The Technologies of The 2020 Cadillac XT6

The 2020 XT6 is not Cadillac's first attempt to introduce a 3-row SUV in the midsize luxury segment. In 2004 Cadillac had launched the SRX with seven seat to abandon it after a generation. However, after 16 years Cadillac returns to a seven-seater SUV introducing the XT6 to fill the void between the XT5 and the Eescalade.

The 2020 XT6 is an SUV that doesn't go unnoticed. First of all because of its size, but also visually, because the appearance of this car is rather successful. At the front, there is an imposing grille with tapered headlights at the ends. The vertical high beams signify the Cadillac touch. I liked the style of the XT6.

At the rear of the car it is much the same. There are these vertical LED lights that are located under a glass cover, which gives a clean luxury look to the vehicle. The bezel is arranged horizontally and is large enough to ensure very good rear visibility.

The Interior of the 2020 Cadillac XT6

In the interior, there is plenty of room. Even if from the outside the 2020 XT6 does not give the impression of being particularly gigantic, inside, at the front as at the rear no one will complain from the lack of space. Even large passengers will not feel cramped.

The center console has clean side. The touch buttons for air conditioning and heating are no problem. The main screen is very easy to handle even if it seemed a little far from the driver. The driver can use the wheel located between the two seats, but it seemed more natural to want to use our fingers. At the back there is plenty of room. There is very easy access to the third row and again there is enough space to accommodate adults, which is not always the case in this category.

The only compromise, I thought would be inevitable, is the trunk. With so much space dedicated to the passengers in the vehicle, the trunk of the 2020 Cadillac XT6 had to pay the price. With the three rows of seats in place, there is not a lot of volume left for luggage. So, either you opt for a box on the roof or you eliminate some places to store your luggage there.

Configurations and Price of the 2020 XT6

• Premium Luxury $52,695
• Premium Luxury AWD $54,695
• Sport $57,095

Infotainment: simple and effective

The Cadillac CUE infotainment system, which is much the same as that found in other GM brands, offers a simple interface, where most of the important parameters can be controlled from a single screen. There are many different ways to interact with Cadillac's infotainment system. To adjust the air conditioning, for example, you can tap on the touch screen, use a wheel near the speed arm, use buttons on the steering wheel, use dedicated buttons on the dashboard or use your voice. Keep in mind that the voice recognition is rather limited.

CarPlay and Android Auto: waiting for wireless

As you might expect, the 2020 Cadillac XT6 is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In both cases, you must connect your phone with a wire to use it, even if wireless technologies exist. It's a shame, especially since the vehicle has a wireless charger compatible with the Qi protocol, which allows you to charge a mobile device simply by placing it in the compartment provided for this purpose.

Screen mirror

Cadillac has been deploying a rearview mirror with integrated rearview camera on its vehicles for a few years now. Instead of reflecting light like a traditional mirror, the rear view mirror is in fact a screen which diffuses the image filmed by the rear view camera of the vehicle. The benefits are many. You will always have perfect vision even if you have luggage up to the ceiling, and the camera films with a wide angle, which allows you to see several channels at the same time. The camera is also effective in the dark, which means that the XT6 driver has good visibility regardless of the time of day. Some people love this technology, some don't.

Adaptive headlight: a nice surprise

As with other Cadillacs on the market, the XT6's headlights can automatically switch to “high” beam and normal beam depending on whether or not you pass other vehicles. Some new cars from other brands already come with this technology enabled.

Night vision: a first try

The main technology novelty of the 2020 Cadillac XT6 is its night vision mode, where infrared cameras capture living things that pass in front of the vehicle. Not only will a being with warm blood be easy to distinguish on the screen behind the steering wheel, but a software identifies for example when it is a passerby, which makes it easier to see it. In short, you will see someone crossing the street with night vision mode earlier than you would normally see, which could prevent accidents.

Unfortunately, the viewing angle of the cameras is quite limited. We can see what is directly in front of us, but not really what is on the sides. The system is therefore likely to be limited in the face of a deer who decides to cross the street at the last moment.

USB-C everywhere: a nice addition

While the Cadillac XT5 can accommodate 5 people, the 2020 XT6 has a third row with a removable electric bench (which can be stored with a simple button accessible in the trunk), which allows you to be up to to 7 people at the same time. Whether you are in the front, in the middle or at the bottom, you have access to USB-A and USB-C ports. The latter option is not only still rare, but it is generally reserved for the front benches.

Note, however, that the rear USB ports cannot be used to control the infotainment system.

Bose Performance audio system: sweet!

Another new addition to the Cadillac XT6 is that it is optional with a 14-speaker Bose Performance audio system. Its quality is simply superb. Both high, mid and low frequencies are impeccably clear. We hear details in songs that are normally lost in other vehicles (or even at home).

The speakerphone option is expensive, at $ 1,250, but if you love music and can afford it (which is probably the case if you buy an SUV for almost $ 70,000), it definitely worth it.

Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant: why not.

Cadillac has offered a functionality to integrate the XT6 with Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants. You can therefore ask your assistant to start the vehicle, turn it off, turn on the headlights, etc.

Is it revolutionary? Absolutely not. Those who use these assistants, however, could use the option occasionally, especially since they are found in more and more devices, such as headphones and even jewelry.

Driving assistance: everything except SuperCruise

The Cadillac XT6 has a variety of optional driver aids. The company offers one of the good adaptive cruise control systems on the market (capable of stopping the vehicle completely and then restarting it), a system for preventing collisions with pedestrians, etc.

Unfortunately, the SuperCruise system, which allows you to drive on the highway without holding the steering wheel with your hands, is still missing.

360 degree video recording: room for improvement

If the functionality is still common in this category, an option of the XT6 is much less: I mean the ability of being able to record what is filmed by these cameras.

The system can indeed record continuously when driving, or activate in the event of contact when the vehicle is locked. In both cases, the idea is obviously to have video evidence in the event of an accident.

The recorder is really basic though. The interface is outdated and it requires the transfer of documents from an SD card to save your videos. We would like additional advanced features, like taking advantage of the vehicle's LTE connection to send a video alert to the owner's phone in the event of a problem, for example.

It may be for a future model. After all, manufacturers are increasingly trying to offer monthly or annual subscription services when they sell a car (Internet connection, CarPlay, OnStar, etc.). The addition of a connected and intelligent recorder could well be integrated into a paid plan.

The 2020 Cadillac XT6 is a quality vehicle. It is beautiful, it is comfortable and it offers a lot of space on board. The driving is very smooth, provided you don't rush the car. In the United States, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has named it one of the best choices after its crash and avoidance tests. If you have to go on the road with the XT6, it will be the perfect candidate.

The main competition of Cadillac XT6

• Buick Enclave
• Volvo XC90
• Acura MDX
• Lexus RX 350

Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebok, Linkedin and Youtube.

Reference: Metro - 2020 Cadillac XT6 and Autos123.