2021 Cadillac XT6

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 comes in three trims Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Sport. The Luxury trim is powered by a base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and the other two trims are powered by a relatively bigger 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine. We will talk more about the performance of these engines in the performance section. 

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 comes in three trims this year with the introduction of a new Luxury trim which sits right below the Premium Luxury trim. The third trim is the Sport trim, which brings a few sporty bits to the SUV. The Luxury trim seems a good option at the price point that it comes with. It offers a good feature list for the price. Premium Luxury trim offers better interior quality, and the 3.6-liter V6 is also a great addition to the XT6 in this trim. 

The base Luxury trim is available at very affordable pricing, and if we consider that then there is nothing much to complain about the feature list on offer. The other two trims offer various useful features. When it comes to the standard features, the Premium Luxury trim offers the most standard features.

Which trim should you buy?

Although the base Luxury trim offers good features, we do not recommend going for that trim. The Premium Luxury is the best trim on offer for the 2021 Cadillac XT6. It has the perfect combination of useful features as standard and premium interior design. The value aspect is also there with the Luxury trim, as the Sport trim doesn’t offer much for the extra price. The performance suspension fails to improve the driving dynamics with much difference. Considering all the factors, we recommend the Premium Luxury trim as the best trim for the Cadillac XT5.

The base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that comes with the Luxury trim delivers 230-hp of power and 258 lb-ft of torque. This is the same engine that powers the 2021 Cadillac XT4. The power delivery is very decent, but it does not feel sufficient for an SUV that weighs 4644 lbs for the minimum. If you opt for the upper trims, then you get the 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine. The engine produces a healthy 310 horses worth of power, which works better for the heavy SUV.

The base engine is the best choice for those who will be sitting in the back seats only. Otherwise, even for those who are not driving enthusiasts, the upgrade to the more powerful V6 engine will be a sensible choice. Since it is a naturally aspirated engine, you do not have to wait for the turbo to spool. The power is available right from the start in the rave range. We will be considering the base 2.0-liter base engine for our comparison today. 

The standard 2.0-liter inline-4 engine of the 2021 Cadillac XT6 is the least powerful in the competition here. The acceleration timings also tell the same story as it comes the last to reach 60 miles per hour from a standstill. The quarter-mile takes 15.4 seconds, in comparison the 2021 Lincoln Aviator takes the lead with a sharp 2 seconds. 

How well does the 2021 Cadillac XT6 handle?

None of the SUVs in this segment offers very agile handling like a sedan or a hatchback. The 2021 Cadillac XT6 is a good handler for the segment, still, there are better options in terms of handling. The Cadillac XT6 is tuned towards comfort and it feels like that while driving. The steering offers a very decent in terms of feedback and is fairly accurate to the driver inputs. The understeer is well controlled and it never interferes much with the driving experience.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 offers a very comfortable ride quality. The suspension takes care of the road imperfections very well. You can still feel the lack of air suspension, which is available in the competition. The body roll is well controlled for an SUV of this size. To sum it up, you get a comfortable driving experience in the 2021 Cadillac XT6.

How good is the braking performance of the 2021 Cadillac XT6?

Although we could not test the exact stopping distance of the 2021 Cadillac XT6, the brakes work very well to stop the SUV. You get good feedback from the brakes, and there is a progressive bite in the brakes. The brakes are good enough that you never feel uncomfortable or unconfident while driving the 2021 Cadillac XT6. The 12.6-inch rotor in the front and 12.4-inch rotors work very well for the SUV. The 2021 Cadillac XT6 performs well in the braking department.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 takes the least distance to come to a halt from 60 miles per hour. The Audi Q7 and the Lincoln Aviator take 117 feet and 119 feet, respectively to stop from the same speed. The 2021 Cadillac XT8 has the advantage in terms of weight as it is the lightest of the lot. 

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 delivers good fuel efficiency figures for its size. It manages to deliver 21 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 24 miles per gallon if we combine both. These figures are very impressive if we consider the size of the SUV. The fuel economy also depends on the drivetrain and the powertrain. If you opt for the AWD powertrain, the fuel economy will go down a bit. The same can be said for the different powertrain options, as the standard 2.0-liter engine is more fuel-efficient than the more powerful 3.6-liter V6 engine.

The Audi Q7 is the least fuel-efficient SUV in the comparison, but it also compensates for that with the largest fuel tank. It offers the best range in comparison. The other three SUVs are almost identical in terms of fuel economy and offer very similar fuel efficiency. 

There is a lot to like about the interior of the 2021 Cadillac XT6. The interior feels very plush from the moment you step inside the vehicle. The use of wood on the dashboard in Premium Luxury trim gives it a luxurious feel. There is also the use of carbon fiber to enhance uplift the cabin ambiance. 

Carbon fiber matches very well with the black interior of the vehicle. There is no use of cheap plastic or other materials as such in the cabin. You even find the use of premium material like suede running on the dashboard to ensure a good experience in the cabin. You get ample space in all three rows, especially the first two rows offer a very spacious cabin.

The space inside the cabin of the 2021 Cadillac XT6 is on premium, but the Lincoln Aviator is the most spacious SUV in the segment. The interior quality of the German contender Audi is more premium. The Volvo and Lincoln also offer premium interior quality to keep up with the competition. Here are some of the standout features of the 2021 Cadillac XT6:

• Spacious cabin in all the three rows
• Use of premium wood on the dashboard
• Suede and carbon-fiber accents in the cabin
• Tri-zone automatic climate control
• Heated front seats

What’s there to keep you entertained in the 2021 Cadillac CT5?

The Cadillac XT6 offers an easy-to-use infotainment system. It comes with an 8-inch touchscreen system for infotainment. For audio, the Cadillac XT6 features an 8-speaker system by Bose. You can also go for the optional 14-speaker Bose system for an even better music experience. The infotainment system also supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Bose speaker system offers a good music experience. 

The infotainment system also supports the features like navigation system, 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, voice recognition system, SiriusXM radio, and other useful features. Here is a list of some of the best features of the 2021 Cadillac XT6:

• The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 8-speaker Bose audio system
• SiriusXM radio
• Inbuilt navigation support

The look of the Cadillac XT6 has striking looks from the outside and gives the SUV a perfect macho look on the road. The massive front grille with the Cadillac logo on it gives a great road presence. The LED headlights complement the look from the front, and the daytime running LEDs also sit perfectly on the side. The 18-inch alloy wheels do not look good enough for the sides, so going for the larger 20” wheels on the Premium Luxury trim gives it a perfect stance from the side. The rear of the car looks good enough but is nothing special. 

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator has the longest wheelbase in the comparison, while the 2021 Cadillac XT6 has the shortest wheelbase on offer. Although the Cadillac XT6 has the smallest wheelbase, space is managed very well. All the SUVs in the comparison are easy to maneuver in the city. Some of the prominent features of the Cadillac XT6 are listed below:

• Panoramic sunroof
• Automatic LED headlights with LED DRLs
• 20" 12-spoke alloy wheels 
• Hands-Free power tailgate
• LED taillights
• Rain sensing wipers

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 received an overall rating of 5 stars by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the 2021 Cadillac XT6 with the “Top Safety Pick+”. Both these ratings prove that safety should not be a concern for the buyers of the SUV. 

Along with the tough build quality of the Cadillac XT6, it also comes loaded with various safety features like pre-collision and post-collision safety systems, stability control, traction control, and many more. Here are some of the features that the 2021 Cadillac XT6 has to offer:

• The automatic emergency braking system
• Lane departure warning
• Lane keep assist
• Adaptive cruise control
• Night vision

2021 Cadillac XT6 vs. 2021 Audi Q7

The Audi Q7 comes out to be a better option than the 2021 Cadillac XT6 if you want better performance and off-road capabilities. The Audi badge also plays a crucial role there. Still, we can not deny the fact that Cadillac is an affordable option compared to Audi Q7. It also offers better space inside the cabin and fuel economy is also better than that of Audi.

2021 Cadillac XT6 vs. 2021 Volvo XC90

The Volvo XC90 offers a more premium cabin compared to the 2021 Cadillac XT6. The cabin space is also very much similar to the Cadillac. Volvo offers better performance, better range, and more spacious in the cargo area. Volvo also offers more comfortable and plush ride quality. The MSRP for both cars is also very similar, so Volvo becomes a better option.

2021 Cadillac XT6 vs. 2021 Lincoln Aviator

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator is a very good option against the 2021 Cadillac XT6. The Aviator offers better space inside the cabin. It also comes with a more powerful base engine, which enhances the performance and acceleration figures of the vehicle. Cadillac becomes a better choice for those who want to save some money on the cost of the vehicle as it is more affordable, and the Cadillac also offers better fuel economy.

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 will turn some heads towards it for sure out on the road. The exterior look and styling are well taken care of, and the interior space is also more than some other SUVs in the segment. The interior feels very premium and quality materials are used inside the cabin. The price at which the 2021 Cadillac XT6 comes, makes it one of the best choices for the segment. On the value proposition, it is an SUV that can easily be recommended to anyone.