do not usually like black for a automotive, our Premium Luxurious AWD tester completely fits the Stellar Black Metallic paint.
Vertical LED daytime working lights draw your eye to the slender LED headlights. The sharp creases cannot cover the very fact the XT6 is a blocky crossover, however not all people needs their crossover to appear like a sporty hatchback because it is not one. Base fashions roll on 18-inch wheels, whereas mid-range fashions like our tester and top-end trims run on 20-inch gadgets – 21-inch alloys can be found for some trims. On the 18 and 20-inch wheels, Cadillac does not go for loopy low-profile tires, which we admire on a car constructed for consolation.
Inside: A Little Disappointing
Trendy leather-based is thinner however extra sturdy and fairly straightforward to look after, and is used generously all through the cabin. The supplies and styling are there within the Cadillac to place it within the premium bracket. Nonetheless, there’s nothing that elevates it above the competitors – no opulent wooden trim, fantastically completed metallic, or exemplary construct high quality. The XT6 does not disappoint in area and luxury, with legroom for adults within the center seats and sufficient for youths within the again row. You may configure the XT6 with both two captain’s chairs or a bench seat for the middle row. With captain’s chairs, the XT6 is a seven-seater, however with the center bench seat optioned, it could accommodate eight individuals in complete.
Options and tech are stable and make for a very good promoting level, with heated energy entrance seats, cruise management, a sunroof, HD rearview digital camera, and a very good driver show geared up as customary. The eight-inch touchscreen infotainment display options wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as customary gear. An eight-speaker Bose audio system is provided from the bottom mannequin up, with a 14-speaker Bose system out there as an improve. Nonetheless, our opinion is {that a} Bose system is a disappointment in any car until you want unfastened boomy bass and overly vibrant fatiguing treble. It is time automakers stopped attempting to move Bose’s crappy sound tuning as a premium characteristic.
Drivetrain: Peaks And Valleys
First, we have pushed the 237-hp four-cylinder turbo mannequin, and it is solely simply sufficient for a car of this dimension. The three.6-liter engine on increased trim fashions will not be new, but it surely’s stable and makes 310 hp with 271 lb-ft. It is an easy cruising engine, and the nine-speed transmission is usually {smooth}. We are saying “principally” as a result of when driving round city, the throttle will be twitchy at low speeds and the transmission jarring. Nonetheless, when the pedal goes to the ground for accelerating onto a freeway or passing unnecessarily gradual site visitors, its straining takes you out of the premium expertise. When you speed up arduous from a cease, say from site visitors lights and onto a ramp to affix the freeway, until you’ve got and are particularly in all-wheel-drive mode, the torque steer is heavy. The XT6 feels prefer it ought to be rear-wheel drive, but it surely’s not, and on all-wheel-drive fashions, the all-wheel-drive system will not be everlasting.
On The Street: Extra Peaks And Valleys
The experience on any mannequin XT6 is {smooth}, even on unhealthy roads like on our beforehand talked about highway journey. It is a pretty automotive to place freeway miles on, notably with Tremendous Cruise optioned – and you will discover a full assessment of Tremendous Cruise right here. Seat consolation can also be glorious over hours of driving, and the driving force show is among the finest we have seen over the previous yr. The steering is gentle and direct, which this driver appreciated, though different DrivingOnRoad reviewers did not admire simply how gentle it’s. With the bigger engine, the XT6 does not really feel overly heavy, nor does it pitch and roll in corners. It isn’t precisely a serene luxurious expertise driving the XTC round, however extra of an govt enterprise vibe.
Ought to You Select The Cadillac XT6?
We’re torn on the XT6 in relation to recommending it. The crossover ticks many bins, together with these for glorious security rankings, customary options (we notably admire that blind spot monitoring does not are available in a further package deal), experience consolation, and inside consolation over lengthy journeys. The parking help is great when geared up, and Tremendous Cruise is a useful driver support. It does not fairly have the eye to element we anticipate, although. The throttle response subject should not be there, and the cabin ought to supply extra luxurious for the cash on the upper trims.
Nonetheless, it is the center trim we suggest if an XT6 is what your coronary heart needs most. The bottom trim is known as Luxurious, but it surely’s not overly luxurious, and the weak engine highlights that. Premium Luxurious is the trim to go for at $56,190 with front-wheel-drive or $58,190 with all-wheel-drive. The Sport trim tops the quick lineup at $61,490, but it surely’s largely pointless – not as a result of it is not an improve with its dual-clutch system, 22-inch wheels, and Brembo brakes, however as a result of it defeats the aim of the XT6.
On high of the $56,190 for the Premium Luxurious trim, you will need the Tremendous Cruise package deal for $2,500 and perhaps the driving force help package deal to spherical off the XT6, placing you over $60,000 with supply fees and one other $2,000 so as to add all-wheel-drive. At that time, the Acura MDX, with its customary V6 engine and glorious all-wheel-drive system for $51,750, begins trying extra engaging by way of value and perhaps seems to be for those who favor one thing extra closely stylized. Acura does not supply an equal of Tremendous Cruise, although.
We wish to love the XT6, but it surely wants some extra refinement to suggest over the competitors wholeheartedly. The expertise is there, its security scores are confidence-inspiring, the styling is impeccable, the experience high quality is great, and the inside is comfy. It is simply lacking the ultimate components of what a Cadillac mannequin ought to have – a super-smooth drivetrain and a few real opulence inside. Whereas we won’t wholeheartedly suggest it, we actually would not put anybody off contemplating it strongly and taking a take a look at drive. It simply could be the proper crossover for you.