The Cadillac XT6 is the 3-row crossover from Caddy, with all the family friendliness that implies. It’s big, it’s luxurious, and it’s beautifully comfortable. Kristin walks us through the big crossover and talks about its features, it’s good points, a few low points, and her overall impressions of this lux vehicle.
Cadillac adds a new SUV to the family
The 2020 Cadillac XT6 is an all-new three-row crossover with room for up to seven passengers with a spacious and luxurious interior. Consumers are moving away from sedans toward more versatile SUVs and crossovers and the XT6 is Cadillac’s effort to lure those customers.
There’s a choice of only two trims, both of which offer an upscale, luxury experience. This is a Cadillac, after all, and that badge means you ride in luxury no matter which trim you choose. This includes a wide range of safety features, a powerful engine, and an elegant interior.
Power for the XT6 comes from a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque paired to a 9-speed automatic transmission. This is a large vehicle, but it has no trouble getting up to speed and easily merges into heavy highway traffic. While the XT6 is responsive and powerful, it’s never harsh.
This isn’t an SUV that focuses only on power. When you hit the gas pedal, the engine responds in kind, but acceleration is smooth and quiet. You hear the engine, but it in no way intrudes on the passenger experience. The 9-speed transmission works unnoticed in the background further enhancing the ride quality for passengers.
Luxury looks inside and out
The XT6 puts a priority on luxury starting with bold exterior styling. The Sport has a black grille, window moldings and roof rails and the option for 21-inch wheels. The Premium Luxury takes a more traditional approach with bright finishes and its own unique wheel treatment. Each has a distinct look, but both are unmistakably Cadillac.
A long list of standard features includes leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, power liftgate, tri-zone automatic climate control, and a power-fold third row. That power-folding third row makes it easy to switch between passengers and cargo and takes the stress out of reconfiguring the seating as your needs change. Options include a heated second row, and a variety of packages that add carbon fiber, wood, and premium leather accents. The XT6 is the perfect vehicle for simply relaxing and enjoying the trip.
There’s seating for seven with optional second-row captain’s chairs that take seating down to six, but offer a more comfortable ride. Either way, the second row is spacious with plenty of headroom and legroom. Even the dreaded middle seat isn’t such a bad deal and won’t leave that passenger anxious for the trip to be over.
The third row in any SUV is tough for adults, but the XT6 has enough room for all but the tallest passengers in its third row. Kids will find it downright spacious and something of an escape that lets them sit in their own little world away from the boring adults up front.
Stay connected and entertained
Infotainment features an 8-inch touchscreen, wi-fi connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and 6 USB ports spread across all three rows. There’s also a new controller to make navigating the system easier. Rather than a rotary dial that only spins, it tips like a joystick controller for a game console. It’s a small change, but one that makes the system easier to operate.
The 2020 Cadillac XT6 has a wide range of standard and available safety features along with excellent crash test results. It earned an overall 5 stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2020 Top Safety Pick+.
Standard safety includes forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, front and rear park assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. Available features include reverse automatic braking, and night vision, which uses infrared sensors to see obstacles you might not otherwise see in the dark.
The Premium Luxury starts at $52,695 with front-wheel drive or $55,690 with all-wheel drive. The Sport has standard all-wheel drive with pricing from $57,095. The all-new 2020 Cadillac XT6 is a full-size SUV that delivers a genuine luxury experience with the prestige of the Cadillac brand.
In this episode, Kristin interviews Gary Mack, part of the design team at Cadillac. They look at the new three-row XT6 crossover and talk about its design elements and comfort features for family driving. Whatever “family” means to you, the XT6 can probably accommodate. The focus of this interview is on women, who make up about half of all Cadillac buyers now.