Cadillac XT6 vs Cadillac CT5

Raise your hand if you remember the Cadillac Cimarron. A quick-and-dirty response to the surging popularity of small European luxury vehicles like the BMW 3 Series, the Cimarron was based on the Chevy Cavalier, a fact apparently lost on only the poor saps who bought one.

Forty years later, the 2022 Cadillac XT6 reminds us of that fiasco. A midsize, three-row crossover plugged into the gap between the smaller XT5 and the hulking Escalade, the XT6 is built in Spring Hill, Tennessee, where General Motors also churns out GMC Acadias. The differentiation and execution are much better this time around, but the XT6 still strikes us as a hasty rush-job to capitalize on a popular segment.

A relative bargain in the premium midsize car segment, the 2025 CT5 sedan receives several changes to keep it appealing. Mostly, they pertain to technology, and the new 33-inch display containing digital instrumentation and a new infotainment system is the most obvious manifestation of that. In addition, the CT5 gets more standard and available safety features and driver assistance tech, AKG audio, new front-end styling, and a couple of new paint colors.

Verdict: Despite the updates for 2025, the Cadillac CT5 is starting to look and feel like an older car. Also, compared to its rivals, it lacks polish and refinement. However, it is a bargain when cross-shopping it with the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Its tech is impressive, too.