These 3-row mid-size SUVs wear different badges but share the same GM DNA. The Cadillac XT6, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia are built on variations of the C1 platform.
While these GM SUVs are structurally identical, they each bring something different to your daily activities and weekend adventures.
Running the Style Spectrum
Even though they are assembled from the same C1 platform, the Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, and GMC SUVs cover the spectrum from the sophisticated Enclave and XT6 to the sportier Traverse and Acadia.
While the Enclave, Acadia, and Traverse have been on the market for several years, XT6 was recently introduced into the Cadillac SUV family to offer a premium option in the GM mid-size three-row SUV lineup.
Although the Cadillac has a higher base price compared to its cousins, it comes with more standard high-end features. Once you start moving up the trim chain on the Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC models, you’ll find their MSRPs take off pretty quickly.
Making Use of Space
When it comes to passenger and cargo space, the Traverse comes out head and shoulders above the rest, with the Enclave a close second. Both of these SUVs are built on GM’s longer 120.9-inch wheelbase, compared to the Acadia’s 112.5 and the XT6’s 112.7-inch underpinnings.
Its longer, wider dimensions give passengers more seating options in the Traverse. It seats up to eight with room in the back row for three passengers, while the other three-row SUVs only offer seating for two. And while the Chevy offers more overall passenger space, riders in the XT6 will get more second-row legroom compared to the other SUVs.
The longer wheelbase also opens up more cargo capacity in the Traverse and Enclave, especially behind the third row. Coming in at over 23 cubic feet, they nearly double the capacity of their smaller cousins, but with the third-row seats folded, the XT6 holds a respectable 43.1 cubes (or a little over 17 carry-on bags) compared to the available 41.7 cubic feet in the Acadia.
And when you’ve got people and gear to haul around, the Caddy and Chevy can tow 4,000 and 5,000 pounds, respectively (neither the GMC nor the Buick is rated for towing).
Which SUV Offers More Extras
The Cadillac and Buick start you off in luxury leather-appointed seating and surfaces, but you’ll need to move up a few trims in the GMC and Chevy SUVs if you want to escape the cloth and plastic and move into higher-end materials. All of these materials are durable and resistant to the kinds of punishment kids, pets, and spill-prone adults can wreak on an interior.
Being family-focused SUVs, you’ll want plenty of safety and driver assistance technology, and this is where Cadillac and Buick lead with more standard features like lane-keeping and forward collision avoidance. And the XT6 is the only one of the SUVs to offer Night Vision as an option.
Which SUV Offers the Best Value? You Might Be Surprised
Like most families, the Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia all share the same DNA but branch out from the family tree in their own unique ways.
If space and cost are your top considerations, a Traverse LS or LT might be what you’re looking for. But when you want a blend of luxury and utility, the XT6 offers plenty of power, space, and more standard features that make it a great value.
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