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Cadillac's three-row XT6 crossover, a smaller and less expensive alternative to the popular Escalade, arrived in 2020 and remained a middle-of-the-pack performer, trailing the BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS, and Lexus RX-L and TX in annual sales. GM discontinued the XT6 at the end of the 2025 model year as the automaker had been planning a transition to full electrification.
But much has changed since those plans were originally cast, and GM confirms today that a second-generation XT6 crossover SUV is coming back as the automaker prepares to launch next-generation gasoline-powered Cadillacs, which will also include the already confirmed CT5 sedan and two-row XT5 crossover. In a conference call to discuss second-quarter financial results, CEO Mary Barra said the three redesigned combustion vehicles will launch "starting next spring and continue into 2028." Here's what else we learned during the call.
Hoping For Better Sales This Time
GM ended production of the XT6 last November in Spring Hill, Tennessee, as the automaker was spending $2 billion to retool the facility for battery-electric vehicles. The plant currently assembles the Cadillac Lyriq, Lyriq-V, and Vistiq EVs, and the XT6 will come back to the plant as well in the near future. Production of the ICE Chevrolet Blazer, currently assembled in Mexico, is also slated for Spring Hill, beginning in 2027.
The previous-generation XT6 was not a particularly strong performer for Cadillac, never breaking 23,000 units sold in a year. But there was a good business case for the XT6 because it shared its C1 platform with three very similar three-row SUVs, the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, and GMC Acadia. All-new generations of those three vehicles have launched since 2024, and now a new XT6 will join the trio. The Blazer and Cadillac XT5 are also on the C1 platform.
Coming With V6 Or Four-Cylinder Power?
When it departed in 2025, the XT6 had a starting price around $50,000 and topped out around $63,000. That's a lot more affordable than the Escalade, which currently starts near $94,000, but that will soon go way up. The Escalade's base 1SA trim is going away for the 2027 model year, meaning six-figure pricing for every Escalade. While pricing of the new XT6 is still a ways off, it will be interesting to see if Cadillac can keep it closer to $60,000, rather than closing the gap between it and the Escalade.
And while the Escalade only comes with a V8 or all-electric powertrain, it will be curious to see if the new XT6 gets a V6. While GM has been phasing out V6 engines, the 3.6-liter remains available in the XT5. The previous XT6 offered the 3.6-liter or a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. If the XT6 ends up using the same powertrain as the Enclave, Traverse, and Acadia, then it will get the 328-horsepower 2.5L turbocharged four-cylinder paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Cadillac has done a lot of pivoting on the product front, and it probably looked like a great idea to go all-electric when Tesla sales were booming and as BMW, Mercedes, and Audi were all leaning heavily toward EVs. That was then, but this is now, and it makes sense to bring back the XT6 because not every Cadillac customer wants to spend six figures on a mammoth Escalade, but they still want three rows in an American luxury vehicle. The first-generation XT6 was often criticized for having a ho-hum interior and lacking premium performance. Here's Cadillac's second chance to make a better XT6.
