2020 Cadillac XT6 Takes Brand Into New, Profitable Territory

With its New York adventure behind it, General Motors’ Cadillac brand has changed course significantly, and the results are telling. The most recent example of the direction change is the just-introduced Cadillac XT6 crossover SUV, a solidly family-oriented vehicle that wouldn’t have fit nearly as well in the previous regime’s plan to out-BMW BMW. But in an era in which one wonders if BMW is comfortable being BMW, Cadillac’s return to Detroit and Midwestern values has the potential to bear fruit.

One example of that is the Cadillac XT4 small crossover, an excellent product introduced last year that has vaulted to the top of its segment. Now Cadillac hopes for similar success from the XT6, and one of the goals of the new model, according to Cadillac execs, is to broaden the brand’s appeal.

“The XT4 is bringing in new customers to the showroom that might not have traditionally been Cadillac shoppers, so we’re really excited about that product,” Cadillac XT5 and XT6 Chief Engineer John Plonka told forbes.com. “XT5 has been our number one global seller for the past year, and of course the Escalade, everybody knows what the Escalade is all about. So to bring the XT6 in positioned between those vehicles from a size perspective and from a capability perspective is really exciting for us.”

Since virtually all the sales volume growth in the luxury side of the business has come from SUVs, moving in that direction seems both wise and logical.  In other words, it makes sense to be a lot less Nurburgring and a lot more Main Street.

And when it comes to the XT6, it seems very much at home on Main Street.  Every upper-middle-class family in the country with 1.5 kids or more would do well to consider the six-passenger, three-row Cadillac XT6. The vehicle is filled with safety, driver-assistance and infotainment tech, and it is distinctive enough to wear the Cadillac badge properly without being as in-your-face as the previous Cadillac “Art and Science” design language vehicles were. The XT6 conveys that its owners “have money” with more subtlety than Cadillacs of years past.

Prior to the introduction of the XT6, Cadillac didn’t really offer a family-oriented SUV.  The recently introduced XT4 might be a reasonable vehicle for a young family, but its primary appeal is to young professional singles and couples. The five-passenger XT5 is a primetime conveyance for empty nesters, and the Escalade, while certainly utilitarian enough for families, is priced out of the reach of many well-to-do families with children approaching college age. So the XT6 fills what could be a high-volume void in the lineup.

After driving the XT6 extensively in the hills of Virginia outside Washington, DC, it became quite clear that the comfort and convenience families crave was front-and-center during the design and engineering process. It’s a vehicle that seemingly never takes a misstep.

That attention to detail becomes very clear when considering the three-row seating that sets the XT6 apart. According to Plonka, the focus on the XT6 was around developing a package that provides an active family with the three-row capacity that is very versatile and configurable.  Both second-row captains chairs and the third row power-fold to enable the easy acceptance of cargo. At the same time Plonka says it was important to provide ample room for full-size adults even in the third row, often a place of cruel and unusual punishment.

“We like to say that it was engineered to make every seat the best seat in the house,” Plonka said. “It’s tough to make any third-row seat reasonable. But our primary focus was to make sure that seating position was comfortable for a full-size adult.”

Whether you’re a full-size adult or a 10-year-old, the third-row will offer you both USB ports and wi-fi connectivity to make the hours go somewhat faster.

“It was really critical for us to provide a comfortable environment for active families that spend a lot of their time in vehicles,” Plonka said.

As they order the new XT6 those active families must decide whether they lean to Premium Luxury or Sport, because the new Cadillac model strategy that plays out on the new model offers — and essentially demands — that distinction. The Premium Luxury version of the XT6 is distinguished by bright “Galvano” (muted chrome) accents and red taillight lenses, while the Sport has darker accents, clear taillight lenses, and performance-oriented details like available 21-inch wheels. So where do you stand on red taillights versus clear?

Similar choices play out in the interior.  The Premium Luxury trim includes exotic wood decor. In contrast, the Sport features carbon-fiber trim.

“We have unique interior trim configurations with real wood veneers and leather seating surfaces throughout the vehicle,” Plonka said. “When you switch to a Sport model you’ll see some of those galvanized chrome accents turned to gloss black. It gives it a little more aggressive almost sinister appearance to it.”

Or as sinister as a three-row family crossover can be. One piece of good news is the Sport version isn’t just an “appearance package.”

“The other thing that we’ve done with the XT6 is coupled the mechanical performance of the vehicle to the personality of the styling,” he said. “So the Sport model will come standard with all-wheel-drive. It’ll have a faster-ratio steering gear, and we’ll also have a suspension system with continuous damping control to give it an overall sporty or driving character.”

This effort is furthered by the fact that the all-wheel-drive unit in the Sport version features a Sport Control active twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system that provides active yaw control, offering more torque to the outside rear wheel in cornering.

Our driving experience confirmed the Premium Luxury version offers a ride quality that is more isolated than the Sport, although neither is plagued by body roll. The Virginia hill country offers some terrific two-lanes that would challenge any vehicle, and both versions of the XT6 passed the test.

As to the interior, you can decide whether you’d prefer wood trim or carbon fiber and all that goes with it. One thing all should be able to agree upon is the infotainment system, which can be controlled by touchscreen, steering wheel-mounted controls and a European-style new rotary controller with mouselike “jog” functionality.

“It kind of works like a joystick and then it’s surrounded by some control buttons in between the buttons and the knob in the jog feature,” said Joel Hoffman, engineering manager on the XT6. “You can move screen-to-screen, you can move within screens and make selections all with your arm comfortably resting on the armrest. You don’t need to interact with the screen at all if you don’t want to.”

In total, the XT6 is a worthy entry into the already crowded field of upscale family crossovers, filled with worthwhile touches. Its starting price in the mid-$50K range might not be described as a bargain, but at the same time makes it solidly attainable by the reasonably well-heeled families it seeks to attract.

We think Main Street buyers will like what they see.