Is the Lincoln Nautilus more reliable than the Cadillac XT6?

No, they are effectively tied, and both hold a good standing. The Nautilus has the heavier record, with 206 owner complaints against 103 for the XT6. The XT6 still has stalling and camera faults, so neither one is a clear winner.

Which has more recalls, the Nautilus or the XT6?

The Nautilus has more. Federal recall records show 33 recalls across its 8 model years, against 14 across 7 model years for the XT6. Recall counts grow with time on the road, so check any specific car's VIN for open recall work.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Nautilus or the XT6?

The data cannot answer that. Independent repair-cost data puts the XT6 at about $783 a year, but no comparable figure is available for the Nautilus. Without both numbers, a cost comparison would be a guess.

What is the biggest problem with the Lincoln Nautilus?

The transmission. Owners link it to the 8F35 and report jerking, shuddering, and lag into gear. In the worst cases it slips out of gear on the highway and the car loses power. Replacing the torque converter does not always fix it, and some dealers quote a full replacement.

Do Cadillac XT6 owners report stalling?

A few do. Three complaints in the fuel categories describe stalls, and a failed fuel pump control module is blamed. Failures appeared at roughly 8,000 and 23,000 miles. One car stalled again after repair, and another waited on a backordered module. These are rare, but the risk is real in traffic.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Cadillac XT6 vs Lincoln Nautilus: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Cadillac XT6

Good

Lincoln Nautilus

Good

Reliability is effectively tied between the Lincoln Nautilus and Cadillac XT6, and both stand at good. The Nautilus draws far more owner complaints and federal recalls, and its transmission reports are the most serious. The XT6 has a lighter record but its own stalling and camera faults.

How Do the Cadillac XT6 and Lincoln Nautilus Generations Compare?

Most used shoppers will end up in a first-generation car with either model. The Lincoln's first generation ran from 2019 to 2023 and was refreshed for 2021. Its second generation covers 2024 to 2026, so those cars have had little time to collect complaints. The 2019 and 2020 years are the ones to avoid. The Cadillac has had one generation so far, covering 2020 to 2025, and its second is expected only in 2028. Every used XT6 is the same basic vehicle, so differences between model years matter more than any redesign.

Verdict

The Cadillac XT6 is more reliable than the Lincoln Nautilus, scoring 73/100 vs 72/100.

Effectively tied. Both models hold a good standing, and neither pulls clearly ahead. The Nautilus carries the heavier record, with far more owner complaints per vehicle sold and more federal recalls, and its transmission reports are the most serious pattern in the data. The XT6 has a lighter record, but its stalling and camera faults are real. Let the individual car's history and model year decide, not the badge.

Key Differences

1Cadillac XT6 has 19 fewer total recalls
2Cadillac XT6 has 9.9 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Cadillac XT6 scores 1 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

3Cadillac XT6

—

0Lincoln Nautilus

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Cadillac XT6 vs Lincoln Nautilus: Which Is More Reliable?

Cadillac XT6 vs Lincoln Nautilus at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Cadillac XT6	Lincoln Nautilus
Reliability Score	73/100	72/100
Years Tracked	7	8
Total Recalls	14	33
Complaints per 10k Sold	0.9	10.8
Year Wins	3 (2 tied)	2 (2 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Cadillac XT6 and Lincoln Nautilus?

Transmission trouble defines the Nautilus. Owners describe jerking and shuddering between roughly 10 and 60 mph, lag going into gear, and in the worst cases a slip out of gear on the highway with a loss of power. One report has it shifting into neutral while accelerating. Power train, electrical, and back over prevention each have a crash-linked complaint. The XT6 spreads its problems out: camera screens cutting to black, silent rear parking alerts, and two stalls blamed on a failed fuel pump control module. Its only crash-linked area is back over prevention.

Cadillac XT6 vs Lincoln Nautilus common problem areas comparison
Component	Cadillac XT6	Lincoln Nautilus
POWER TRAIN	0.2Very Low	2.6Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	1.8Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.1Very Low	1.3Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.1Very Low	0.4Very Low
STEERING	—None	0.5Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	—None	0.4Very Low
ENGINE	—None	0.4Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.4Very Low
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.3Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.2Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.2Very Low
WHEELS	—None	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	0.1Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Cadillac XT6 vs Lincoln Nautilus Reliability Compare by Year?

Cadillac XT6 vs Lincoln Nautilus year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Cadillac XT6	Lincoln Nautilus	Edge
2026	76/1000R / 0C	82/1000R / 7C	Lincoln Nautilus
2025	74/1001R / 8C	72/1006R / 20C	Cadillac XT6
2024	73/1002R / 14C	71/1007R / 19C	Cadillac XT6
2023	73/1002R / 13C	73/1003R / 6C	Tie
2022	72/1003R / 14C	73/1002R / 8C	Lincoln Nautilus
2021	73/1002R / 18C	73/1002R / 18C	Tie
2020	72/1004R / 36C	69/1005R / 32C	Cadillac XT6

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Cadillac XT6 scored 73/100 and the 2023 Lincoln Nautilus scored 73/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Cadillac XT6 vs the Lincoln Nautilus?

If you do a lot of highway driving, lean toward the XT6. Nautilus owners report the transmission slipping out of gear at speed and losing power, and the XT6 has no crash-linked powertrain or electrical complaint in the data. Avoid the 2020 and 2022 XT6, its weakest years. The 2025 ranks among the strongest, though newer years have simply had less time to collect complaints. Pick the Nautilus if you find a well-documented car and can verify its transmission history. The 2023 is among its strongest years. Skip 2019 and 2020, the weakest. Ask for proof of recall work, since the model has 33 recalls across its years, and ask whether any door cracking or transmission complaint was ever handled. Whichever you choose, test the rear camera and parking alerts before you buy. Owners of both models report them failing.

Cadillac XT6 vs Lincoln Nautilus: Common Questions

Is the Lincoln Nautilus more reliable than the Cadillac XT6?: No, they are effectively tied, and both hold a good standing. The Nautilus has the heavier record, with 206 owner complaints against 103 for the XT6. The XT6 still has stalling and camera faults, so neither one is a clear winner.
Which has more recalls, the Nautilus or the XT6?: The Nautilus has more. Federal recall records show 33 recalls across its 8 model years, against 14 across 7 model years for the XT6. Recall counts grow with time on the road, so check any specific car's VIN for open recall work.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Nautilus or the XT6?: The data cannot answer that. Independent repair-cost data puts the XT6 at about $783 a year, but no comparable figure is available for the Nautilus. Without both numbers, a cost comparison would be a guess.
What is the biggest problem with the Lincoln Nautilus?: The transmission. Owners link it to the 8F35 and report jerking, shuddering, and lag into gear. In the worst cases it slips out of gear on the highway and the car loses power. Replacing the torque converter does not always fix it, and some dealers quote a full replacement.
Do Cadillac XT6 owners report stalling?: A few do. Three complaints in the fuel categories describe stalls, and a failed fuel pump control module is blamed. Failures appeared at roughly 8,000 and 23,000 miles. One car stalled again after repair, and another waited on a backordered module. These are rare, but the risk is real in traffic.

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How we score the Cadillac XT6 and Lincoln Nautilus

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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