Petrol Cadillac XT6 to return amid weak electric vehicle sales

General Motors is shifting its strategy for the luxury Cadillac brand back towards petrol models, as electric vehicle sales have been poor. One of the upcoming new Cadillac models will be a second-generation, three-row petrol-powered XT6 crossover.

The first-generation Cadillac XT6, built on the C1XX platform, debuted in 2019 and was even officially sold in Russia — deliveries ceased after the onset of well-known geopolitical events. In the US, production of the Cadillac XT6 at the Spring Hill plant in Tennessee ended last year, but dealers are still selling remaining stock. The peak of Cadillac XT6 sales in the US was in 2020, when 22,609 units were sold; in 2025, sales amounted to 17,060 units.

Last year, it was assumed that the XT6 would have no direct successor, as Cadillac was gradually transitioning to electric vehicles and aimed to phase out all internal combustion engine models by 2030. However, because Donald Trump cancelled federal subsidies for purchasing electric vehicles in the US and removed most environmental restrictions on petrol cars, Cadillac's development strategy became obsolete. In the first half of this year, Cadillac's US sales plummeted by 22.3% to 66,923 vehicles.

Now, GM's management — led by CEO Mary Barra since 2014 — is reviewing the development strategy for Cadillac and the corporation's other brands, reintroducing internal combustion engine models. This week, Cadillac Global Vice President Christian Aquilina, as quoted by Car and Driver magazine, stated that the company is preparing a new Cadillac XT6 with an internal combustion engine, though he did not disclose details or a market launch date.

The first-generation Cadillac XT6 for the Chinese market is still being produced in Shanghai at the SAIC-GM plant, alongside the second-generation, smaller Cadillac XT5 crossover on the VSS-S platform, which has not yet reached the US. Shipping Chinese-built Cadillacs to the US under Trump has become pointless, so the US will have its own new Cadillac XT5 and its own new Cadillac XT6. What platform they will use is not yet known — possibly the same VSS-S.

Among the anticipated petrol newcomers from Cadillac is also the second-generation Cadillac CT5 saloon on the upgraded Alpha 2 platform, which will also be used by the new Chevrolet Camaro and a new Buick saloon — these three models are set to enter production in 2027 at the Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan.