The XT6 is a brand new mannequin for Cadillac and its first three-row unibody SUV in over a decade, nevertheless it is not fairly “all-new.” Beneath the brand new design are acquainted bones: a platform and powertrain shared with different GM SUVs, from the Buick Enclave to the Chevrolet Blazer to Cadillac’s personal XT5.
LikeSharp exterior design and spacious cabin.Updated infotainment is a large enchancment.Comfortable and quiet, even with Sport upgrades.
Don’t LikeCadillac’s Super Cruise tech is not out there… but.The Lincoln Aviator is a approach better option.
Enlarged designWhen you get right down to it, the XT6 is principally a barely bigger model of the Cadillac XT5. The XT6 is longer (198.8 inches versus 189.6) however with a wheelbase that, at 112.7 inches, is barely 0.2-inch longer than the smaller mannequin. The additional size frees up area for the aforementioned third row, bumping capability as much as seven passengers — or six with the non-obligatory second-row captains chairs. The way-back can also be pretty spacious, claiming a beneficiant 37.2 inches of headroom and 29.5 inches of legroom for third-row passengers. The spaciousness extends to the cargo space the place the XT6 boasts 12.6 cubic toes behind the motorized third-row bench and as much as 78.7 cubes with each rows tucked away — about 16 cubic toes greater than its smaller XT5 sibling.The bigger XT6 wears Cadillac’s present design language effectively and I like its sharp styling, which is capped off by even sharper vertical LED taillamps and daytime operating lights up entrance. The Sport Platinum mannequin you see right here additionally featured gloss black trim, which helps the jewel-like LED headlamps pop, in addition to a dark-mesh grille. Meanwhile, the flanks are stuffed by 20-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, the XT6 Sport Platinum is fairly darn luxurious, with good leather-based seats for all three rows, leather-based trim and woven carbon-copper accents. Some may name this look dated — and I see the place they’re coming from — however I kinda dig it. At the very least, it is rather a lot higher put collectively than a few of Cadillac’s different current merchandise.
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2020 Cadillac XT6: Stylish, sporty, seats for 7
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Driver support and security techGoing with the Platinum trim degree additionally rolls in nearly each tech bell and whistle in Caddy’s arsenal, from a Bose efficiency audio system — which lives on the excessive finish of “sounds pretty good” however not fairly “audiophile” — to a full suite of driver-assistance and security tech.
Cadillac’s three-row SUV is much like the GMC Acadia size-wise.
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This examples comes with adaptive cruise management that works in stop-and-go visitors and full-speed automated emergency braking that additionally works when reversing, which is a good security internet when backing out of a parking area. For stepping into areas, the XT6 can benefit from automated parking help that may each parallel and reverse-perpendicular park, and encompass imaginative and prescient cameras that support when doing it your self. The cameras pull double-duty if you’re away from the SUV, working as digital video recorders that may seize proof of door dings and fender benders. This feed is shipped to an SD card within the glove compartment.
Of the myriad choices out there on this Sport Platinum mannequin, the one I’d skip is the $2,000 night time imaginative and prescient improve. Between the superb LED headlamps and the automated high-beam help, I believe infrared night time imaginative and prescient of very restricted utility is sort of pointless, and would relatively maintain my eyes centered via the windshield relatively than continuously glancing on the instrument cluster show. New CUE infotainmentOne of the most important enhancements the XT6 ushers in is the brand new era of Cadillac User Experience (CUE) infotainment. The new customary system is basically a re-skin of the superb GM Infotainment 3 system that you’re going to discover within the new Chevrolet Blazer and the just lately reviewed Buick Enclave.The new 8-inch touchscreen interface could be very phone-esque with an icon-based dwelling show and a bar for shortcuts alongside the decrease edge, which makes hopping between the completely different capabilities fast and straightforward. The entire setup needs to be intuitive to anybody who’s used a contemporary smartphone and is definitely customizable by holding and dragging icons across the dwelling display.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are customary for individuals who’d relatively convey their very own apps and maps, however the OEM software program features a plethora of widespread 4G LTE-connected apps of its personal, from Spotify to Glympse to iHeartRadio and extra. Even the onboard navigation is improved with options like predictive route ideas and linked vacation spot search.Factor within the subscription-based OnStar 4G LTE connectivity that powers cloud-based person profile syncing, distant automobile monitoring and onboard Wi-Fi hotspot for as much as 10 gadgets — just a few months of free service are included to get you began — and Cadillac’s dashboard is a revolution over the previous CUE tech, which was fairly horrible.Like the opposite variations of Infotainment 3, the brand new CUE is a touchscreen system, however differs from the remainder with the addition of a bodily management wheel on the middle console. This permits the interface to be navigated with a twist or faucet, and options {hardware} shortcuts for quantity, skip, map, cellphone and audio supply. The controller would not work nice with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay and is not as intuitive as simply touching the display, nevertheless it’s good that the choice is there for individuals who choose bodily controls.The XT6 ushers in a brand new and improved era of dashboard tech based mostly on GM’s Infotainment 3 suite.
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On the streetLike its sibling and platform-mates, the 2020 XT6 is powered by GM’s LGX 3.6-liter V6 engine coupled with a nine-speed automated transmission. Output is rated at 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. (Convert the torque determine to Newton-meters and also you get 367 which, liberally rounded up, is the way you clarify that silly “400” badge on the tailgate.)The XT6’s V6 is easy on the low- to midrange, if a bit wheezy on the prime finish. This looks like a snug workhorse of an engine for extra relaxed family-hauling, grocery-getting driving kinds — which is according to my observations with the practically equivalent powertrain within the Enclave.Front-wheel drive is customary with non-obligatory all-wheel drive, however which AWD system you get is dependent upon the trim degree chosen. Premium Luxury XT6 AWD fashions characteristic torque on-demand to the rear axle with an open rear differential. Sport fashions improve to a dual-clutch rear diff that permits the SUV to carry out rear-axle torque vectoring (which works alongside entrance axle brake-torque vectoring) for higher energy supply and stability whereas aggressively cornering. Sport fashions appear and feel sharper than the Premium Luxury trim, however the efficiency nonetheless skews strongly in direction of consolation and tranquility.
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Sport fashions additionally characteristic customary electronically adjustable lively dampers, extra aggressive throttle and shift programming, a faster steering ratio and heavy-duty cooling parts. Even with the Sport upgrades, the XT6 is a really comfort-oriented SUV. Like the bigger Enclave, the XT6 rides easily and quietly over uneven pavement and boasts good stability and management round bends at cheap speeds. The Cadillac has a little bit extra wiggle room for extra aggressive throttle when exiting corners, nevertheless it’s nowhere close to as sporty or highly effective because the Lincoln Aviator.Fuel economic system is fairly good due to applied sciences like stop-start (which you’ll be able to disable if you’d like) and variable displacement cylinder deactivation below gentle load. The EPA reckons 20 miles per gallon mixed for front-wheel-drive fashions, breaking out to 18 mpg metropolis and 25 mpg freeway. Optioning all-wheel drive knocks the town and freeway estimates down by one, however curiously would not have an effect on the 20-mpg mixed estimate. I ended my week — which included some fuel-hungry video manufacturing and aggressive driving — at 15.2 mpg, however you may most likely do higher.Is this the SUV for you?The 2020 Cadillac XT6 begins at $52,695 for the Premium Luxury trim with its extra snug steering and suspension setup, or $57,095 for the Sport mannequin with its efficiency upgrades. Going with the Sport sharpens the look and efficiency, however do not anticipate an excessive amount of of a distinction in athleticism for the cash.My instance can also be outfitted with the Platinum bundle. This is technically a $3,700 choice, however has so many bundle stipulations — Visibility and Tech Package, Driver Assist Package, Comfort and Air Quality Package — that it principally provides $10,000 to the underside line. All in, this instance rolls out with a $71,190 sticker value together with $995 for vacation spot expenses and some further choices. I loved the XT6 — particularly the look — nevertheless it struggles when cross-shopped with the brand new Lincoln Aviator.
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I actually benefit from the 2020 Cadillac XT6. I dig the sharp type, the snug trip and a lot of the bells and whistles. In a vacuum, I’d don’t have any downside recommending it. However, this SUV exists alongside some stiff competitors. At the decrease trim ranges, the XT6’s cheap value (and beneficiant incentives) assist, however because the choices pile on, the Cadillac turns into much less of a worth proposition and extra of a tricky promote over the European competitors — BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, Volvo XC90 — and, most notably, the brand new Lincoln Aviator, which is only a a lot better SUV, whether or not you are speaking energy, options or tech.Unless you actually love the look — maybe the only benefit I give the XT6 over the Aviator — I’d wait to see if a midcycle replace brings Super Cruise, a killer expertise that might even the taking part in discipline rather a lot.