Cadillac XT6
ROBERT_KERIAN_323-337-4295
Tech specs
Price range: N/A (estimated $65,000).
Engine: 3.6-litre V6.
Transmission/drive: Nine-speed automatic/all-wheel.
Why it matters: The new XT6, a big SUV, will transport six or seven people in three rows of seats. In a crowded market against luxury versions of GM’s own Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave, as well as entries from BMW, Audi, Subaru and other automakers, Cadillac fully intends to out-style the competition.
Interior materials include wood, carbon fibre and leather. Seating in all three rows is available in “Opus semi-aniline leather.” The premium luxury trim features Galvano metal treatment on the grille, roof rails and window mouldings; the sport trim gets a carbon-fibre interior decor, black painted grille, high-gloss accents and pearl-nickel-finish wheels.
Consumers seeking a large SUV will find more seating capacity than in the XT5 and a more nimble ride than provided by the Escalade, a yacht-on-wheels.
It will be equipped with the gamut of safety and driver-assist features, including a night-vision camera and surround-vision recorder. “This gives you a 360-degree perimeter view – it’s looking at the immediate vicinity of the vehicle,” John Plonka, the XT6’s chief engineer, told correspondent Mark Richardson in Detroit. “If you’re parked and you want to record somebody crashing a shopping cart into your car, you can capture video of that.”
Stay on top of all our Drive stories. We have a Drive newsletter covering car reviews, innovative new cars and the ups and downs of everyday driving. Sign up for the weekly Drive newsletter, delivered to your inbox for free. Follow us on Instagram, @globedrive.