Compare the2024 Cadillac XT6VS 2024 Honda Pilot

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 Pilot doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 Pilot doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The XT6 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Pilot Sport/EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the XT6 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Pilot Sport/EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition offers Cross Traffic Monitor.

Both the XT6 and the Pilot 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The XT6 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Pilot’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 Honda covers the Pilot. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Pilot ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The XT6’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Pilot’s (6 vs. 5 years).

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the XT6’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Pilot’s camshafts. If the Pilot’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the XT6 has a standard 730-amp battery. The Pilot’s 650-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the XT6 first among upper midsize premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Pilot isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in initial quality. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated lower.

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 Honda 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, Honda is rated below average.

The XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 25 more horsepower (310 vs. 285) and 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (271 vs. 262) than the Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport 3.6 DOHC V6 is faster than the Honda Pilot:

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

The XT6 AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Pilot (22 vs. 18.5 gallons).

The XT6’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Pilot are solid, not vented.

The XT6 stops much shorter than the Pilot:

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 Pilot Sport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XT6 Premium Luxury/Sport offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Pilot’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 Honda Pilot only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

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 Pilot’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The XT6 has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Pilot doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The XT6 Sport AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the Pilot Elite pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The XT6 Sport AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Pilot TrailSport (27.2 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the XT6’s second row seats and pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Pilot doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The XT6 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pilot uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Honda. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 45% lower rating, Honda is ranked 25th.

The XT6’s standard Keyless Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Push Button Start and Smart Entry standard on the Pilot doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door. Push Button Start and Smart Entry is not available on the Pilot Touring/Elite/Black Edition.

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

The XT6’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition.

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 Pilot doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Cadillac XT6 and the Honda Pilot, based on reliability, safety and performance.