Some argue that Cadillac is a luxury brand that’s surviving on its name alone, but the carmaker is still holding steady. Cadillac obviously is still laser-focused on remaining competitive in the luxury vehicle space. One way Cadillac is staying relevant as the luxury SUV market continues to change is by offering consumers with more advanced technology. If you are particularly interested in owning a large Caddy with lots of tech, you will be happy to know that the Escalade and the slightly smaller XT6 SUV offer many great in-car electronics.

What comes on the inside of the Escalade and the XT6

Both the 2020  Escalade and the 2020  XT6 offer upscale car cabins that come standard with leather upholstery. Even so, the Escalade comes standard with more frills such as heated and ventilated front seats, a power-folding third row, and a navigation system. You can also make your Escalade more luxurious with massaging and 18-way power-adjustable front seats and Mulan leather on the third-row seat. 

On the plus side, both SUVs come with modern infotainment systems. Standard infotainment features include an 8-inch touchscreen, a wifi hotspot, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.  However, the Escalade’s Bose sound system is twice the size of the one in the XT6. As far as advanced safety equipment goes though, the XT6 actually offers more standard features. For example, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, and a safety alert seat feature all come with the XT6 while they are upgrades on the Escalade.

How the two SUVs perform

Cadillac’s truck-based Escalade packs more of a punch compared to the younger XT6 SUV. The Escalade gets its power from a 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine that’s linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission. This V8 engine is smooth and responsive but it can feel a little slow to accelerate at times.

On the other hand, the sedan-based XT6 is equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 engine that makes a 310-horsepower. All things considered, the XT6 is a smooth ride but critics are pretty divided on its performance offerings. Some think the XT6 has decent power and smoothness while others say it feels too hesitant. Ultimately, you will have to take a ride to see for yourself. 

Interior features

Both the Escalade and the XT6 offer upscale car cabins that come standard with leather upholstery. Even so, the Escalade comes standard with more desirable features such as heated and ventilated front seats and navigation. On the plus side, both SUVs come with modern infotainment systems. Standard infotainment features include an 8-inch touchscreen, a wifi hotspot, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. Another bonus on the inside of these models is that they come with a long list of advanced safety features.

Safety and reliability 

The 2020 Escalade hasn’t been fully crash-tested at this point but the XT6 has. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the  XT6 as a Top Safety Pick+  and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave this SUV a five-star crash-test rating. Both the Escalade and the XT6 are decent SUVs overall but both models have low predicted reliability scores based on Consumer Reports data. 

 The NHTSA has recalled the 2020 Escalade once for a potential issue related to its fuel system. Even though the XT6 has only been around since 2019, CR gave the model a poor reliability score based on other vehicles in Cadillac’s lineup. Deciding between the Escalade and the XT6 comes down to what type of performance experience you want and how much you’re willing to pay for the available luxury features.