Since the closure of Pontiac and Saturn in 2009, GM have had four brands to offer to both their North American customers and any other parts of the world where the US-market products are sold. Whilst visually most of the offerings from each of Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac are different, the exception being the gargantuan top of the range SUVs, which all look very similar, under the skin just about everything is shared across all four brands. Of course Chevrolet, as the volume brand extends to a lower price point and has some smaller cars than the others but once you get to the mid-sized and larger vehicles, then there is generally a version of each underlying platform with four different badges on offer. For a long time, though, there was one exception to this: the large three-row Crossover/SUV models, manifest as the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave, which appeared in the 2008 – 2010 timeframe, where there was no sign of a Cadillac version, and leaving a big gap between the mid-sized XT5 and the massive Escalade. When these long-lived Lambda cars were replaced, it was to the surprise of no-one that (eventually) there was a Cadillac version as well. Or so we thought. In fact, the new Cadillac, called XT6, showing how it fits into a range of three crossovers, is more closely related to the smaller and long-running XT5, sharing its wheel base, and its maker described it, at launch in January 2019, as more of a “mid-size plus” vehicle than a full-size, even though to my eyes at least, this really does look like a true full-size.

US market sales of the XT6 started in June 2019, as a 2020 model year car. Life for the XT6 was not easy, as the first reviewers were unconvinced by what they saw as rather unimaginative styling and they also felt it lacked some of the features you might expect of a premium-badged and priced vehicle, citing the main domestic rival, the Lincoln Aviator, as superior in all these aspects. The XT6 has changed very little since that 2019 launch, with mostly trim and spec upgrades though a less potent turbo 4 cylinder engine did join the range in 2021. Perhaps because of all the odd things that happened to the US car rental fleets as a consequence of Covid lock downs and then the chip supply crisis, the XT6 did not appear in the rental fleets for some time but finally in 2023 I have noticed some of them at Hertz, so I decided I should try to secure one to see for myself whether this car is better than the US press had said or not. The chance came when I arrived at Hertz Los Angeles on the first morning of my November 2023 visit, where there were several of them parked up and I was able to secure one for a day’s rental.

The test car came in Premium Luxury trim which means that it has as standard the 3.6 litre V6 which generates a respectable 310 bhp. Operating the keyless start and listen to the engine fire was a treat. You really can’t beat a V6 for the combination of sound and smoothness. This is certainly a refined engine, with generally muted noise levels, but what is not, at least in this large and heavy car is one that is man enough to make the XT6 feel genuinely fast. It’s not slow either, as acceleration is respectable and the combination with the nine speed automatic transmission works well. Gearchanges are largely imperceptible and the XT6 can certainly keep up with the flow of traffic very well, but you may just be expecting something a little more brisk and exciting. Reminder that this is a large and heavy car came when I was at the fuel station filling the tank. I covered 157 miles in my day with this Cadillac and it burned through 7 US gallons which works out at 22.42 mpg US or 26.79mpg Imperial. That’s a lot better than I have seen in the larger Tahoe and Escalade models, but it is still far from thrifty.

If the XT6 was not quite as brisk as I was hoping for, then it made it for it by being more nimble than I was expecting. This is, of course, all relative, but even was a welcome surprise. The steering has some feel, though the assistance is such that this heavy machine is still quite easy to manoeuvre and park up. The handling is safe and predictable, and there is not too much body roll on corners. This car came on 255/55 R20 wheels and these, along with the relatively soft suspension gave a comfortable ride even on some of the rougher freeway surfaces in the LA valley. The brakes caused no concern, operating effectively with only moderate pedal pressure. There is an electronic handbrake on the dash now, the foot pedals of yore having been confined to the larger Escalade. The raised driving position gives you a good view over other smaller vehicles and the relatively generous glass area means it is not hard to see out. A number of ADAS systems feature, of course, of which the Blind Spot Warning feature was the best. The Lane Keep Assist was less irritating than some, though when this or the forward collision alert woke up, the vibration in the seat was somewhat disconcerting and would be reason alone to turn these systems off.

Cadillac keep trying to come up with interiors to rival the best from Europe and repeatedly tell us that they think they are there. And one look from a European is enough to tell them that they just are not. Sadly, the Cadillac is no different. Yes there are some soft touch materials, and yes there is plenty of leather used o the dashboard and the door casings, but there is also some fairly horrid wood effect plastic as well as the chrome inlays and there are some harder and cheaper feeling surfaces, too. It is still a long way of what Audi or Volvo or even Genesis would deliver. The overall design which looks a bit clumsy and ill-integrated does not help. The steering wheel is leather-wrapped and is heated. The instrument dials are the sort you find pretty ubiquitously these days, with two large dials for speedo and rev counter and smaller fuel level and water temperature gauges inset.  Between there is a digital speed repeater and trip info in the top half of the central area with the lower part configurable by using the selection buttons on the right hand steering wheel spoke. The left hand spoke operates the cruise control. There are two column stalks, which include the lights and these and the wipers have an auto function. The centre of the dash contains the integrated touchscreen which operates pretty much everything else, though thankfully there are pads and buttons for the dual zone climate control below this. As well as the touch attribute of the screen there is a control wheel in the centre console. The sound system seemed a little basic but there are all the expected functions here including Apple Car Play. Android Auto and on-board navigation. There is a separate pad for wireless phone charging.

When you open the door of the XT6 there is a real feeling of space, with large seats set quite far apart and ample headroom even though there is a sunroof which of course makes the cabin feel lighter and more airy. Seat trim is real leather in this version and there is a lot of potential adjustment, all done with electric motors. Lumbar support is included though the movement is a bit limited. There is a two position memory to store your favourite position once you’ve found it.  The seats have both heating and cooling elements in them. The steering column is also electrically adjustable, so there is a wide range of driving positions available.

The XT6 is a three-row crossover, and as you would hope from its not insignificant external dimensions, there is plenty of space for passengers. Well, that is certainly the case for those in the second row. The seats are on sliders, so you can vary amount of space relative to the third row, but unless you set the front seats well back and the second row well forward there should be no complaints about a lack of space. There is a completely flat floor, so a middle seat occupant should not feel like there is nowhere for the legs. A drop-down armrest includes cup holders in the upper surface and there pockets on the back of the front seats and bins on the doors.  As with so many three-row cars, even the large ones, there is more of a challenge associated with getting in than being in. Access to the third row does quite an element of agility, even though the second row seats tip forward. Once installed, there is not as much space as you might expect. It will be fine for children but adults probably would not relish a long journey here.

As with all but the very largest three-row SUVs, boot space is pretty limited when all three rows of seats are erect, though there is at least a well under the floor for a few additional small items and there is also a well to the left hand side behind the rear wheelarch. There is electric assistance for folding the seats down, the third row being split 50/50 and the second row 60/40 and the switches for this are by the tailgate and also by the rear side doors. Even just with the third row folded down there is a lot of luggage space and the area is truly cavernous once all seats are dropped down. Inside the passenger compartment there is a good-sized glovebox, as well as some deep door bins and there is a stowage area under the centre console as well as a recess in the lower dash and a central armrest cubby which combine more than enough places for odds and ends.

The 2023 Cadillac XT6 is available in three trim levels: Luxury, Premium Luxury and Sport. A seven-seat layout comes standard. The biggest difference is found under the bonnet. The Luxury trim features a 237 bhp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, while the Premium Luxury and Sport trims have a 310 bhp V6. The entry-level Luxury trim is outfitted with a turbo-four engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available. Standard features include synthetic leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats, an 8-inch touch screen, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hot spot, an eight-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, six USB ports, satellite radio, HD Radio, tri-zone automatic climate control, proximity keyless entry, push-button start, remote start, a panoramic sunroof, a power liftgate and 18-inch alloy wheels. Additional standard equipment includes forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beam headlights, driver-attention monitoring, a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, a safety alert seat and Teen Driver. You may find models with 20-inch wheels. The Premium Luxury trim features the V6 engine and adds genuine leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, navigation, wireless device charging, a 14-speaker stereo, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a hands-free power liftgate and 20-inch alloy wheels. All-wheel drive remains available. When new, this trim could be optioned with several stand-alone features. These include second-row captain’s chairs (six-seat layout), an 8-inch digital gauge cluster, adaptive cruise control, rear collision warning, a rearview mirror with an integrated camera display, a surround-view camera system, a night-vision camera, a head-up display, hands-free park assist, GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving system, an adaptive suspension and 21-inch wheels. The Sport trim comes with all-wheel drive, black exterior accents, upgraded front brakes and an adaptive suspension. Most options carry over.

So what did I make of the XT6 overall? There are no significant weak points, so on that basis you could say that this is a decent premium-badged large crossover. It goes well, is a bit more nimble than you might expect, offers lots of space for people and luggage and the equipment level is generous for a price that is a bit lower than the non-US brand rivals. But equally, there is no real flair, no stand-out reason why you would pick one over and above not just the Lincoln Aviator, but also rivals from Lexus, Genesis, BMW and Mercedes.  If you want a large GM three-row, then the Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave would seem like better bets, losing a bit in equipment and maybe something of badge prestige, but little else. Otherwise, yes, those critical journalists were probably right when they said that the Lincoln Aviator looked a more interesting choice. Interestingly, that is not reflected in the US market sales performance where both the Cadillac and Lincoln have achieved similar sales volumes every year. Overall, then, a solid but ultimately undistinguished effort – not for the first time from Cadillac, it has to be said.