Professionals: Super Cruise is great; The sports suspension is really sporty; spacious interior
Against: Uninspiring thrusters; small touchscreen; mediocre internal storage; less cargo space; bland design
Cadillacs, as is the case with many other automakers, has signaled its intention to fully electrify its range of cars, crossovers and SUVs. Today, however, the brand with the Wreath and Crest emblem still relies on internal combustion vehicles such as the 2024 Cadillac XT6. Back in 2020, when this three-row crossover was first introduced, we pointed out that it was pretty late to the party.
Not much has changed since then: a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine was added, a sporty trim was created, and General Motors’ class-leading Super Cruise hands-free drive technology was fitted, leaving the latecomer without much to go on. make it stand out from the rest of the premium SUV package.
None of this, it should be emphasized, makes the Cadillac XT6 a bad vehicle, or even a bad choice for a sizable portion of the buying public. However, with Super Cruise being the one key exception, the XT6Jane’s austere interior furnishings and simple driving dynamics mean she won’t be the best choice in the competitive segment in which she competes.
Interiors and technology | Passenger and cargo space | Performance and fuel economy
What’s it like to drive | Prices and trim levels | Crash ratings and safety features
What’s new for 2024?
Some colors disappear and some new colors take their place. That’s it for 2024. Last year, the Luxury trim got a standard 8-inch touchscreen, the Premium Luxury and Sport got standard GPS navigation, ventilated front seats, and heated outboard rear seats. These changes remain in effect for 2024 as well.
How are the interior and on-board technology of the XT6?
We will break it down into some parts. First, the overall design and materials of the Cadillac XT6 fall short of the quality standards of its competitors Accurate, Lexus, Lincoln or Volvo. The layout is good, most of the touchpoints are covered in leather or other quality material, and it is roomy and comfortable. But a closer look reveals that there’s a lot of black plastic with obvious moldings, and while the trim on the top-tier Sport model we tested was an interesting carbon-fiber pattern, the overall aesthetic wasn’t quite as luxurious as we might have expected. given the price of the XT6 (more on that later).
The technology is a mixed bag. Super Cruise impresses (read more about it in the safety section below), but the rest of the XT6’s tech suite is just decent and not the the latest and greatest Cadillac or General Motors inside general has to offer. The 8-inch touchscreen is neatly integrated into the dashboard, but it’s small by today’s standards. The Cadillac User Experience software is easy enough to use and has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is nice.
Finally, the functionality of the interior could be better. We like the sliding, damped cupholder lid, but the cupholders themselves are narrow, shallow, and don’t hold bottles in place well. We also like the handy angled wireless smartphone compartment hidden on the edge of the bin under the armrest, but then the bin in front of the shifter is small, oddly shaped, and not a snug fit, meaning it’s next to useless. There’s also space under the console, but as in other cars, it’s of negligible use.
How big is the XT6?
Cadillac prioritized passenger space with the XT6: even tall adults can fit comfortably in the third row. It’s more comfortable back there than in Volvo XC90, Lincoln aviator AND AudiQ7, while the XT6’s boxy shape makes things less claustrophobic. If there’s one complaint, it’s that the second row doesn’t slide as far forward for access as in GM’s other three-row SUVs. Space in the second row is also excellent, and our passengers back there loved the raised, theater-like seating position that makes it easier to see past front-seat passengers.
Unfortunately, the XT6 pays for this passenger-friendly space in terms of cargo capacity. As we found out in our luggage test, has one of the least useful cargo compartments with all three rows raised. Things are at least more competitive when the third row is down, but that’s something to keep in mind if you plan on using all rows for road trips.
What are the performance and fuel economy of the XT6?
Most Cadillac XT6 models come with a 3.6-liter V6 engine good for 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard, and all-wheel drive is an option. With this powerplant, the XT6 will go from zero to 60 mph in a rather pedestrian 6.9 seconds. Fuel economy is 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined with FWD and 18/25/20 mpg with AWD.
The base luxury model comes standard with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The power is the same as the compact XT4 crossover that uses the same engine, with 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated to the nine-speed automatic transmission and comes with front-wheel drive as standard — all-wheel drive is a $2,000 option. We haven’t driven an XT6 with this base engine; Regardless, we’re comfortable suggesting buyers stick with the V6, in part because fuel economy numbers of 23 mpg combined regardless of powertrain won’t save you much on gas.
Unlike most competitors, there’s neither a true performance upgrade nor a hybrid one.
What is it like to ride the XT6?
The main engine offering of the XT6 is effectively shared with the Chevy Traverse and other non-luxury GM vehicles, which may not be a problem per se, but it’s relatively raw and makes 310 horsepower. That’s not good enough in a segment where the Lincoln Aviator makes a standard 400 horsepower, the Volvo XC90 offers more engine upgrades (including a plug-in hybrid), and the Audi Q7 can put out 325 lb-ft of torque from its optional twin-turbo V6. There is little evidence to suggest that the turbocharged four-cylinder is a better choice.
On the plus side, the XT6 is quiet, and the available adaptive dampers soak up bumps in a wonderfully damped way befitting a luxury brand. While it’s built on the same platform that underpins the GMC Acadia AND Buick Enclave, feels like a more sophisticated car behind the wheel. Again, though, we have to consider the segment, and even the XT6 doesn’t do enough to stand out. Its handling lacks the verve of a Cadillac CT4 OR CT5 (the uncommunicative steering in particular is a real disappointment), nor does it lean towards the kind of super comfortable, grand touring experience one might expect from a giant Cadillac – and which Lincoln achieved with the Aviator.
What else can I read about the Cadillac XT6?
2020 Cadillac XT6 Sport Driver Notes Review
From the styling and interior to the engine and handling, the big Cart in its sportiest form it left our editors divided.
What features are available and what is the price of the XT6?
The 2024 Cadillac XT6 starts at $49,940 (all prices include $1,395 for Destination) for the base luxury trim with front-wheel drive. Premium Luxury is the next step up and brings with it the V6 engine and a starting price of $56,765. All-wheel drive is a $2,000 option for either of those first two trims. The Sport model comes with AWD only and starts at $61,440.
While Luxury and Premium Luxury represent the usual trim levels, with the latter overlaying substantially more standard equipment, the Sport goes further in many ways. It is available with all-wheel drive only and adds continuously variable shock absorbers that stiffen in Sport mode and an updated all-wheel drive system that adds dual clutches on the axles to aid in torque vectoring (great for inclement weather traction and improved handling) . And the steering ratio has changed to 15:1, as opposed to the 16:1 ratio used on Premium Luxury trim models. In other words, the Sport is more than just a cosmetic package, which is nice.
You can find a full breakdown of the XT6’s local features, specs, and pricing here Automatic blogging.
What are the safety features and crash ratings of the XT6?
Every 2024 XT6 comes standard with forward collision warning, an automatic low-speed emergency braking system, lane keep assist, blind spot and rear cross traffic warning systems, and GM’s Safety Alert seat that buzzes the sit in response to inputs from the above security systems. The Driver Assist package ($1,300) adds adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking and reverse automatic braking. The Enhanced Visibility and Technology package adds GM rearview mirror, a surround view parking system (with a VCR for safety), a head-up display, and a rear pedestrian alert system when reversing.
The $2,500 Super Cruise option (available on Premium Luxury and Sport trims) works just as well in the XT6 as it does in any of GM’s other lineups — which is to say, it’s actually quite good — but unfortunately it doesn’t work as many roads as some of GM’s latest vehicles with Super CruisAnd. If having even a limited version of the best driver assistance package available is important to you, this slightly more limited system works in your area and you’re buying a premium crossover, the XT6 needs to be on your list.
NHTSA awarded the XT6 a five-star safety rating, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the XT6 Top Safety Pick for its best possible performance in all crash tests, as well as the next-level performance of both its standard and the front optional safety systems. Its headlights earned an “Acceptable” rating – most do worse.
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