Hyundai Santa Fe vs Cadillac XT6

The 2022 Cadillac XT6 exuded a sense of sophistication and conservative luxury. It featured polished 20-inch alloy wheels, Stellar Black paint, and a Jet Black semi-aniline premium leather interior. The exterior design, though attractive, leaned towards a more conventional aesthetic. The front running lights, tapering as they dropped, made the XT6 appear taller and narrower than desired. The rear taillights resembled those on GMC models, and some felt it could have benefited from a more unique design element. Nevertheless, the XT6 maintained a conservatively tailored image that paralleled Cadillac's overall brand theme. Cadillac offered the XT6 in three trims: Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport, starting at just under $50,000. Our test vehicle, laden with features like Super Cruise and Night Vision technologies, priced out at $73,565.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a more subtle and understated exterior design. Maintaining continuity with its 2022 predecessor, the Santa Fe's design was conservative compared to Hyundai's other more striking models. Available in five trims—SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy—the Santa Fe's base price without AWD started at $42,600, adding up to $45,845 on our fully-loaded Calligraphy AWD test vehicle. Its Stormy Sea paint lent a rich, dark hue, and its black-on-black interior presented a sleek but somewhat monotone visual. The Santa Fe's front-end design, with its wide grilles and thin LED headlights, stood out, though the rest of the exterior was more subdued.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6's performance was defined by its two engine options. The base model featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, delivered through a nine-speed automatic transmission. This engine delivered less power compared to base models in its segment. The higher trims, Premium Luxury and Sport, were equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 engine, offering 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. The V6 provided sufficient power, with the AWD system offering additional versatility. The adaptive-damping performance suspension improved handling, especially on twisty roads, but the overall driving experience leaned more toward serene comfort rather than outright excitement. The XT6 V6 with AWD had an official EPA fuel economy rating of 21 mpg combined, but our test yielded 19.5 mpg.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a 2.5-liter engine available in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions. The base SE, SEL, and XRT trims featured a naturally aspirated engine that produced 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Limited and Calligraphy trims benefited from a turbocharged version of the same engine, boosting output to 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The turbocharged engine paired with an eight-speed "wet" dual-clutch transmission was notably more responsive, providing brisk acceleration and smooth power delivery without significant noise or harshness. The driving experience improved further with the available drive-mode selector, including Comfort, Sport, Snow, and Smart modes. However, even though we didn't test its off-road capabilities, the turbo Santa Fe could tow up to 3,500 pounds, whereas the non-turbo versions managed up to 2,000 pounds.

In terms of form and function, the 2022 Cadillac XT6 fell short of expectations. Its interior dimensions felt restrictive, and it wasn't as spacious as its Buick Enclave cousin. The front seats, with semi-aniline leather and power adjustments, were comfortable but lacked a higher range of adjustments or massage functions found in some competitors. The second-row captain’s chairs provided decent legroom when fully extended, but the third row was cramped and difficult to access. Cargo space was another area where the XT6 struggled, offering 12.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 43.1 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 78.7 cubic feet.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled by resisting the urge to include a third row, focusing instead on maximizing space for five passengers. This decision resulted in an impressive 41.7 inches of rear-seat legroom, much more than the XT6. The Santa Fe offered 36.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and a total of 72.1 cubic feet with the seats folded. The test model also featured handy tech and comfort amenities, such as a dual-zone climate control, a hands-free smart liftgate, ventilated front seats, and an extended panoramic sunroof that brightened the otherwise dark interior. Nevertheless, the wide center console somewhat reduced leg and hip space for the driver.

The 2022 Cadillac XT6 was a paradox when it came to technology. It boasted advanced features like a digital rearview mirror, Night Vision system, and Super Cruise—a hands-free highway driving-assistance system. However, it lacked digital gauges, opting instead for analog gauges with a driver information display—a dated choice in its segment. The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while user-friendly, appeared small compared to rivals. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a WiFi hotspot, and an embedded navigation system. Despite its competent software and voice recognition, some usability issues persisted, such as touch-sensitive buttons that were difficult to see and unintuitively marked controls.

In contrast, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe shone in the technology department. It provided a 4.2-inch color LCD multi-information display on base trims, upgrading to a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in Limited and Calligraphy trims—both with clear, crisp graphics. The SE trim's 8-inch audio system was basic but included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims boasted a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite radio, and voice recognition. The Harman Kardon 12-speaker premium audio system available on top trims enhanced the auditory experience. While the Santa Fe's voice recognition technology excelled in navigation tasks, it struggled with music and climate control commands. However, the infotainment system's user-friendly interface and customizable settings stood out.

Cadillac equipped the XT6 with an impressive array of safety features. Thanks to its optional Platinum Package, our test vehicle included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. The available Super Cruise system offered hands-free highway driving assistance but lagged in some real-world conditions, such as poorly marked lanes and chaotic traffic. Despite these hiccups, the XT6 earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS and five-star ratings in crash tests from NHTSA.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe also came loaded with standard safety ADAS, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction-turning detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. The Highway Driving Assist feature on SEL and higher trims combined adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capabilities. Like the XT6, the Santa Fe received top safety ratings: a five-star overall rating from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from IIHS, underscoring its ability to keep occupants safe.