2022 Cadillac XT6 vs 2021 Honda Passport

The 2021 Honda Passport was essentially a shortened version of the Pilot, featuring two rows of seats instead of three. This similarity was evident in its design, both inside and out. The Passport’s dash layout was visually identical to that of the Pilot, including Honda’s awkward “button shifter” design. Despite these corporate design choices, the Passport boasted a spacious interior with high-quality materials throughout.

Trim levels for the 2021 Passport included Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. The entry-level Sport came with features like 20-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights, push-button start, and tri-zone climate control. The EX-L added leather upholstery, a power moonroof, and a power rear liftgate. The Touring trim included front-and-rear parking sensors, a hands-free liftgate, and a WiFi hotspot. The top-tier Elite trim offered heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and wireless device charging.

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’s design was attractive but somewhat bland, with towering front running lights and simple vertical taillights. The XT6’s proportions and details conveyed a conservatively tailored image that fit with the rest of Cadillac’s lineup.

Cadillac offered the XT6 in Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport trim levels, 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 its rich interior materials and sophisticated driving assistance technology, the XT6’s interior didn’t look as luxurious as its price tag suggested. The analog gauges and 8-inch touchscreen display were less advanced than those in competing models, and the interior felt unexpectedly narrow due to its relationship to the GMC Acadia.

The 2021 Honda Passport came standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6 provided strong acceleration, and the automatic transmission managed power well. The Passport’s ride was a blend of comfort and refined handling, with 8.1 inches of ground clearance and AWD models featuring Snow, Sand, and Mud drive modes. FWD Passports could tow up to 3,500 pounds, while AWD models could tow up to 5,000 pounds.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6 employed the same engines as the GMC Acadia. The standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine delivered 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, while the Premium Luxury and Sport trims featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, and AWD was available. The V6 provided sufficient power, and the XT6’s adaptive-damping performance suspension offered a comfortable ride. However, the XT6’s driving dynamics leaned more toward serenity than excitement. The official EPA fuel economy rating for the XT6 V6 with AWD was 21 mpg in combined driving, with our test vehicle returning 19.5 mpg.

The 2021 Honda Passport offered a generous 100.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 50.5 cubic feet with the second row in use. An additional 2.5 cubic feet was available in an under-floor storage tray. The EX-L trim featured a power liftgate, while the Touring and Elite trims included a hands-free power liftgate. The upright seating position provided excellent visibility, and the center console featured a deep center bin and an open cargo tray. The rear seats offered plenty of headroom and legroom, with the ability to recline and slide.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6’s interior was less spacious than expected. The power-adjustable front seats were comfortable but lacked the range of adjustment and massage function found in some rivals. The second-row captain’s chairs offered good legroom when slid to their rearmost position, but the third-row seat was cramped for adults. The XT6 provided 12.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 43.1 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 78.7 cubic feet. Storage space was decent but unremarkable, with small bins and a hard-to-access tray under the console’s control bridge.

For 2021, Honda made Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard on the Passport, included with the newly-standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. However, the infotainment system had dated graphics, a confusing menu layout, and a volume dial that felt like an afterthought.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6 offered impressive features like a digital rearview mirror, Night Vision system, and Super Cruise hands-free highway driving-assistance system. However, it lacked digital gauges, and the 8-inch touchscreen display was small for the segment. The infotainment system was intuitive and included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but usability issues persisted with touch-sensing buttons and counterintuitive indicator lights. The available Bose Performance Series premium audio system sounded great, but the head-up display was less impressive than those in other GM vehicles.

The 2021 Honda Passport came well equipped with advanced safety features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Passport received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and top "Good" scores in most crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2022 Cadillac XT6, equipped with the optional Platinum Package, included every available driving-assistance and collision-avoidance system. Standard features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. The XT6 also offered Super Cruise, a highway driving-assist system. The XT6 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and five-star ratings in every crash-test evaluation from the NHTSA.