Compare the2027 Dodge Durango VS 2025 Cadillac XT6

The Durango has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The XT6 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Durango. But it costs extra on the XT6.

Both the Durango and the XT6 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, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available crash mitigating brakes and lane departure warning systems.

The Dodge Durango weighs 623 to 1016 pounds more than the Cadillac XT6. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 Dodge Durango is safer than the Cadillac XT6:

	Durango	XT6
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	46	98
Abdominal Force	111 lbs.	117 lbs.
Hip Force	236 lbs.	255 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	50	180
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	41 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	194	292

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

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

The Dodge Durango’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the XT6’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge above average in initial quality. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is rated below average.

The Durango’s standard 5.7 V8 produces 125 more horsepower (360 vs. 235) and 132 lbs.-ft. more torque (390 vs. 258) than the XT6’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Durango’s 5.7 V8 produces 50 more horsepower (360 vs. 310) and 119 lbs.-ft. more torque (390 vs. 271) than the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6. The Durango R/T 392’s standard 6.4 V8 produces 165 more horsepower (475 vs. 310) and 199 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 271) than the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Dodge Durango 5.7 V8 is faster than the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport 3.6 DOHC V6:

	Durango	XT6
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	6.8 sec
Quarter Mile	14.9 sec	15.2 sec

The Durango has 5.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the XT6 FWD’s standard fuel tank (24.6 vs. 19 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Durango has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the XT6 AWD’s standard fuel tank (24.6 vs. 22 gallons).

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

	Durango	Durango w/Tow N Go	XT6
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	15 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.8 inches	12.4 inches

The Durango stops shorter than the XT6:

	Durango	XT6
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the Durango has larger standard tires than the XT6 (265/50R20 vs. 235/55R20). The Durango’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT6 (295/45R20 vs. 265/45R21).

The Durango’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XT6’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Durango has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the XT6.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires optional on the Durango can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The XT6 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Durango offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the XT6; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Durango offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XT6 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Durango’s wheelbase is 7.1 inches longer than on the XT6 (119.8 inches vs. 112.7 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Durango GT has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the XT6 (7.8 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Durango to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Durango R/T 392’s minimum ground clearance is 1.3 inches higher than on the XT6 (8 vs. 6.7 inches).

The Durango has .1 inches more front headroom, 6.9 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear shoulder room, .6 inches more third row headroom, 4 inches more third row legroom and 2.9 inches more third row hip room than the XT6.

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

	Durango	XT6
Behind Third Seat	17.2 cubic feet	12.6 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	43.3 cubic feet	43.1 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	85.1 cubic feet	78.7 cubic feet

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Durango easier. The Durango’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31.4 inches, while the XT6’s liftover is 33 inches.

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

	Durango	XT6
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	20”/50”/83”	15.5”/48”/80.2”
Max Width	49”	50”
Min Width	42.5”	43”
Height	36”	32.5”

The Durango’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT6’s (7200 vs. 1000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Cadillac XT6 is only 4000 pounds. The Durango offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Durango GT can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Durango can be unhitched and driven around locally. The XT6 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The engine in the Durango is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XT6. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The Durango’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The XT6 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Durango’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The XT6’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Durango’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the XT6’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

The Durango has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Dodge Durango has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport offers wireless charging.

The Durango offers an optional 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.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Durango is less expensive to operate than the XT6 because it costs $337 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Durango than the XT6, including $219 less for a water pump, $419 less for a muffler, $202 less for fuel injection, $116 less for a timing belt/chain and $110 less for a power steering pump.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Durango third among upper midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The XT6 isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Dodge Durango outsold the Cadillac XT6 by almost five to one during 2025.