Compare the2022 Cadillac XT6VS 2021 Lexus RXL

The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The RXL doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 RXL doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 RXL doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the XT6 and the RXL have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 RXL is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

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.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the XT6 has a standard 730-amp battery. The RXL’s 580-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 2 more horsepower (310 vs. 308) than the RX 450hL’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport 3.6 DOHC V6 is faster than the RX 350L 3.5 DOHC V6:

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

Regardless of its engine, the XT6’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the RXL Hybrid.

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 RX 450hL requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The XT6 FWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the RXL Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (19 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The XT6 AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the RXL’s standard fuel tank (22 vs. 19.2 gallons).

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 RXL 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 an eight-speed automatic is available for the RXL.

The XT6 stops shorter than the RXL:

For better traction, the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RXL (265/45R21 vs. 235/65R18).

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 RXL’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport offers optional 21-inch wheels. The RXL’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Cadillac XT6’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Lexus RXL only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

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 RXL doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The XT6 offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The RXL’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

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

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XT6 is 2 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than on the RXL.

The XT6 Sport AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the RX 350L AWD pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XT6 Sport AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the RX 350L (27.2 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

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 RXL 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 RXL doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The XT6 has .6 inches more rear headroom, 8.2 inches more rear legroom, 2.4 inches more third row headroom, 6 inches more third row legroom and 7.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the RXL.

The front step up height for the XT6 is 2 inches lower than the RXL (18.5” vs. 20.5”). The XT6’s rear step up height is 1.8 inches lower than the RXL’s (19” vs. 20.8”).

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

The XT6’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RXL’s (1000 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Lexus RXL is only 3500 pounds. The XT6 offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity.

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 RXL’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 RXL doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XT6 is less expensive to operate than the RXL because typical repairs cost much less on the XT6 than the RXL, including $631 less for a water pump, $22 less for front brake pads, $338 less for a starter, $105 less for a fuel pump, $972 less for a timing belt/chain and $1343 less for a power steering pump.