Compare the2023 Cadillac XT6VS 2023 GMC Acadia

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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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 Acadia 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 Acadia doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the XT6 and the Acadia 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, 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.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Cadillac XT6 is safer than the GMC Acadia:

	XT6	Acadia
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	167	285
Neck Stress	187 lbs.	191 lbs.
Neck Compression	28 lbs.	29 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	305	319
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	38%	43%
Neck Stress	155 lbs.	203 lbs.
Neck Compression	71 lbs.	99 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	9/6 lbs.	210/60 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Cadillac XT6 is safer than the GMC Acadia:

	XT6	Acadia
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	98	125
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	117 lbs.	156 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	180	276
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	249 lbs.	799 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	14 inches
HIC	292	381
Hip Force	666 lbs.	760 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 96 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Acadia last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The XT6 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Acadia’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the XT6 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than GMC covers the Acadia. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Acadia ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The XT6’s 6 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Acadia runs out after 100,000 miles.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the XT6 has a standard 730-amp battery. The Acadia’s 660-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the XT6 first among upper midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Acadia was rated third in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in long-term dependability. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, GMC is rated lower.

Engine

The XT6’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (235 vs. 228) than the Acadia’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XT6 gets better mileage than the Acadia:

			MPG
XT6
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/26 hwy
Acadia
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The XT6 stops shorter than the Acadia:

	XT6	Acadia
70 to 0 MPH	171 feet	173 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Acadia (265/45R21 vs. 255/65R17).

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 Acadia’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XT6 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Acadia AT4. The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Acadia.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XT6 is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Acadia.

The XT6 Sport AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the Acadia Denali AWD pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The XT6 has .2 inches more front legroom and 2.4 inches more rear hip room than the Acadia.

Cargo Capacity

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

	XT6	Acadia
Third Seat Folded	43.1 cubic feet	41.7 cubic feet

Both the XT6 and the Acadia have standard second row automatic folding seats. The XT6’s third row seats also fold up or down at the press of a switch. The Acadia doesn’t offer automatic folding third row seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the XT6. The Acadia doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the XT6 uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Acadia doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than GMC. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 27% lower rating, GMC is ranked 15th.

Ergonomics

The XT6’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Acadia, and is not available on all models.

The XT6’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its front windows also automatically close, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Acadia’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

On a hot day the XT6’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Acadia can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Acadia’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The XT6’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Acadia’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the XT6 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Acadia doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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 Acadia doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XT6 is less expensive to operate than the Acadia because typical repairs cost much less on the XT6 than the Acadia, including $80 less for front brake pads, $150 less for a fuel pump, $11 less for front struts, $110 less for a timing belt/chain and $333 less for a power steering pump.