Cadillac is best known for the Escalade and its high-performance luxury sedans. However, the American automaker also offers a range of SUVs in various sizes. At least, that was the case until recently, as the brand’s top executives have decided to streamline the Cadillac lineup to make room for new models.
Unfortunately, the versatile and family-friendly XT6 will be the next to leave the Cadillac family. There’s nothing seriously wrong with the XT6—in fact, it’s a vehicle that’s hard to fault. However, the larger and more expensive Escalade outsells it by nearly three to one, even though logic might suggest it should be the other way around. So it’s easy to understand why Cadillac has decided to pull the plug on the XT6.
A Flawless Career
Earlier this month, Cadillac confirmed that the mid-size, three-row XT6 SUV will not return for the next model year. It will follow the smaller XT4 into the brand’s history books. For now, the XT5 continues to be produced, at least until 2026, though it too may eventually join the XT4 and XT6 in retirement.
The Cadillac XT6 hit the market in 2019, stepping in as the brand’s seven-passenger SUV following the SRX. It quickly carved out a solid spot in its category thanks to its level of luxury and aggressive pricing. Built on a platform shared with several other General Motors models, the XT6 benefitted from lower production costs. Throughout its career, it was well-received for its exceptional value for money.
A Step Toward the Future
The discontinuation of the XT6 and XT4 is largely due to Cadillac’s shift toward electric vehicles. The brand has introduced several new EVs in recent years, including the Lyriq, Optiq, Escalade IQ, Vistiq, and others still to come. There are no plans for gas-powered replacements for the XT4 or XT6 at this time, but it’s not out of the question that Cadillac could revisit that decision down the road.
In my opinion, Cadillac is simply waiting to see whether its electric models will sell as well as their gasoline counterparts before making any long-term commitments.
Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
