2021 Cadillac XT6 Sport AWD

Cadillac spent around 10 years chasing Europe’s finest…and many would say that they’ve more than caught up. Whether straight line performance…or on the twisties…Cadillacs ride and handle with the best on the road today.

So now that Cadillac has the performance boxes check off…what’s next?

How ‘bout those details like fit, finish, reliability and tech?

But let’s start with what Cadillac’s new XT6 is, OK?

Like just about every manufacturer, Cadillac now has more SUVs in its lineup than sedans. And the XT6 falls in place above the smaller XT4 and XT5…and just under the Big Daddy himself…the Escalade.

The new XT6 is a three-row, 7-seater that starts in the high $40’s with a 2.0 Turbo four and a 9-speed automatic. 18” alloys are standard, as is a sunroof, heated front seats, a power liftgate, front collision warnings, front pedestrian braking, front and rear parking assist, lane keeping assist, lane departure warnings and GM’s TV-like rear-view camera.

The next step up elevates the experience with a 3.6 liter V-6, wood trim, leather, heated steering, a power folding third row, 20” alloys, and blind-side and rear cross-traffic alerts and wireless charging.

“Sport” trim will start in the high $50’s, and Cadillac will give you more than just trim for that. You’ll get a serious race-inspired suspension as part of the deal.

And of course, you can option it up from there. Our $71,565 list test “Sport” added ventilated Semi-aniline leather, second-row heated folding captains’ chairs, microfibre suede headliner, surround-vision, heads-up display, Cadillac’s infared night vision system that literally helps you see in the dark, Boise 14-speaker audio and more.

But back to that night vision for a second. Tech is another area where Cadillac has made big strides in the past few years. JD Power now ranks Cadillac third in “Technical Experience”. All the tech in the world is useless if the driver doesn’t use it…right? Cadillac’s drivers find their cars’ technology easy to use.

So wrap Cadillac’s new XT6 all up in a rather muscular body, and you’ve got a vehicle that can stand up and compete with anything else in its category…whether it’s from Europe or Japan.