Did you know Cadillac’s “the standard of the world” slogan came to be because of an award it won way back in 1908? That award was for innovation—specifically for Cadillac’s clever use of interchangeable parts, which was new to the automotive industry back then. How ironic, then, that the interchangeable parts mantra might be the reason the 2025 Cadillac XT6 remains a somewhat good, but not great player in the midsize crossover space.

The XT6 shares its underpinnings with non-luxe GM counterparts like the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia—all of which have been redesigned for 2025, but the XT6 soldiers on unchanged. Even so, the XT6 looks like it’s attending a black-tie event, whereas the others are better suited to dropping the kids off at soccer practice. [The Acadia Denali could probably hang. —Ed.] Now, I should be clear: I’m being a bit cheeky with the interchangeable-parts bit, because that’s often tied to badge engineering; we all know how much GM loved badge engineering especially back in the 1980s and 1990s, but my point still stands. The XT6 might’ve been a genuinely nice product a few years ago, but I’m not quite certain it has held up well enough compared to its rivals.

Style, comfort, and practicality

The XT6’s strongest suit is its appearance, especially dressed in black. Its boxy silhouette and sharp lines translate well in a sea of gelatinous blobs. The sheet metal is tight and purposeful, sharing a strong family resemblance to other Cadillac models, especially with the mesh front grille, slim headlights, and vertical LED daytime running lights matching the tail lights out back. The wheel options are tasteful; our tester’s optional 21-inch wheels fill the fenders nicely. As is par for the course, Cadillac sprinkles some chrome touches throughout, coming across as tasteful and premium. I also dig Cadillac’s monochromatic emblem treatment, which was reserved for the fenders on our tester but can be optioned throughout. It’s tasteful but restrained; classic but unadventurous.

It isn’t until you get inside that things begin to go south. Unlike its freshened-up siblings, the XT6 hasn’t received the latest screens and gizmos GM has to offer, so some of its less luxurious siblings have one-upped the XT6 in a few places. For example, the Acadia Denali’s portrait-oriented 15-inch infotainment touchscreen is sharp and vivid, whereas the XT6 still uses a display almost half the size, measuring eight inches. In this screen-driven world, this alone dates the XT6’s interior. The gauge cluster looks equally dated, with a smaller display sandwiched between two analog gauges, though some buyers might still appreciate this. Buyers might still also appreciate the physical switchgear both around and below the touchscreen, and I continue to appreciate GM’s wireless charger design. Because you drop your phone in, it prevents your phone from flying onto the floor during a panic swerve or stop.

The tech may date the XT6’s interior, but the rest of the cabin is finished with quality materials throughout and mostly nice touch points. The 14-speaker Bose Performance Series sound system is surprisingly decent, and the metallic silver speaker grilles uniquely integrated into the doors spruce up the cabin. GM’s Super Cruise is present and adds a techy flair, what with the multi-colour LED strip integrated into the steering wheel. The bright, carbon fibre-like trim looks unique and adds even more visual pizzazz.

The seats themselves, finished in semi-aniline leather, are comfortable and feature both heating and ventilation, but miss out on massage functionality—something present in many of its competitors for quite some time now. But all three rows are comfortable, with enough space in the third row even for adults, albeit for shorter trips. Cargo space is limited with the third row upright, offering a meagre-for-the-segment 357 litres. For comparison’s sake, the refreshed Lincoln Aviator offers 518 L with the seats up, while the redesigned Traverse, Enclave, and Acadia offer more than 650 litres behind the third row.

What’s under the Cadillac XT6’s hood?

The 2025 Cadillac XT6 soldiers on with the previous-generation 3.6-litre V6 engine, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission and a front-based all-wheel-drive system. Whereas its siblings now use a 2.5L turbo-four good for 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet torque, the XT6 makes do with 310 hp and 271 lb-ft, respectively. I know I keep harping on GM for updating the XT6’s “lesser” versions ahead of the luxury version—I still think it’s an odd decision—but the V6 is a sweetheart. It’s smooth, feels potent, and sounds satisfying when you floor it compared to the turbo-four’s gruff soundtrack under hard acceleration. The transmission favours higher gears for fuel economy and occasionally misbehaves when you request more power, but it’s largely well-behaved. The overall experience is quiet, with both engine, wind, and road noise all being well-controlled.

Ride quality errs on the soft side, but it’s hardly floaty unlike certain other three-row SUVs. It doesn’t beg to carve corners, but it does instill a level of competence and confidence should the need arise. Steering is oddly heavy at low speeds—so much so that I almost thought something might’ve been broken—but it balances out at higher speeds. The metal paddle shifters behind the wheel look and feel nice, but when you actually use them, your inputs are mo so suggestions rather than commands. It’s best to let the nine-speed automatic do its own thing—and I’m still not a fan of the tongue-shaped shifter.

Is the XT6 worth it?

It’s a tough market out there for the XT6. It now faces stiff competition not just from other luxury three-rows, but even from within GM’s own showroom. Pricing doesn’t help, either, with our top-trim XT6 Sport AWD tester coming in at $84,694 as-tested. That’s smack-dab in the middle of a segment with newer, significantly roomier, more powerful, and classier options like the Lincoln Aviator Reserve, Lexus TX 500h, and the Acura MDX Type S Ultra. On the other side of the GM showroom, the redesigned Acadia Denali feels genuinely luxurious and undercuts the XT6 by about $15,000 as-tested.

I’d love to say time has been kind to the 2025 Cadillac XT6 and a refresh is on the horizon, but instead, Cadillac will outright replace the XT6 with the newer and much modern Vistiq EV for 2026. That’s probably for the best. At least I won’t be able to make fun of it for sharing too many bits with a Traverse.