Cadillac has a trio of luxury crossovers and SUVs on offer, with the biggest being the 2022 XT6 three-row model we recently drove.
There were no major changes to the 2022 version of this stylish SUV, although the Sport model we tested does now feature some hard to miss red calipers on its Brembo brakes.
The base price for the Sport trim is $62,698, but our as-tested cost totalled $67,788.
Only two options were added to our tester, including a $260 charge for monochrome Cadillac emblems, and $2,705 for the Technology Package.
That includes a few nice items, like heads-up display, 8-inch driver information centre, HD surround vision and recorder, rear camera mirror with washer, rear pedestrian alert and automatic parking assist with braking.
Powertrain: The XT6 has a pair of available engines, with the Sport tester having the larger 3.6-litre V6 under the hood (the other engine is 2.0L turbo).
The powerplant, which features cylinder deactivation to run on only four when not all the engine’s power is needed, produces 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque, which is moved to the wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission.
I found it to be a very smooth engine and the transmission was also very efficient in handling the power. The Sport also comes with a twin-clutch sport control all-wheel drive system with chassis damping control, and a performance suspension with driver mode selector.
The estimated combined fuel economy for the XT6 Sport is 11.5 litres per 100 kilometres, which seems rather optimistic to me given the 15.6 L/100 km figure I returned.
Exterior: The XT6 definitely looks the part of an upscale luxury SUV.
Our tester was painted Satin Steel Metallic – a fancy way to say grey – and the black front grille and the other black bits of the front fascia combined with that colour to give it a bit of an aggressive look up front.
The fascia also includes a slim headlight design and vertical light strip embedded at the corners, a design feature I liked.
The tester highlights monochrome emblems, which matched well with the exterior hue, and a nice set of 20-inch 12-spoke diamond cut ally wheels that look very sharp.
The rear features large wraparound taillights, with a large vertical component visible from the back.
There is very little to dislike about the exterior design of the XT6.
Interior: The first thing I noticed about the cabin is the brightness of it thanks to the leather seating, a colour Cadillac calls Cirrus, with mini-perforated inserts. The cabin also features jet black accents throughout, including some carbon fibre trim.
The front seats are heated and cooled, and my one complaint about that is the controls for this feature seemed a tad flimsy. I could see the plastic bubbling and that will probably crack and break off over years of use.
Sadly, that is not the only nit to pick here as the overall layout of the dash, much like the XT4 we recently drove, does leave you wanting more. One passenger quickly remarked how outdated it was compared to others in this segment, and she isn’t wrong.
That being said, it does have some nice features, such as the heads-up display, which is a welcome feature, providing clear information right in the driver’s line of sight.
The XT6 has room for up to seven passengers, but that third row could be a big problematic as it is not that easy to access and does offer limited leg room.
The other issue is that when you have a full complement of passengers, you have almost no usable cargo space left.
The second and third row benches can easily be raised and lowered at the touch of a button on the cargo wall, which is a nice feature. When lowered, you do vastly increase your cargo capacity.
Infotainment: I will give Cadillac credit for the infotainment system. It works well and features niceties like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless device charging and satellite radio.
The screen is on the small side at 8-inches, but the interface – while perhaps a tad dated – is still quite good and efficient. There is little lag, and the menus are all easily to navigate and understand.
Drive: With the power delivery from the V6, I enjoyed my time behind the wheel of the XT6. The steering and suspension feel are also both very good, and the driving feel is in line with what you would expect from a luxury vehicle.
It’s a little too large to be overly sporty, but it has gusts in that direction at times when the engine pressed hard.
The performance suspension as part of the Sport trim also helps make things feel sprightlier, and a drive mode selector lets you choose setups based on your driving preferences and road conditions.
2022 Cadillac XT6
2022 Cadillac XT6
2022 Cadillac XT6
2022 Cadillac XT6
2022 Cadillac XT6
2022 Cadillac XT6
The cabin is also a very quiet and comfortable environment, with little in the way of noise intrusion. Occupants are well isolated from road imperfections as well.
Conclusion: The XT6 definitely looks the part of a luxury SUV, and the V6 engine delivers the goods when it comes to driving performance. The seven-seater also has good overall dynamics.
It does fall short a bit once you slip inside, however. Notably the slightly outdated cabin design and ergonomics, and the fact that when all seats are fully used, there is almost no usable cargo space – negating any use as a family hauler for any kind of long road trip.
2022 Cadillac XT6 AWD Sport
Price as tested: $67,788.00
Freight: $2,200.00
Configuration: Front engine/all-wheel drive
Engine/transmission: 3.6-litre V6/ 9-speed automatic
Power/torque: 310 horsepower/ 271 lb-ft of torque
Fuel (capacity): Regular (83.2 L)
Combined fuel economy ratings (L/100 km): 11.5 L/100 km
Observed fuel economy (L/100 km): 15.6 L/100 km
Warranties: 4-years/80,000 km (basic)
Competitors: Acura MDX, Audi Q8, BMW X5, Genesis GV80, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, Volvo XC90