Review and Test Drive: 2021 Cadillac XT6 Sport Platinum

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Our XT6 had semi-aniline jet-black leather seats with elegant chevron perforated inserts throughout. The chevron recalls the design element that accompanied the Cadillac crest on many vehicles starting in 1949.  The seats are complemented with equally soft leather on the steering wheel, instrument panel, center console, and doors, as well as a suede-like microfiber headliner, and by bronze carbon fiber trim with what Cadillac refers to as an ombre finish. Ombre, for the uninitiated, refers to a color that is shaded or graduated in tone.

The second row equals the comfort of the XT5 but it’s the third row that sets the XT6 apart, and, while legroom is tight, headroom is industry leading at 37.2”.  The XT6 is also an excellent hauler, with 78.7 cubic feet (2,228 liters) of cargo space behind the front seat.

The original and much-maligned CUE infotainment system is long gone and has been replaced it with a next-generation version called the Cadillac User Experience, or CUE (yes, we know).  To differentiate, Cadillac is not abbreviating it as CUE and the highly customizable system is in fact a marked improvement over the original.

The new CUE uses a fairly responsive natural speech recognition system to set navigation destinations, play music, place calls, and manage text messages (except with iPhones), but that’s not all.  Cadillac says that the system is intelligent and learns favorite routes (something that’s been on my wish list for no fewer than 18 years), and includes (as Cadillac is wont to do) a Wi-Fi hotspot.

More importantly, the new system supports Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto. Cadillac now offers wireless CarPlay and the XT6 comes with a smartphone charging pad located in a slot into which one slides the phone.  Apple did an excellent job with CarPlay on the XT6 and, while the new CUE is superb, I tend as a matter of preference to stay in CarPlay because it brings my preferences, contacts, music, and apps into the vehicle seamlessly.

What we would have appreciated, in an era of supersized displays, is one larger than 8” in a car of this size, but it nonetheless gets the job done quite well.

Click here to continue to Page 3Driving the 2021 Cadillac XT6

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