2021 Cadillac XT6 vs 2022 Genesis GV70

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 exuded sophistication with its design, sharing styling cues with the XT4 and XT5 crossovers. The XT6 Sport model, in particular, featured a traditionally-styled grille with darkened accents, enhancing its premium appearance. The SUV rode on 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, which complemented its sharp lines and slim all-LED headlights. The interior mirrored the XT5's design, offering three color options and the possibility of upgrading to semi-aniline leather upholstery with the Platinum Package. While the seats were luxurious, the dashboard area was less premium, though still attractive.

The 2022 Genesis GV70, while inheriting some styling elements from other Genesis models, maintained a unique appearance. It combined SUV bulk with athletic, car-like elements, featuring quad LED strips and a large shield-shaped grille. The Sport Prestige model added character with unique styling features, including 21-inch wheels and giant round exhaust outlets. Inside, the GV70 had an elliptical theme inspired by an airplane wing, with a minimalistic design and a rotary gear selector. The interior offered a variety of color options and luxurious materials, though base models had leatherette seats.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 Sport was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine, delivering 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The base XT6 Luxury model had a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine with 237 horsepower. The XT6 offered standard front-wheel drive and available all-wheel drive, with the Sport model exclusively AWD. However, the XT6 struggled with driving dynamics due to its weight, particularly in the mid-rear, affecting its agility. Fuel economy was competitive, with the V6 achieving 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway with FWD.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 offered two engine options: a 2.5-liter turbo-four with 300 horsepower and a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 with 375 horsepower. Both engines came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. The GV70 included features like a rear electronic limited-slip differential and launch control, emphasizing its sporty character. However, the chassis felt heavy, lacking the sharpness of some competitors. The GV70 excelled in highway cruising but had a firm ride with 21-inch wheels, lacking the solidity expected from a luxury vehicle.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 offered seating for seven, with the option to upgrade to captain’s chairs in the second row. Adults could fit in the third row, but the XT6 had less space than some competitors. Interior storage was limited, with a deep-pocket wireless phone charger that wasn't easily accessible. The XT6 excelled in cargo space, with power-folding third-row seats and a standard power liftgate, though the cargo load floor was high.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 had mid-pack interior space, offering adequate legroom and good rear-seat visibility. Cargo space was 28.9 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 56.9 cubic feet with them folded. The interior design compromised storage space, with a slim center console and thin door pockets. The front seats in the Sport Prestige model were heavily bolstered, offering heating, ventilation, massage, and posture-assist functions, though some controls were buried in touchscreen menus.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 featured an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard features included tri-zone automatic climate control, an eight-speaker Bose audio system, and a WiFi hotspot. Upgrades included a 14-speaker Bose audio system, navigation, and enhanced wireless charging. The infotainment screen was smaller than competitors, sometimes appearing crowded or lacking information.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 boasted a 14.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The infotainment system had a tile-based layout and a glass rotary controller with pinch-and-zoom functionality. Higher trims offered a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12-inch head-up display. The GV70 included a digital-key feature, a fingerprint scanner, and a radar-based rear-seat monitor. Genesis Connected Services provided remote camera activation and other features for three years.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 came with standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, forward-collision alert, and lane-keep assist. Premium Luxury and Sport models added lane change alert and blind-spot monitoring. The XT6 struggled with lane-keep assist accuracy. Optional packages included adaptive cruise control and enhanced visibility features. The XT6 received a five-star frontal crash test rating from NHTSA and was named a "Top Safety Pick+" by IIHS.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 included standard safety features like lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, and blind-spot monitoring. It also had eight airbags, including a front-center airbag. Optional features included Highway Driving Assist 2 with lane-change functionality. The GV70's Highway Driving Assist impressed with smooth control inputs, though lane-centering struggled with curves. Crash-test ratings were not available at the time.