The 2020 Cadillac XT6 made its grand entrance early this year at the 2019 North American International Auto Show. The “midsize plus” three-row luxury crossover SUV is now finally at dealers, and it offers two trim levels – the Premium Luxury and the Sport. These two trims occupy opposite sides of the Cadillac Y Trim Level strategy, and as such, both deliver unique exterior styling details appropriate to their respective name.
The Premium Luxury trim features a more sophisticated approach, while the Sport trim delivers a more sporty and aggressive approach. With that in mind, we’re taking a deep dive into the visual differences of the Cadillac XT6.
For this comparison, we used the Shadow Metallic paint on both trims, an optional color that adds $625 to the bottom line. The rest of the spec goes unchanged, without any extras tacked on.
Premium Luxury
Sport
Off the bat, both trim levels offer the same general body shape and design, including the signature LED vertical lights along the lower and outer edges of the front fascia. Both trim levels also come with standard 20-inch wheels, but the design of the wheels varies between the Cadillac XT6 Premium Luxury and Sport, with the former featuring a multi-spoke design typically associated with luxury models, while the latter getting fewer spokes.
Premium Luxury
Sport
Looking closer, we find that the Cadillac XT6 Premium Luxury comes with a “Bright Galvano” finish (essentially chrome) for the grille insert, grille outline, roof rails, and side window surrounds, adding some bling to the exterior. Additional polished bits can be found scattered about on the door handles as well as the front and rear fascias.
Speaking of the rear fascia, the XT6 Premium Luxury also comes with red taillight lenses. Meanwhile, its 20-inch wheels feature a split-six-spoke wheel design.
Premium Luxury
Sport
Moving onto the Cadillac XT6 Sport, the front end is punctuated with a black grille, including a black outline and black insert, replacing the polished front end of the Premium Luxury. The Sport grille is the same general grille shape as that of the Premium Luxury, but the Sport’s insert gets a different aesthetic inspired by the brand’s sporty V-Series models. The inserts near the lower lighting elements are blacked out, rather than being finished in chrome.
Premium Luxury
Sport
Additional features for the Cadillac XT6 Sport include black trim for the roof rails and window surrounds, as well as clear taillight lenses. The door handles are finished in body color on the Sport trim. Meanwhile, a black strip is added to the lower rear valance just above the exhaust pipes. The model rides on a set of unique 20-inch wheels in a unique Y-spoke design.
Premium Luxury
Sport
Notably, one can also add the optional Platinum Package to either the Premium Luxury or Sport models. Doing so adds some luxurious content to the interior, but does not impact the appearance of the exterior.
| Premium Luxury | Sport | |
|---|---|---|
| Wheels: | 20-inch split-six-spoke | 20-inch Y-spoke |
| Grille outline: | Bright Galvano | Black |
| Grille insert: | Bright Galvano | Black, V-Series style |
| Side window surrounds: | Bright Galvano | Black |
| Roof rails: | Bright Galvano | Black |
| Taillight lenses: | Red | Clear |
| Rear trim: | Bright Galvano | Black |
| Door handles: | Shiny | Body Color |
All told, the Cadillac XT6 Premium Luxury and Sport are very clearly differentiated, while catering to today’s varied customer tastes, whether the preference is traditional luxury or a more sporty interpretation. Too bad it took Cadillac several years to get with the program.
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Editor’s note: this article was made possible via a collaboration with our colleagues at the Cadillac Society.
Comments
Let’s try this another way:
I’m getting back on my soap-box. So just like what I’ve been able to find with the all new CT5, this XT6 (yes, still can’t stand the stupid “names” either) does the same thing in terms of rims/tires. Just like with the Volvo’s (and Mazda’s) I work with now that are using stupidly low profile tires, which degrades the ride substantially, these new Cadillac’s are doing the same thing. So i go back and ask why? What the heck do we need such large rims for? Don’t they realize you can actually design a very nice looking rim in a smaller size? Ok, so for those of you who will beat me up on this while saying Cadillac must go after the sport side, then great. You have your “sport” package as described above. Now give those of us who don’t like to crash over every hole and up-heave in the pavement the “Luxury” package we deserve! Give the luxury trim the warm wood tones. The softer and more comfortable seating. More chrome. Smaller rims (17″ or 18″ max) with the higher profile rubber to take on the imperfections we drive on daily. Give the car less HP and better MPG’s. Don’t make a huge hole in the roof standard. And feel free to give it a little lower price while you are at it. I, for one, don’t see why I should have to pay for all the junk they force on you just to appease the sport crowds.
Apparently Cadillac/GM feel the Y trim level approach simply means black trim vs whatever with different style rims and rice-racer clear tail lamps.
I concur.
There’s no need for 20” wheels on a luxury. 17 or 18” would be just fine. And I do not want a sunroof. Ever. Even if it’s free.
But I do think they’ve done a decent job differentiating the exterior trims.
@Tomko,
I see the sport minded are out in droves once again offering nothing more than a thumbs down. Why not give constructive comments? Why not rebuff what I’ve (or you have) said instead of hiding behind a click?
Anyhow, what’s most questionable to me is why there seems to be so many people who feel Cadillac should just run wild with the sports side of things while is’t been proven not to work. Oh, well. You and I seem to be the minority here.
I think a certain amount of push-pull is part of the true american way. No one person’s point of view or beliefs are better than another’s. In fact the country was founded by people who wanted to do things their own way.
But having said that, Cadillac can have it both ways with separate luxury and sport variants. But there’s room – a lot of room – to differentiate beyond trim. That is to adjust engine outputs, transmission shift algorithms, spring and shock rates – and yes ride quality – to create truly unique luxury and sport applications.
I have been saying exactly what you have sir, since the CT6 came out in 2016!!!!
I LOVE the idea of the Y trim levels. That was part of my idea, but I don’t think Caddy has gone far enough. I was always preaching a more sporty trim, along side a “ultra-lux” trim. But my idea included giving the sport version a faster engine, performance tires/seats, and some styling differences. I still think the luxury should be a bit more focused on comfort and tech. Things like higher profile tires, XTS-like seats (wide and comfortable), and things like Supercruise standard.
I feel like all this does, is give customers a “Canyon Denali” experience. The SLT has the same equipment as the Denali, save for the Denali grille, and bigger wheels. Same materials, same tech…..everything. Caddy is on the right path, but they haven’t quite reached the end.
Thank you Henry. Well said and thanks for giving a comment about it. Even if others don’t agree with me, I do wish they would leave a civilized comment saying why. I may not agree, but it’s always nice to hear from another side of things too.
When there are no engine options, it means there is very little flexibility between the different variants; it would be different if Cadillac offered a detuned Blackwing twin-turbo V8 or even the Duramax 3.0L turbo-diesel from the Chevy Silverado.
How can you call one a sport without a different engine choice. 3.6 @ 310 HP simply not enough for this size vehicle . :>(. They don’t get it.
I agree that a 400hp engine should be provided as an option.
There’s not much else I can find wrong with the XT6 though.
That engine would be mounted the wrong way in this vehicle so squash that!
I hope this thing fails. I hope the Aviator in particular defeats it.
Not because I want Cadillac to fail, but because I want it to force GM to take its topmost luxury division seriously; Cadillac will need the proper funding and autonomy to develop product worthy of unlocking higher price brackets.
I hope defeat by the Aviator will:
-Prove that “American” luxury doesn’t have to be a FWD/AWD callback to the Malaise Era
-Disprove the myth that luxury CUV buyers don’t know or care about the platform, or do their research during cross-shopping
-Prove that comfort, luxury, and performance can peacefully co-exist on a RWD/AWD platform
-Prove that the argument about RWD/AWD vs FWD/AWD in a luxury vehicle is much more nuanced than “trying to copy the Germans”
-Force Cadillac to develop truly differentiated vehicles, that will eliminate internal competition between Cadillac and Buick/GMC
-Force Cadillac to develop one consistent set of values surrounding the Cadillac experience (as opposed to two separate values in the sedan lineup vs. CUV lineup)
If public humiliation from the Aviator can force Cadillac to design truly competitive luxury vehicles throughout the entire lineup, godspeed Lincoln.
Yep, just like Lincoln’s other SUVs, Aviator looks good on paper but can it sell?(aka sell to women). None of Lincoln’s SUVs outsell Cadillac and that’s not changing soon. With that statement I’ll pick an Aviator over XT6 and I believe this will be the only fwd XT6.
I think the XT6 will outsell the Aviator, Q7, QX60, and maybe even the MDX.
I think it’s pretty well placed in the market, and they priced/packaged it well.
Well said Curtnik. And very true.
Aviator is DOA compared to XT6. I’m glad “Cadillac should copy Lincoln” is a fringe stance because its suicide.
One thing I’ve noticed about all of the C1 platform crossovers (Blazer, Traverse, Acadia, Enclave, XT5, and XT6, whew!) is that they all have derivatives of a 6-spoke wheel design. I remember that used to be GMC’s gig a while back. I’m a bit tired of seeing endless rehashing of the same basic design. I think a split 7 spoke wheel similar to one of the BMW X7’s optional styles would go a long way with elevating the XT6’s exterior presence. Things like the 6 spoke derivative wheels, shared switchgear and platforms, and overall uninspiring powertrains and interiors are what’s holding the GM crossovers back, particularly the ones from Buick and Cadillac.
Someone deserves a raise for making this Cadillac less interesting than the Buick Envision.
This car is blah blah blah and they didn’t even give it supercruise. My wife and I are in the market for a 3 row and why would anyone buy this over a Acadia Denali if you go the GMC route? The new Lincoln stylistically is light years better then this but the idea of buying a Ford is tough to swallow. Yet this car makes me want to go that route. I’ll check it out at the dealership, but first impression is not good.
The XT6 is getting SuperCruise next year.
If that’s too long to wait, you can buy a competitor. None of them have Supercruise either.
I read that the market for this crossover could be up to 30,000 units per year. Which means billions in additional revenue not counting whatever this cannibalizes from the Cadillac XT5 and Acadia Denali (or the larger Buick Enclave Avenir).
I’m actually impressed with the reviews I’ve seen so far on the XT6. I think they will reliably move 1800-2500 units per month once production ramps up, but I do think it will cost the XT5 some sales.
The QX60 and MDX are in desperate need for a refresh, and the XT6 is slightly bigger than the Audi Q7 and XC90.
To be true, It doesn’t look like a Cadillac even doesn’t look like a a premium CUV ( i think Mazda/Kia/ Hyundai looks better than this ) . The XT6 should have been an 7 adult seat EV and needs to look very better.
Least they should have differentiated this by power-train ( a plugin-hybrid from CT6 and built on CT6 platform and shares all CT6 engines least the 4.2 ) .
I’ve seen it in person and the only more attractive large crossovers are the Bentayga, the XC90, and the Cayenne, imo. The rest are all either horribly generic or contenders for “worst corporate face” application in their respective brands.
I would agree with your assessment after seeing the XT6 in person.
It’s a very solid competitor and demonstrates just how “meh” popular competitors like the MDX and QX60 are.
Fake Cadillac. Not even on par with the Buick Enclave