Cadillac XT6 sales declined dramatically during the fourth quarter of 2021 in the United States and Canada.
| MODEL | Q4 2021 / Q4 2020 | Q4 2021 | Q4 2020 | YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 | YTD 2021 | YTD 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XT6 | -58.91% | 2,940 | 7,155 | -8.61% | 20,662 | 22,609 |
| MODEL | Q4 2021 / Q4 2020 | Q4 2021 | Q4 2020 | YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 | YTD 2021 | YTD 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XT6 | -37.88% | 246 | 396 | +8.93% | 1,623 | 1,490 |
| MODEL | Q4 2021 / Q4 2020 | Q4 2021 | Q4 2020 | YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 | YTD 2021 | YTD 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XT6 | * | 6 | 0 | * | 0 | 0 |
Cadillac delivered only 2,940 units of the XT6 during Q4 2021, down from 7,155 units in Q4 2020. The performance places the model ninth out of 10 vehicles in its competitive bracket.
| MODEL | Q4 21 / Q4 20 | Q4 21 | Q4 20 | Q4 21 SHARE | Q4 20 SHARE | YTD 21 / YTD 20 | YTD 21 | YTD 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW X5 | +1.54% | 18,945 | 18,657 | 23% | 18% | +19.91% | 60,725 | 50,642 |
| BMW X6 | +1.74% | 2,916 | 2,866 | 4% | 3% | +31.15% | 9,591 | 7,313 |
| MERCEDES-BENZ GLE-CLASS | +9.38% | 17,495 | 15,994 | 21% | 16% | +35.14% | 65,074 | 48,154 |
| ACURA MDX | -19.79% | 12,243 | 15,263 | 15% | 15% | +25.60% | 60,057 | 47,816 |
| BUICK ENCLAVE | -30.09% | 8,626 | 12,338 | 11% | 12% | +9.05% | 41,962 | 38,480 |
| VOLVO XC90 | -26.94% | 8,560 | 11,716 | 10% | 12% | +12.86% | 38,657 | 34,251 |
| LINCOLN AVIATOR | -25.14% | 5,450 | 7,280 | 7% | 7% | -9.34% | 20,924 | 23,080 |
| AUDI Q7 | -64.82% | 3,021 | 8,588 | 4% | 8% | -0.04% | 25,362 | 25,371 |
| CADILLAC XT6 | -58.91% | 2,940 | 7,155 | 4% | 7% | -8.61% | 20,662 | 22,609 |
| INFINITI QX60 | -18.79% | 1,455 | 1,792 | 2% | 2% | -74.52% | 5,829 | 22,880 |
| TOTAL | -19.67% | 81,651 | 101,649 | +8.81% | 348,843 | 320,596 |
The BMW duo of the X5 and X6 continued to dominate the luxury E-segment utilities segment with an impressive 21,861 combined sales, up 1.57 percent. These were followed by the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class in second with 17,495 sales, up 9 percent year-over-year. Third place went to the Acura MDX despite a 20 percent decrease in sales to 12,243 units. The Cadillac XT6’s corporate cousin, the Buick Enclave, experienced a 30 percent decline to 8,626 sales, placing fifth in the segment. It was followed by the Volvo XC90 in sixth with 8,560 sales, down 27 percent. The Lincoln Aviator took seventh with 5,450 units, down 25 percent, while the Audi Q7 barely outsold the XT6 with 3,021 units, down 65 percent. The XT6 placed ninth with 2,940 units, and the segment was rounded out by the Infiniti QX60, which sold 1,455 units as the Japanese luxury brand launched an all-new generation of the model.
| MODEL | Q4 21 / Q4 20 | Q4 21 | Q4 20 | YTD 21 / YTD 20 | YTD 21 | YTD 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW X5 | +1.54% | 18,945 | 18,657 | +19.91% | 60,725 | 50,642 |
| BMW X6 | +1.74% | 2,916 | 2,866 | +31.15% | 9,591 | 7,313 |
| TOTAL | +1.57% | 21,861 | 21,523 | +21.33% | 70,316 | 57,955 |
From a segment share standpoint, Cadillac XT6 took 4 percent share, down 3 percentage points. The two BMW entries accounted for a combined 27 percent share, and the GLE-Class took 21 percent share. It was followed closely by the MDX with 15 percent. The Enclave and XC90 posted 11 and 10 percent shares, respectively, while the Aviator accounted for 7 percent. The Audi Q7 had a 4 percent segment share while the QX60 had just 2 percent.
The premium/luxury three-row crossover segment (lux crossover E-segment) contracted nearly 20 percent to 81,651 units in Q4 2021, meaning that XT6 sales significantly underperformed the segment.
For the sake of presenting a clearer picture of the competitive landscape, below we’ve provided sales figures for the Lexus RX . Though the RX is a premium midsize CUV slotting into the luxury utility D segment (a space occupied by the Cadillac XT5), the Japanese vehicle is now offered in a three-row variant called RX L, which competes with the three-row luxury models like the XT6. Since Lexus does not break out sales of the two-row RX from the three-row RXL, not all RX sales can be applied to the premium three-row CUV segment. Instead, a more appropriate comparison would be to bundle Cadillac XT5 and Cadillac XT6 sales. We’re also including the Lincoln Nautilus and Aviator, which are direct XT5 and XT6 rivals, respectively.
| MODEL | Q4 21 / Q4 20 | Q4 21 | Q4 20 | YTD 21 / YTD 20 | YTD 21 | YTD 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX | -11.82% | 30,695 | 34,808 | +14.11% | 115,320 | 101,059 |
| XT5 | -67.78% | 3,528 | 10,950 | -19.43% | 28,380 | 35,223 |
| XT6 | -58.91% | 2,940 | 7,155 | -8.61% | 20,662 | 22,609 |
| AVIATOR | -25.14% | 5,450 | 7,280 | -9.34% | 20,924 | 23,080 |
| NAUTILUS | -6.32% | 6,267 | 6,690 | +7.48% | 24,443 | 22,742 |
| TOTAL | -26.92% | 48,880 | 66,883 | +2.45% | 209,729 | 204,713 |
Doing so gives Cadillac a combined 6,468 deliveries of the XT5 and XT6, substantially less than the 30,695 sales of the RX family (RX and RX L).
| MODEL | Q4 21 / Q4 20 | Q4 21 | Q4 20 | YTD 21 / YTD 20 | YTD 21 | YTD 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XT5 | -67.78% | 3,528 | 10,950 | -19.43% | 28,380 | 35,223 |
| XT6 | -58.91% | 2,940 | 7,155 | -8.61% | 20,662 | 22,609 |
| TOTAL | -64.28% | 6,468 | 18,105 | -15.20% | 49,042 | 57,832 |
Even Lincoln delivered more vehicles between the D- and E-segment crossovers, with combined Nautilus and Aviator sales totaling 11,717 units.
| MODEL | Q4 21 / Q4 20 | Q4 21 | Q4 20 | YTD 21 / YTD 20 | YTD 21 | YTD 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAUTILUS | -6.32% | 6,267 | 6,690 | +7.48% | 24,443 | 22,742 |
| AVIATOR | -25.14% | 5,450 | 7,280 | -9.34% | 20,924 | 23,080 |
| TOTAL | -16.13% | 11,717 | 13,970 | -0.99% | 45,367 | 45,822 |
We attribute the substantial Cadillac XT6 sales drop to a severe lack of XT6 inventory at the dealer level as a result of the ongoing global microchip shortage. In fact, XT6 production was idled at the Cadillac Spring Hill Plant in late August 2021 and did not resume until October. When production did resume, it was for the 2022 model year.
Currently, production is in full swing for 2022 XT6 models. We expect Cadillac XT6 sales to increase as production remains at full capacity, filling pent-up demand for the luxury crossover. However, while new units of the XT6 are rolling off the assembly line, certain feature are being withheld from the luxury crossover. These include heated and ventilated seats as well as heated steering wheels. Some experts predict that the microchip shortage could last well into 2022, albeit easing in the second half of the year.
One of four new colors for the 2025 model year.
And it now represents the best value in its segment.
A curious sighting from a video of the Cadillac design studio.