2021 Cadillac XT6 vs 2021 Lincoln Aviator

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 exuded sophistication, with design cues aligning with Cadillac's XT4 and XT5 crossovers. The XT6 came in Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport trim levels. The XT6 Sport featured a traditional Cadillac grille with darkened accent pieces around the lip between the grille and hood and surrounding the lower bumper. This model also had window surrounds, roof rails, and rear bumper treatments, paired with sharp vehicle lines and slim all-LED headlights, resulting in a premium aesthetic. The Sport model rode on 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels with Android Satin finish pockets, adding to the premium feel. The XT6 offered seven paint colors, most requiring a surcharge, with a standard sunroof adding to the vehicle’s allure.

Inside, the XT6's cabin mirrored that of the XT5, maintaining a luxurious feel with available colors like Jet Black, Cirrus, and Maple Sugar. The seats, especially with the Platinum Package, were a highlight, offering semi-aniline leather upholstery, a microsuede headliner, and premium floor mats. However, the dashboard area was less premium due to some cheaper-looking stitching, buttons, and cubby designs, although the steering wheel and console surfaces felt nice to the touch.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator absolutely nailed its styling, echoing the bold design language of the Navigator while maintaining its unique personality. With crisp lines and strategic use of chrome, the Aviator stood out. The interior, separate from its Ford counterpart, was defined by comfort and warmth. Soft-touch materials and an elegant center console led up to a 10.1-inch touchscreen dominating the dash. Lincoln's unique piano button shifter added to its classy appeal, along with soothing chimes replacing typical alerts.

Available in Standard, Reserve, Grand Touring, Black Label, and Black Label Grand Touring trims, the Aviator's Standard model came quite well-equipped, offering features like synthetic leather upholstery and 10-way power-adjustable front seats. The Reserve trim added luxury touches like 12-way power-adjustable front seats, four-zone climate control, and an impressive 12-speaker Revel stereo system. The Grand Touring trim, tested, offered a plug-in hybrid powertrain, adaptive headlights, heated and ventilated front seats, massaging front seats, and an extensive rear-seat area with multiple controls and power outlets. The Black Label trims added top-tier luxury features and nearly every desirable option as standard.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 Sport was powered by a robust 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, producing 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. This engine was also standard on the Premium Luxury trim, while the base Luxury model featured a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine with 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The V6 provided ample power, and the smooth-shifting nine-speed transmission performed well under various conditions.

The XT6 came standard with front-wheel drive (FWD) and offered all-wheel drive (AWD) in Luxury and Premium Luxury models, with the Sport model exclusively available with AWD. However, the XT6 struggled with driving dynamics, feeling heavy, particularly in the mid-rear where the AWD mechanics were located, affecting maneuverability and handling. This issue was prominent in parking and on winding roads, an area where other competitors like the Toyota Highlander and Kia Telluride excelled.

Fuel economy for the XT6 was competitive, with the turbocharged four-cylinder achieving an EPA-estimated 21 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined with AWD. The V6 engine with FWD had similar figures, dropping slightly with AWD. The XT6 offered a Smart Towing package, enhancing its practical utility.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, delivering 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and available in rear-wheel drive (RWD) or AWD. The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid version of the same engine, increasing output to a staggering 494 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque, allowing up to 21 miles on electric power alone.

The conventional powertrain provided robust acceleration, while the hybrid offered an additional briskness despite the vehicle's heft. The drive mode selector included options like “Excite” and “Conserve,” catering to various driving preferences. However, the Aviator's long wheelbase contributed to noticeable body roll in corners and made tight maneuvering a bit challenging. Yet, on highways and less congested environments, the Aviator excelled.

The Cadillac XT6 accommodated seven passengers with the option to upgrade to second-row captain’s chairs. The front seats were comfortable, but competitors like the Acura MDX offered more plush options. The XT6 allowed adults to fit in the third row, though it provided less head, leg, shoulder, and hip room compared to rivals like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade.

The XT6 had limited interior small-item storage, particularly for front-row occupants. Its wireless phone charger, a deep-pocket design, was less accessible. However, the SUV shined in rear cargo capacity, offering more space than many competitors. It featured a standard power liftgate, power-folding third-row seats, and optional remote-folding second-row seats. The load floor was slightly high, typical for the class, but overall cargo space utilization was commendable.

The Lincoln Aviator provided 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 41.8 cubic feet with third-row seats folded, and a total of 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats down. This was impressive for its class. A standard power liftgate and available hands-free feature added convenience.

While third-row space in the Aviator was decent, the second row was exceptionally luxurious, especially in the Grand Touring model, with captain's chairs, a center console, and a digital control panel for various settings. However, the use of power-button door releases raised potential functionality concerns in case of battery failure.

The Cadillac XT6 came with a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which while suitable, appeared smaller compared to competitors. It featured tri-zone automatic climate control, an eight-speaker Bose audio system, Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with other connected services. Optional upgrades included a 14-speaker Bose system, navigation, and enhanced wireless charging.

In contrast, the Lincoln Aviator featured a standard 10.1-inch touchscreen running the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system, in a more natural landscape layout. It paired with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the system was complemented by redundant controls in the center stack. The Aviator also offered an easy-to-toggle fully digital instrument panel, and our test model included an optional head-up display with clear, crisp graphics.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and IntelliBeam headlights. Premium Luxury and Sport models added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The XT6’s lane-keep assist system was less responsive, often failing to read lane markings accurately.

The Lincoln Aviator offered the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package as standard, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. Our test model with the Co-Pilot 360 Plus package included additional features like reverse automatic braking and adaptive cruise control, which operated smoothly without being intrusive.