2021 Cadillac XT6 Review: Banking on Brand Loyalty
With its authoritative and contemporary exterior design, the 2021 Cadillac XT6 is a genuinely eye-catching SUV. Its performance is far from commanding, however, with either the new 2.0-liter inline-4 engine or the 3.6-liter V6 engine in play. The cabin is also rather underwhelming, albeit commodious; it's just far from competitive with its shoddy build quality and many, easily noticeable low-grade materials. At the 2021 Cadillac XT6 SUV's price, premium 5-door cars such as the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35, BMW X5, and Audi Q7 leave it in the dust in terms of value and quality. Nevertheless, the XT6 is a tranquil cruiser that comes well-equipped with up-to-the-minute creature comforts, conveniences, and technology. It's highly customizable, too, and will haul a lot with the right setup. Do the XT6 SUV's benefits outway its downfalls, or is Cadillac missing the ball with this one?
2021 XT6 Exterior
Dimensions
| Length | Wheelbase | Height | Max Width | Front Width | Rear Width | Curb Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 198.5 in | 112.7 in | 69.9 in | 77.3 in | 66.4 in | 66.2 in | 4,362.0 lbs |
2021 XT6 Performance
2021 XT6 Interior
2021 XT6 Trunk and Cargo Space
Warranty
| Warranty Note | Basic | Drivetrain | Rust-Through | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance | Maintenance Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary 2021 Warranty | 4 Years / 50,000 Miles | 6 Years / 70,000 Miles | 6 Years / Unlimited Miles | 4 Years / 50,000 Miles | 6 Years / 70,000 Miles | 1 Year/1 Visit |
US NHTSA Crash Test Result
| Overall Rating | Frontal Barrier Crash Rating | Side Crash Rating | Rollover Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Verdict: Is the 2021 Cadillac XT6 A Good SUV?
At its high starting price of $47,795, there's a lot more the 2021 Cadillac XT6 needs to offer to match up with the far more premium and well-built SUVs in its bracket. The USA may be very patriotic and totally infatuated with crossover SUVs, but even the proudest American cannot deny that European SUVs have more to offer over the homebred Cadillac. The XT6's 4-cylinder lacks power and efficiency and the V6's throttle responses are just too twitchy, plus the 4,000-pound towing capacity the V6 accords is also below average. The most notable drawback, however, is the XT6's low-quality cabin build and impression, which is simply just unacceptable at its price. It's not all bad, though. The XT6 would actually make for a good family runabout with its three spacious rows and multitude of features. The NHTSA's and the IIHS's review of the 2021 Cadillac XT6 also resulted in a near-perfect safety rating, and Cadillac has managed to improve its reliability expectations through the years. That being said, we still feel there are far better SUVs, both local and imported, at the same price.
What Cadillac XT6 Model Should I Buy?
Being that the 2021 XT6 is a relatively large and hefty vehicle, we'd recommend going for either of the trims with the V6 engine onboard, as the 4-cylinder in the entry-spec model is simply too underpowered. This engine, along with the AWD setup, will also have the XT6 towing a fairly decent load if that is something you're concerned with. Between the two trims that come equipped with the V6, the mid-spec Premium Luxury is the one we'd go for as the Sport seems overly pretentious and really doesn't live up to its name.