Used 2023 Cadillac XT6

If you need a practical 3-row SUV and have the budget for a luxury vehicle, then the 2023 Cadillac XT6 should be on your shopping list. It’s not the most opulent or high-performance offering in the midsize luxury SUV segment, but it has a lot of virtues that families will appreciate.

The XT6 has one of the most accommodating third rows of seats of any midsize luxury SUV, and it’s an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. Its chief rivals are the Lincoln Aviator, Infiniti QX60, and Acura MDX, which all have standard 3-row seating at a similar price point.

The Cadillac XT6 is a comfortable SUV, but not quite as refined as many of its competitors. It’s more poised than the average non-luxury SUV, but it may not be as serene to drive as you’d expect from a luxury vehicle. That said, it’s important to keep in mind that the XT6 is considerably more affordable than its more luxurious and high-performance European rivals.

As for performance, the base turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is a little underpowered for an SUV this big. It moves the XT6 around just fine as long as it’s mostly empty. If you use it as a family vehicle with a lot of passengers and cargo, the 4-cylinder tends to run out of breath under hard acceleration.

The V6 that Cadillac puts in the Premium Luxury and Sport trims is a better fit for the XT6. It makes much more power and a little more torque to make for more confident acceleration and better highway passing abilities.

The XT6 gets more fun to drive in the top Sport trim. Not only does it have the desirable V6, but it adds a twin-clutch sport-tuned all-wheel-drive system (AWD) with chassis damping control, a performance suspension, and Brembo front brakes. The Sport model strikes a nice balance of performance, practicality, and luxury while keeping the price reasonable.

The Cadillac XT6 has an almost minivan-like interior, which could be good or bad depending on your priorities. It has abundant seating space with a third row suitable for adults and easy to access, which is a claim that few rivals can make. The Cadillac XT6 seats up to seven passengers as standard, or six if you opt for captain’s chairs in the second row in lieu of the bench.

However, the XT6 simply isn’t as luxurious as most of its competitors in terms of interior design and material quality. The family-friendly XT6 is an elegant alternative to a minivan, and we do mean that as a compliment.

The XT6 gets nicer as you work your way up the trims and add option packages. The Premium Luxury trim upgrades the interior with authentic leather seats, wood interior trim, and a power-folding third row. The optional Platinum Package further adds semi-aniline leather seats, a sueded microfiber headliner, premium carpeted floor mats, and more fancy materials.

The styling of the Cadillac XT6 is pretty conservative. The front end makes a bold statement with a prominent grille and an elegant light signature, but the body is that of a rather generic SUV. The boxy body does yield its impressively roomy interior, but this SUV isn’t particularly interesting to look at. However, the Sport trim does add a unique appearance package giving it a sportier look while retaining its dignified subtlety.

The XT6 is on the bigger side of midsize luxury SUVs. Its dimensions are similar to the Lincoln Aviator and Acura MDX, and it’s a bit larger than most of its German rivals like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class.

ROOMY INTERIOR
The XT6 has a spacious, family-friendly interior with three rows of seats you can actually use. In many of its rivals, the third row is cramped and hard to access in many of its competitors.

SUPER CRUISE
The sophisticated Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system allows for hands-free driving on highways mapped by Cadillac. It’s optional on the Premium Luxury and Sport trims.

The base Luxury trim of the Cadillac XT6 is well-equipped for a luxury SUV in this class. Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, 3-row/7-passenger seating, heated front seats, an UltraView panoramic sunroof, a power liftgate, tri-zone climate control, a memory package, and Inteluxe faux leather seats.

The standard infotainment system is an 8-inch touchscreen loaded with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, and a Bose 8-speaker audio system.

Standard safety tech includes the Cadillac Smart System, which bundles automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear park assist, an HD backup camera, a vibrating Safety Alert Seat, rear seat reminder, and Teen Driver mode. Additional standard safety tech includes front park assist, automatic high beams, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

One of the most popular options on the XT6 is all-wheel drive (AWD), which is optional on the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims and standard on the Sport model.

Upgrading to the Premium Luxury trim adds excellent features while keeping the price reasonable. For starters, the more robust V6 engine comes standard. The engine upgrade alone makes this trim easy to recommend. On top of that, you get genuine leather seats, wood interior trim, a heated steering wheel, a power-folding third row, 20-inch wheels, and a hands-free power liftgate.

The Sport model lives up to its name. It comes standard with the V6 engine, along with additional performance upgrades including a sport-tuned suspension, all-wheel drive, and Brembo front brakes. You also get a sporty appearance package inside and out.

One of the best options for the XT6 is the Super Cruise hands-free driving system. This semi-autonomous driving system allows you to drive on highways mapped by Cadillac with your hands off the wheel and your eyes on the road. It’s optional on the Premium Luxury and Sport trims.

If you want a little extra luxury in your Cadillac, consider the Platinum Package available for the Premium Luxury trim. It upgrades the interior materials with semi-aniline leather seating, a Modena leather-wrapped steering wheel, a sueded microfiber headliner, premium floor mats, and more.

There are two engine options in the Cadillac XT6. The base engine in the Luxury trim is a turbocharged 4-cylinder. It’s adequate for most applications, but if your SUV is full of passengers and cargo, it’s a bit lacking.

The 310-horsepower V6 in the two upper trims is better for most drivers for its improved performance at only a slight fuel economy penalty. Since the V6 uses regular gas and the turbo-4 requires premium fuel, the V6 actually has a lower estimated annual fuel cost from the EPA.

Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard, and all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional on the XT6. Every XT6 sends power to the wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (Luxury)
237 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/27 mpg (FWD), 21/26 mpg (AWD)

3.6-liter V6 (Premium Luxury, Sport)
310 horsepower @ 6,600 rpm
271 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/26 mpg (FWD), 18/25 mpg (AWD)