Caddy’s New XT6, Says Steve, Checks Most Of The Boxes

It’s been a little while since Cadillac offered a car-based 3-row crossover in their lineup but the all-new XT6 is here to fill that vacancy.  So, when the Escalade is more than you need, Caddy now has another head-turning SUV with a more palatable price tag.  

With the body-on-frame Escalade starting at $25,000 more than the XT6, this is clearly the most affordable path to a 7-passenger Cadillac since the SRX shrunk to 2 rows a decade ago.  The base front-wheel drive Premium Luxury trim, accentuating road isolation, starts at $53,690 while this Sport AWD focusing on a greater feeling of agility, begins at $58,715.  It also takes on a more aggressive appearance with V-Series inspired black accents, specific front and rear fascias and optional 21” wheels.  Along with its similarly fresh smaller sibling the XT4, this is Cadillac’s finest design work in years.  The proportions are just right and the angularity of the sheet metal is spectacular.

So what do you want out of a vehicle like this?  For me, with a sticker price of $73,000, there’s an expectation of over-the-top power, grand touring-level ride and handling, and robust creature comforts.  And this XT6 fulfills most of those criteria while coming up short in a few specific ways.

Beyond the handsome styling, the XT6 Sport shines in its quiet, comfortable, straightforward cabin making it a great family vehicle for long highway trips.  With an abundance of driver assist features such as a heads-up display and night vision and intuitive comfort settings like automatic heated and cooled seats and automatic heated steering wheel, I could drive this XT6 all night without ever getting antsy to take a break.  And when your 440 miles of range is up, you can skip the 93 octane pump at the gas station because regular unleaded is perfectly fine…you won’t find that from other luxury brands.  Your passengers are treated to the same long-trip comfort with 2^nd row seats that recline, heat and can be positioned to nap in, climate control, and the soothing sounds of the mightily impressive 14-speaker Bose Performance Series sound system that can be tuned for specific areas of the vehicle.   

The cargo area can be accessed with a kick of the foot near the illuminated Cadillac crest and the power folding seats are the fastest I’ve ever tested…no wasted time here.