2020 Cadillac XT6 vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2020 Cadillac XT6 showcased a clean and crisp exterior design, hiding its long, boxy shape under smooth body panels and limited creases. It featured satin-painted silver surrounding the windows and a medium-sized silver mesh grille, with thin LED headlights and vertical running lamps adding a touch of flair. The XT6's design was restrained and tasteful, avoiding bright chrome and oversized elements, making it stylish without being boring. The standard 20-inch wheels were well-proportioned, and the overall look was in line with other attractive SUVs like the Audi Q7 and Kia Telluride.

However, the interior of the XT6 did not match the exterior's sophistication. Despite having soft leather, microsuede, and gold-tinted carbon fiber trim, the seats were thin and lacked support, resembling those in a Chevrolet Blazer. The lower center stack and console were wrapped in cheap vinyl, and the screens were small with nonadjustable ambient lighting. The interior felt dated, lacking the first-class materials and eye-catching colors found in competitors from Lincoln, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Land Rover.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, in contrast, relied heavily on styling details to differentiate its trim levels, reminiscent of how Chevy used to distinguish between models like the Impala and Caprice. The exterior was a generic SUV design with a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a big grille, appealing to buyers looking for a clean and handsome look. While the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride had more personality, and the Mazda CX-9 had a more streamlined appearance, the Traverse's restrained styling allowed its trim-specific cosmetic elements to stand out. The RS model featured blacked-out trim, while the High Country model had chrome accents, with various appearance packages available for lower trims.

Underneath, the Traverse shared a platform with the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Cadillac XT6 but aimed for a more blue-collar feel. It was smaller than the Chevy Tahoe and featured car-like unibody construction. The interior mirrored the exterior's restrained styling, with the standout feature being an optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof. Materials in the higher-level RS trim were decent but not quite justifying the $50,000 MSRP. The Traverse's interior storage options were limited, typical of midsize three-row crossovers, and it lacked the practicality of a minivan.

The 2020 Cadillac XT6 was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. While this engine was sufficient for moving the vehicle and towing up to 4,000 pounds, it was coarse-sounding and less responsive off the line compared to newer turbocharged V6 engines. The 9-speed automatic transmission provided quick shifts and well-spaced ratios, making the XT6 peppy enough. Front-wheel drive was standard, but the all-wheel-drive model with adaptive dampers felt balanced and controlled over various surfaces. The steering was direct and nicely weighted, with a more secure feel in Sport mode. The XT6's suspension and steering tuning were commendable, though it lacked advanced suspension options like MagneRide dampers. The brakes had a firm feel, and the XT6 achieved an EPA combined rating of 20 mpg over 400 miles of mixed driving.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse also featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Despite the similar power figures, the Traverse didn't feel as powerful as expected but provided sufficient grunt for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed transmission performed well overall, though it occasionally had rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin and a comfortable ride with good body control and precise steering. However, it lacked agility on twistier roads, partly due to its AWD system, which required manual activation and could send torque to individual wheels but didn't noticeably improve handling. The Traverse had a 5,000-pound towing capacity with the tow/haul mode engaged, which was average for the segment.

The 2020 Cadillac XT6 offered a livable third-row seat, with decent knee room, USB ports, cupholders, and air vents. The third row power-folded, and the second-row seats mechanically dropped down. Headroom was good in all seating positions, and the second row was spacious with optional heated cushions and backrests. The XT6 had a total cargo volume of 12.6 cubic feet with all seats up, 43.1 cubic feet with the third row down, and 78.7 cubic feet with both rows down. Visibility was good, aided by a digital mirror using a widescreen camera. The XT6's controls were responsive, and the instrument cluster and infotainment system were user-friendly.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, with above-average headroom and legroom in all three rows. Heated front seats were standard on the RS trim, with ventilated front seats and heated rear seats available on higher trims. The Traverse excelled in cargo space, with 23.0 cubic feet with all seats up, 57.8 cubic feet with the third row stowed, and 98.2 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. A power liftgate was optional on the LT Cloth trim and standard on higher trims, with a gesture-activated liftgate on the Premier and High Country models. The Traverse had limited interior storage options, typical of midsize three-row crossovers, and lacked the practicality of a minivan.

The 2020 Cadillac XT6 featured an infotainment system that was a significant improvement over the old CUE system. It had cloud-based voice commands, a built-in app store, and driver profiles that could migrate to other GM vehicles. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with a suite of driver assists. Optional features included 360-degree cameras, night vision, and LED matrix headlights. However, the XT6 lacked semi-automated driving features, Super Cruise, massaging seats, and a reconfigurable digital instrument panel. The Bose stereo and infotainment screen were also underwhelming.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and Bluetooth. Higher trims offered an 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, a 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot, and a Bose 10-speaker audio system. The Traverse retained analog controls for audio and climate, and its analog instruments were supplemented by a small LCD screen. The rearview camera mirror and HD surround-view camera system were useful features. The Traverse had 2 USB ports for each row, with wireless phone charging standard on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2020 Cadillac XT6 had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, but it was expected to receive top scores. It offered rear pedestrian detection, a digital rear-view mirror, and 360-degree cameras with the Enhanced Visibility and Technology Package. The Driver Assist Package included forward emergency braking, reverse emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and seat-belt tightening.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores in all IIHS crash tests and a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention. However, it had "Acceptable" and "Poor" headlight ratings and an "Acceptable" rating for LATCH ease of use. The NHTSA gave the Traverse a five-star overall safety rating, with four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests, and five stars in side-impact tests. The Traverse offered less standard driver-assist tech than competitors, with many features being optional extras.