Compare the2022 Cadillac XT6VS 2021 Lexus GX460

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the XT6 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GX460 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The GX460 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The GX460 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the XT6 uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The GX460 uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the XT6 and the GX460 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XT6 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 63 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GX460 has not been tested, yet.

There are almost 4 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the XT6’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the XT6’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the GX460’s camshafts. If the GX460’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the XT6 has a standard 220-amp alternator (155-amp - XT6 V6 and 170 optional). The GX460’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 9 more horsepower (310 vs. 301) than the GX460’s 4.6 DOHC V8.

As tested in Car and Driver the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport 3.6 DOHC V6 is faster than the Lexus GX460:

On the EPA test cycle the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport AWD V6 gets better fuel mileage than the GX460 (18 city/25 hwy vs. 15 city/19 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the XT6’s fuel efficiency. The GX460 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the XT6’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The GX460 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Cadillac XT6 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The GX460 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The XT6 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GX460 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac XT6, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the GX460.

The XT6 stops much shorter than the GX460:

The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GX460’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport offers optional 21-inch wheels. The GX460’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The XT6 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The GX460 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For superior ride and handling, the Cadillac XT6 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Lexus GX460 has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XT6’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the GX460 (112.7 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XT6 is 4 inches wider in the front and 3.8 inches wider in the rear than on the GX460.

The XT6 Sport AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the GX460 pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The XT6 Sport AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the GX460 (27.2 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the XT6’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the GX460’s (39.1 feet vs. 41.1 feet).

The Cadillac XT6 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 750 pounds less than the Lexus GX460.

Unibody construction lowers the XT6’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The GX460 uses body-on-frame design instead.

The front grille of the XT6 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The GX460 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The XT6 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The GX460 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The XT6 has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, 5 inches more rear legroom, .5 inches more rear hip room, .1 inches more rear shoulder room, 2 inches more third row headroom and .2 inches more third row legroom than the GX460.

The front step up height for the XT6 is 3.2 inches lower than the GX460 (18.5” vs. 21.7”). The XT6’s rear step up height is 3 inches lower than the GX460’s (19” vs. 22”).

The XT6’s cargo area provides more volume than the GX460.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the XT6’s second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The GX460 doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The XT6’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The GX460’s swing out door blocks loading from the passenger’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the XT6 has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The GX460 doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The GX460 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The XT6’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The GX460’s parking brake has to released manually.

The XT6’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The GX460’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The XT6’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The GX460’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Cadillac XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The GX460 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional Automatic Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The GX460 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The XT6 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The GX460 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XT6 is less expensive to operate than the GX460 because typical repairs cost much less on the XT6 than the GX460, including $385 less for a starter, $238 less for a fuel pump, $193 less for a timing belt/chain and $379 less for a power steering pump.