Cadillac XT6 offers luxury interior with 3rd row

When asked about roomy, third-row SUVs in the Cadillac stable, many of us will instantly refer to the iconic Escalade as fitting that criteria — which it has done since 1999. While the 2022 XT6 may be the younger sibling to Escalade, it offers a comparable amount of interior space and that oft-requested third row.

The new XT6 slots just below Escalade and right above the smaller XT5. There are plenty of luxury amenities between these three SUVs, lots of cabin space for the segment, and competitive pricing across the board. This 2022 XT6 is impressive on many levels.

Exterior look

The Cadillac XT6 is a handsome SUV that goes in the opposite direction of many competitors by keeping the side-panel creases and wheel-well hooding to a minimum. I love this approach because it lets other smaller design cues set the tone as being more understated, but sophisticated.

Of particular note are the vertical daytime running lights at the front, slotted low and in the corners. Echoing this same look at the rear are some great-looking vertical LED tail lamps. The large front grille on my tester was matte black, which allowed the other front elements to stand out — including the familiar Cadillac crest.

As for the fake vents upfront, I’m not a fan, though I do recognize this is a popular mainstream design cue. I guess my thinking is if they are there they should serve some function, not unlike the moonroof that does not open.

Cabin comforts

This XT6 is an incredibly comfortable SUV. With a well-appointed cabin and roomy spaces for drivers and passengers, short trips and road trips are equally easy to find a great seating position and enjoy the quiet cabin and ride.

Getting a comfy seat and clear view is easy in the XT6, especially with the heated and cooled eight-way power seats. My tester featured the captain’s chairs in the second row (as opposed to a bench) and these are very comfortable and supportive while also offering easier access to the third row.

Leather upholstery, soft-touch surfaces, and a combo of dials and buttons with touchscreen responsiveness make this an extremely easy vehicle to interface with for audio, communications, climate, or other added features like navigation. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, a wi-fi charger located in the center bin not only charged my phone with its case on but had more than enough space for the biggest phones.

When you fold all the seats flat there’s a massive 78.7 cubic feet of space for cargo. With all seats up you get 12.6 cubic feet of space, in addition to a storage bin below. Fold the third row flat and you get about 48 cubic feet.

AWD performance

My first comment about performance is you should keep in mind this is a Cadillac that has comfort and ride in mind as a priority. Sporty performance is not part of the equation here, nor should it be for consumers who choose not to pay for such additional features.

The XT6 features a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. The 9-speed automatic transmission is more than capable of keeping up with whatever the XT6 needs, though it gets loud during excessive acceleration.

My tester model came with an all-wheel-drive system that shifts power between the left and right rear wheels thanks to a pair of electronically activated clutches at the rear. There are four driving modes, Tour which uses front-wheel drive, AWD, Sport which gives you more aggressive throttle and shift programming, and Snow made should you encounter any white stuff falling from the sky. The Premium Luxury XT6 AWD models also feature torque-on-demand to the rear axle with an open rear differential.

Fuel economy is with the stop-start feature engaged. A variable displacement cylinder deactivation system also helps to add more fuel economy. I managed the combined city/highway of 21/18/25 mpg in my AWD XT6 tester.

Platinum package

The base XT6 Premium starts at $48,595; the Premium Luxury starts at $54, 995; and my tester, with the Platinum Package ($5,000), landed at $70,965. The Platinum level adds Semi-Aniline Leather, French Stitched Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel, Microfiber Suede Headliner, Real-Time Damping Suspension and many other goodies.

The Tech Package ($2,350) includes HD Surround Vision, Park Assist, Rear Pedestrian Alert, Rear Camera Washer, and Night Vision ($2,000). The upgraded audio system, a 14-speaker Bose system was an appreciated extra.

An SUV from Cadillac with a cost north of $70,000 might raise some eyebrows, especially one not named Escalade. Perhaps there is additional understated excellence I did not tap into, but from a ride, comfort, and tech approach, the 2022 XT6 is in the same ballpark as most of the competitors in this segment that doesn’t offer turbo power or a performance DNA.

• John Stein is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. He has more than 25 years’ experience driving, testing, and writing about the automotive industry, its latest innovations, and vehicles.