Someone would say that there are more than enough crossovers available at the moment and that there is no need for anything new. We disagree with the fact. Yes, there are a lot of high-riding vehicles, but there is still plenty of room for some high-quality SUVs. Cadillac is one of the most famous and oldest carmakers, but they actually last that long mostly because of the amazing Escalade. The full-size SUV is one of the most prominent names in the segment and will likely stay at the place. However, even though they have a few more pretty good crossover, the manufacturer desperately needs something new and fresh, something that will fill the gap between the flagship Escalade and the compact XT5. The vehicle which will take the place will reportedly arrive next year as the 2019 Cadillac XT6.
The carmaker hasn’t released anything specific about the rumored XT6. However, according to the information we have, it’s going to feature three rows of seating with seven or eight seats. Basically, it’s going to hit the most competitive mid-size luxury SUV segment, which currently offers the Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Mercedes-Benz GLE-class, Maserati Levante, Infiniti QX70, Volvo XC90, Audi Q7 and lots of other similar crossovers.
Still, although just one step below the Escalade, the 2019 Cadillac XT6 won’t use the same body-on-frame platform. Instead, the vehicle will use a stretched version of C1XX architecture. This way, the carmaker will try to enable better driving dynamics and impressive towing abilities at the same time.
The future three-row crossover will probably rely on a 3.6-liter V6 engine, which will deliver around 335 hp and 285 pound-feet of torque. They might also reconsider a more powerful 3.6-liter twin-turbo mill that’s currently limited to 420 hp and 430 lb-ft. In both cases, the crossover will come in a pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Since we haven’t caught any testing model until now, we can’t really say how it will look at the 2019 XT6. However, we are pretty sure that it might have a lot in common with the bigger Escalade, especially inside.
The exact price is unknown at the moment, but the rumors indicate that the SUV should cost around $55,000.
