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 for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a 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 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Acadia last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.