2021 Cadillac XT6 vs 2021 Lexus NX

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 presented itself as a sophisticated three-row SUV. With its exterior design incorporating familiar styling cues from Cadillac's XT4 and XT5 models, the XT6 managed to evoke a sense of luxury and premium appeal. Both the XT6 and its smaller siblings featured a similar face, but the XT6 sport trim made enhancements with darkened accents around the grille and lower bumper, distinct 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels with Android Satin finish pockets, and sleek LED headlights, which added to its refined look. The XT6 was available in seven paint colors, although most required an additional cost. The sunroof came standard, enhancing the SUV’s sophisticated feel.

Inside, the XT6 borrowed heavily from the XT5's design but was slightly larger. It offered three color options: Jet Black, Cirrus, and Maple Sugar. The seats, an essential component of a luxury SUV, could be upgraded with the Platinum Package to semi-aniline leather upholstery, adding a microsuede headliner and premium floor mats. The dashboard was less premium compared to the seats, featuring some cheaper-looking elements. Nevertheless, the steering wheel and console surfaces offered a pleasant tactile experience.

On the other hand, the 2021 Lexus NX carried forward the familial design and styling that had become synonymous with Lexus. The sharp exterior lines contributed to the NX’s recognizable look, which was consistent with the smaller UX and larger RX models. The baseline NX 300 came with 17-inch wheels and power-folding mirrors. The F Sport trim, reviewed here, included sportier elements like a honeycomb grille, triple-beam LED headlights, a lower bumper with chrome trim, laser fog light housings, and 18-inch F Sport wheels.

The NX F Sport interior offered exclusive quilted NuLuxe sport seats with optional Circuit Red color scheme, alongside traditional Black and Arctic White/Black combinations. The material fit and finish maintained Lexus’s high standards, with a familiar metal-faced four-dial gauge cluster offering a 3D speedometer and tachometer display. The cluster included a G-Force meter borrowed from the Lexus LFA supercar, though it was more of a stylistic choice than a practical feature. The center stack, featuring an elevated plinth design, appeared dated but functional. Storage space was limited, a flaw accentuated by the touchpad and drive mode selector taking up valuable real estate.

In 2021, the Cadillac XT6 Sport was equipped with a robust 3.6-liter V6 engine, delivering 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque via a nine-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain configuration was shared with the XT6 Premium Luxury trim, while the base XT6 Luxury model came with a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine offering 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The V6 engine’s power facilitated smooth and hassle-free acceleration, while the nine-speed automatic efficiently handled gear changes.

However, the XT6's dynamics were less impressive. The XT6 Sport, weighing 4,690 pounds, felt heavy. The mid-rear positioning of the AWD mechanics contributed to a less balanced driving experience, which was especially noticeable during tight maneuvers, winding roads, and hard acceleration on highways. Competing three-row SUVs like the Toyota Highlander, Nissan Pathfinder, and Kia Telluride had better weight distribution, offering a more dynamic ride. Despite its handling issues, the XT6 showcased decent fuel economy. The base turbocharged engine achieved an EPA-estimated 21 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined for AWD models. The V6 engine returned 19 city, 26 highway, and 21 combined mpg with FWD, slightly lower with AWD.

Conversely, the 2021 Lexus NX 300 and NX 300 F Sport, powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, aimed for a blend of performance and efficiency. The six-speed automatic transmission, while competent, felt outdated compared to newer multi-speed alternatives. Nonetheless, the NX accelerated from 0-60 mph in approximately seven seconds, aligning with segment norms. The NX's powertrain could get noisy under hard acceleration, but the ride remained generally quiet and smooth.

The NX 300 came with front-wheel drive standard, with AWD available across all trims. The AWD system allowed up to 50% torque transfer to the rear axle, although it lacked individual-wheel torque vectoring. Fuel economy for both FWD and AWD versions was similar, with the AWD model achieving 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. The F Sport AWD managed the same combined driving efficiency of 24 mpg. The Adaptive Suspension system offered in the NX F Sport provided up to 650 instantaneous adjustments, derived from the LC 500 sport coupe system.

The Cadillac XT6, while an attractive option for its audience, had room for improvement. Seating for seven came standard, with an optional upgrade to captain’s chairs in the second row. Adults could comfortably fit in the third row, a significant improvement over older midsize SUVs. However, when compared to newer competitors like the Kia Telluride, Subaru Ascent, Hyundai Palisade, and redesigned Toyota Highlander, the XT6 offered less head, leg, shoulder, and hip room across all rows.

Front-row storage was insufficient, with small items struggling to find a dedicated space within the center console. The standard wireless phone charger, which obscured the phone within the console, further highlighted this issue. Nevertheless, the XT6 excelled in cargo capacity. With ample rear cargo space, it stood out among rivals. The power liftgate and power-folding third-row seats eased access and usability while the relatively high cargo load floor was typical for its class. However, limited cargo space behind the third row could necessitate folding the seats for larger loads.

The Lexus NX boasted a stylish and comfortable interior, typical of Lexus craftsmanship. Front seats offered ample room and comfort for adults, while the second row provided sufficient legroom for two adults, making long journeys bearable. Heated and ventilated seats were available for added comfort. The NX featured a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, enhancing its practicality.

While the cabin effectively minimized road and wind noise, genuine and simulated engine noise permeated the space. Cargo capacity was a limitation for the NX, correlated with its body design. It offered 17.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 54.6 cubic feet with the seats folded, ranking it lower in its class for storage capacity. Optional features included a power liftgate with kick sensor technology and power-folding rear seats.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6's technology didn’t break new ground, but it met the segment's standards. It came with essential features like tri-zone automatic climate control, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an eight-speaker Bose audio system, satellite radio, WiFi hotspot, six USB ports, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Remote start and Teen Driver monitoring were also standard. Upgrades included an air ionizer, a 14-speaker Bose audio system, heated and ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, navigation, and enhanced wireless charging.

By contrast, the 2021 Lexus NX placed its infotainment screen prominently high above the center stack. An 8-inch touchscreen was standard, with a 10.3-inch screen available through the Navigation package. This package included predictive traffic information, detour preview, ETA calculation, and fuel station guidance. The system was augmented with HomeLink and the Lexus Enform Destination Assist, offering a concierge service for verbal commands. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, enhancing functionality over the less user-friendly Lexus infotainment system.

Standard features included keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, a USB port, HD Radio, and a WiFi hotspot. Additional options comprised a moonroof, heated steering wheel, and the Mark Levinson 14-speaker audio system. The NX also supported the Lexus Enform Remote mobile app, enabling remote start/stop, climate control adjustments, vehicle location tracking, and guest driver monitoring.

Cadillac equipped the XT6 with an impressive array of standard safety features. Automatic emergency braking, forward-collision alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, a high-definition rearview camera, Safety Alert Seat, IntelliBeam headlights, and rear park assist formed the basic safety suite. Higher trims added standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Although the lane-keep assist system often struggled to maintain accuracy, optional upgrades like adaptive cruise control, reverse automatic braking, and HD surround vision enhanced safety significantly. The XT6 received a five-star frontal crash test rating and a four-star rollover rating from NHTSA, and the IIHS named it a "Top Safety Pick+."

Lexus's NX came equipped with Lexus Safety System+ 2.0, which bundled lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition, automatic high beams, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. Optional safety features included park assist, a surround-view camera system, and adaptive headlights. The 2021 NX earned top "Good" scores from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA. No recalls had been issued for the NX as of the review date. Lexus provided a four-year/50,000-mile limited warranty and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty.