2021 Cadillac XT6 vs 2022 Cadillac XT6

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 looked sophisticated, featuring styling cues similar to the Cadillac XT4 and XT5 crossovers. It was available in Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport trim levels. The XT6 Sport, as tested, had a traditionally-styled grille with darkened accent pieces, 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, and slim all-LED headlights, giving it a definitively premium and Cadillac feel. The interior, nearly identical to the XT5 but slightly larger, came in three color options and offered a Platinum Package that elevated the seats to semi-aniline leather upholstery, adding a microsuede headliner and premium floor mats.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6 Premium Luxury test vehicle arrived with polished 20-inch alloy wheels, Stellar Black paint, and a Jet Black semi-aniline premium leather interior. The XT6 was attractive but bland, with towering front running lights and simple vertical taillights. It was available in Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport trims, with prices starting just under $50,000. Our test vehicle, loaded with options like Super Cruise and Night Vision technologies, had an MSRP of $73,565. Despite the rich materials and sophisticated driving assistance technology, the interior didn’t look special, with analog gauges and an 8-inch touchscreen display that felt outdated compared to competitors.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 Sport was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, yielding 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. The base XT6 Luxury model had a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine with 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The V6 engine provided sufficient power, and the nine-speed transmission shifted smoothly. The XT6 had standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and available all-wheel drive (AWD), with the Sport model only available with AWD. However, the XT6 Sport felt heavy, especially at 4,690 pounds, affecting its driving dynamics. Fuel economy for the V6 with FWD was 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined, with slight decreases for AWD models.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6 employed the same engines as the GMC Acadia. The base model had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, while the Premium Luxury and Sport trims had a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Our test vehicle had AWD and offered Tour and Sport driving modes. The V6 was powerful and sounded good, with added sound deadening. The adaptive-damping performance suspension and 20-inch wheels provided a smooth ride, but the XT6 wasn’t particularly enjoyable to drive. Fuel economy for the V6 with AWD was 21 mpg combined, with our test vehicle returning 19.5 mpg.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 offered comfortable seats with heating in the first two rows, but competitors like the Acura MDX had more plush seats. Seating for seven was standard, with an option for second-row captain’s chairs. Adults could fit in the third row, but the XT6 had less head-, leg-, shoulder-, and hip room than many competitors. Interior storage was limited, especially for front-row riders. The rear cargo space was a highlight, with more overall cargo space than many competitors and features like a power liftgate and power-folding third-row seats.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6’s interior felt narrow, with comfortable power-adjustable seats wrapped in semi-aniline leather. The second-row captain’s chairs offered good legroom, but the third-row seat was cramped for adults. Storage space was decent but unremarkable, with small cubbies and bins. The XT6 provided 12.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 43.1 cubic feet with the third row folded and a maximum of 78.7 cubic feet.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 had a decent list of standard features, including tri-zone automatic climate control, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an eight-speaker Bose audio system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a WiFi hotspot. Upgrades included a 14-speaker Bose audio system, navigation, and heated/ventilated front seats. The infotainment screen was smaller than competitors, sometimes appearing crowded or lacking information.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6 offered impressive features like a digital rearview mirror, Night Vision system, and Super Cruise hands-free driving-assistance system. However, it lacked digital gauges, using analog gauges with a driver information display. The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system was behind the times in size but had excellent software, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and natural voice recognition. Usability issues included touch-sensing buttons and counterintuitive indicator lights. The available Bose Performance Series audio system sounded great, but the head-up display was small.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 came with a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision alert, lane-keep assist, and a high-definition rearview camera. Premium Luxury and Sport models added lane change alert with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The Driver Assist Package included adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic emergency braking. The XT6 received a five-star frontal crash test rating from the NHTSA and was named a "Top Safety Pick+" by the IIHS.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6 test vehicle had every available driving-assistance and collision-avoidance system, including Teen Driver and Night Vision. Standard features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. The highlight was the Super Cruise system, allowing hands-free driving on approved highways. However, Super Cruise had limitations, such as inconsistent braking and difficulty with certain road conditions. The XT6 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA.