Compare the2023 Nissan PathfinderVS 2023 Cadillac XT6

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Pathfinder have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac XT6 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Nissan Pathfinder has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The XT6 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Pathfinder Platinum has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The XT6 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Pathfinder 4WD’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The XT6 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Pathfinder’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The XT6 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Pathfinder and the XT6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Pathfinder its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XT6 has not been fully tested, yet.

There are almost 2 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pathfinder’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Pathfinder has a standard 760-amp battery. The XT6’s 730-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 2 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The Pathfinder’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 49 more horsepower (284 vs. 235) and 1 lbs.-ft. more torque (259 vs. 258) than the XT6’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

For better stopping power the Pathfinder’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XT6:

The Pathfinder stops shorter than the XT6:

For better traction, the Pathfinder has larger tires than the XT6 (255/60R18 vs. 235/55R20).

The Pathfinder’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XT6’s standard 65 series tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Pathfinder’s wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer than on the XT6 (114.2 inches vs. 112.7 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Pathfinder has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XT6 (7.1 vs. 6.65 inches), allowing the Pathfinder to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Pathfinder Rock Creek’s minimum ground clearance is 1.05 inches higher than on the XT6 (7.7 vs. 6.65 inches).

The Pathfinder has standard seating for 8 passengers; the XT6 can only carry 7.

The Pathfinder has 2.5 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front legroom, 8.2 inches more front hip room, 2.5 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear hip room, 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room, .6 inches more third row headroom, 7.2 inches more third row hip room and 4.9 inches more third row shoulder room than the XT6.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pathfinder’s middle and third row seats recline. The XT6’s third row seats don’t recline.

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

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Pathfinder easier. The Pathfinder’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.5 inches, while the XT6’s liftover is 33 inches.

The Pathfinder’s cargo area is larger than the XT6’s in almost every dimension:

The Pathfinder has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The XT6 doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

The Pathfinder’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT6’s (3500 vs. 1000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Cadillac XT6 is only 4000 pounds. The Pathfinder offers up to a 6000 lbs. towing capacity.

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

The Pathfinder’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The XT6’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Pathfinder to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The XT6 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Pathfinder Platinum has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The XT6 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the Pathfinder owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Pathfinder will cost $515 to $2900 less than the XT6 over a five-year period.

The Pathfinder will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Pathfinder will retain 43.77% to 45.89% of its original price after five years, while the XT6 only retains 43.43% to 43.61%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Nissan Pathfinder will be $6124 to $13662 less than for the Cadillac XT6.

The Nissan Pathfinder outsold the Cadillac XT6 by almost three to one during 2022.