Yahoo Autos 2020 Cadillac XT6 Review & Buying Guide | Sneaking in through the back
The 2020 Cadillac XT6 is arriving late to the party, literally decades after some of its rivals. It's a new, three-row luxury crossover that serves as a much-needed, more-modern and less ostentatious family hauler than the Escalade (which is getting overhauled next year, by the way). The question about the XT6, then, is it fashionably late?
The XT6 is indeed quite handsome and refined -- we thought it looked particularly excellent in one our test car's Red Horizon Tintcoat. There's a classic sophistication to it that evokes Cadillacs of the 1960s rather than the overwrought and borderline-tacky designs of other eras (including recent ones). We think the exterior design will age quite well, especially in light of some competitors. However, we're also not sure it's distinctly a Cadillac. Worse, the interior is drab, unimaginative, and blighted with unremarkable materials. A Volvo XC90 and Lincoln Aviator instantly look and feel more special, while a range-topping Hyundai Palisade isn't as far behind as the price gap would indicate.
The driving experience also leaves something to be desired. Besides the ho-hum engine, the XT6 has neither the sharp handling of Cadillac's recent sedans nor the stately ride comfort one also might expect given the brand's past. Overall, the XT6 sneaks in through the back of the party rather than making a grand entrance; an unremarkable effort in a toughly contested segment.
What's new for 2020?
The XT6 is an all-new model and fills a gap in Cadillac's lineup.
What's the XT6's interior and in-car technology like?
Answering this question is all about perspective. In a vacuum, the XT6 interior seems nicely put together, its leather is soft and features are in abundance. The range-topping trim's gold carbon fiber trim is particularly interesting. If you sat in one after a Buick Enclave, the step up would be obvious. However, come from a Lincoln Aviator or Volvo XC90, to cite two excellent examples of the breed, and the difference is stark in terms of design and materials quality (there are too many hard plastics throughout). The XT6 quite simply isn't as cool, isn't as luxurious and doesn't seem to justify its price tag.
At least features content is strong with six USB ports, wireless charging, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and satellite radio all included along with a panoramic sunroof and various driver assistance technologies. Other brands nickel-and-dime you with this sort of content. We even think Cadillac's touchscreen infotainment system is easy enough to use and benefits from a redundant control knob. Again, though, this is a matter of perspective. Lincoln's screen measures 10 inches and is even easier to use, while Volvo is a massive, vertically oriented unit bound to impress your friends (even if its operation polarizes our editors). The Audi Q7's MMI interface and all-digital Virtual Cockpit instrument also continue to wow.
Finally, interior functionality could be better. We like the damped sliding cupholder cover, but the cupholders themselves are narrow, shallow and don't hold bottles in place well. We also like the handy, angled wireless smartphone cubby hidden at the lip of the under-armrest bin, but then the bin forward of the shifter is small, oddly shaped and not grippy, meaning it's next-to-useless. There's also under-console storage, but as in other cars, is of negligible use.
How big is the XT6?
Cadillac's designers did an excellent job of hiding the XT6's size. It's considerably longer overall than the XC90 and Acura MDX, and only a smidge shorter than the Aviator, yet it doesn't look it. You can find a handy comparison of three-row crossover specs here featuring the XT6 if you want to dig deeper.
Inside, Cadillac prioritized passenger space – even tall adults can fit quite comfortably in the third row. It's more comfortable back there than in the XC90, Aviator and Q7, while the XT6's boxy shape makes things less claustrophobic. If there's one complaint, it's that the second row doesn't slide as far forward for access as in GM's other three-row SUVs. Space in the second row is also excellent and our passengers back there loved the elevated, theater-like seating position that makes it easier to see out over front-seat passengers.
Unfortunately, the XT6 pays for this passenger-friendly space in terms of cargo capacity. As we discovered in our luggage test, it has less cargo room when all seats are raised than any three-row crossover we've tested (including the XC90). Things are at least more competitive when the third row is lower, but this is something to remember if you're counting on using all rows for road trips.
