Second-row bench seating for three is Nuance leather, as well. The seat flips and folds down to maximize cargo space and is split 60/40 for versatility. It's comfortable, with adjustable outboard head restraints, and a folding center armrest with stowage and cupholders.

The steering wheel is color-keyed with leather trim and real wood accents and radio controls. Gauges are round and tipped with chrome and are easy-to-read. The entire dash is an array of buttons, switches and dials, with proportions that are big and busy, which may turn off drivers whose driving preferences lean more toward efficiency and straightforward elegance. Overall, the cabin feels gadgety, but, at the same time, retains Cadillac's signature luxury styling.

EXT's safety features are top of the line and include front and side passenger airbags and improved structural rigidity. A host of modern-day amenities includes a climate control system, driver information center, premium audio system, front and overhead consoles and GM's updated OnStar Communication system with concierge services, route support and internet access.

The most notable interior feature is the Midgate, GM's reconfigurable storage system. Made of a strong, lightweight and scratch-resistant material, the Midgate functions like a small tailgate behind the second row of seats, sort of like folding rear seats in a sedan that allow access to the trunk. The system includes a glass window, which can be easily removed and stored when the Midgate is folded down to give extra cargo space. With the Midgate folded down, the pick up bed is transformed from 5-feet 3-inches to 8-feet 1-inch. An 8-foot bed allows for the transportation of large items such as furniture, carpets, appliances, or even 4x8 sheets of plywood, without damaging the items or the vehicle. Smaller items can also be safely stowed in divided cargo boxes, which lock for safe keeping. The entire cargo bed can be covered by a lightweight and lockable three-piece cargo cover.

An important characteristic of the Midgate system is its usability. Most components are covered in damage-resistant PRO-TEC, which protects both the vehicle and the cargo. And each piece, from the cargo cover to the removable window, is made to be lightweight and easy-to-use, designed so that one person can move the tailgate, store the window and install or remove the cargo bed cover quickly and easily.

One advantage of PRO-TEC is that it allows designers to mold tie-down and divider brackets directly into the cargo box, as well as two lockable, watertight, Top-Box storage containers that are useful for stowing small cargo items, wet or dry. Even the tailgate is made of this material, and it features two molded-in cupholders for tailgate parties or worksite or campsite refreshment. PRO-TEC is also lighter than steel, which reduces the overall vehicle weight, therefore improving performance and fuel economy.

EXT comes with a standard three-piece cargo cover that can be configured in a number of different ways (to bring a tall shrub home from the garden center while keeping your groceries out of the wind, for example) or stowed altogether on board.

In contrast to the Lincoln Blackwood, EXT offers a storage system that is highly customizable. Blackwood's cargo bed is covered with a permanent tonneau cover that can only be raised to 45 degrees, not removed completely, which make toting large items like a sofa or bed impossible.

Interior-wise, the EXT betters the Blackwood in all but a few measurements. In front and rear hip room, front and rear shoulder room, front and rear leg room and front head room, the EXT bests the Blackwood, in some cases by as much as two or three inches. Only in rear passenger headroom does the Blackwood win, and there by less than one inch.