Cadillac invented the large luxury SUV segment with the introduction of the now-iconic Escalade with the 1999 model-year. It was Cadillac’s first-ever truck-based SUV and it signaled the change that swept Cadillac into the current modern era of the brand. I’ve driven each model of Escalade over the years, and always come away from the test satisfied.
Cadillac Escalade continues to offer the most complete lineup in its segment, with three distinct body styles and the Platinum models. The three flavors in the model range include the Escalade, the giant Escalade ESV and the reconfigurable Escalade EXT. There is a vast assortment of options, choices and colors – even though nearly every one I’ve ever seen is black.
For this test, I chose to drive the Escalade Platinum, which is the highest expression of the brand’s dramatic design, luxury and technology. With features including segment-first LED headlamps and Magnetic Ride Control, the world’s fastest-acting suspension, it’s one of the most technically advanced vehicles in the segment. Platinum models are available on Escalade and Escalade ESV.
The Cadillac Escalade ESV is the largest member of the Escalade family, offering maximum passenger accommodations and cargo capacity. It is 21-inches longer than Escalade and offers up to 137.4 cubic-ft. of cargo space behind the first row, with the second folded and third row removed. It features all the same elements and features as the standard Escalade, but adds an additional eight-inch flip-down screen for third-row passengers.
The EXT model is a unique Sport Utility Truck (SUT) body style, giving it a part-SUV, part-pickup profile. With the industry-exclusive Midgate panel, owners can easily convert the EXT from a five-passenger SUV into a two-passenger pickup with eight feet of protected and secured storage.
Escalade and Escalade ESV models seat up to eight, with lots of cargo room available when the third-row seat is removed. Escalade EXT seats five. A unique instrument panel is a defining attribute of the interiors of all models. It includes analog instruments with white needles and blue light inlays with continuously lit, white-LED backlighting. Leather seating surfaces are standard, along with an array of power-assisted and high-technology features, including an enhanced navigation system.
All Escalade models are equipped with a 6.2L V-8 rated at 403-hp and 417 lb.-ft. of torque. It features variable valve timing, Active Fuel Management technology and E85 capability. There’s also a Hybrid model.
The Escalade is the wealthy sibling of the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL – and all three are built on GM’s full-size SUV platform, incorporating a fully boxed frame, coil-over-shock front suspension, five-link/coil-spring rear suspension and rack-and-pinion steering.
Magnetic Ride Control is standard on Escalade Hybrid and the Platinum Edition. It is a real-time damping system that delivers more precise body motion control – reading the road every millisecond and changing damping in just five milliseconds.
Inside all models, Escalade is a cocoon of luxury. It is well-designed and full of usable content and comfort amenities. The navigation system is updated with guiding lines for the rearview camera system, low-fuel warning, point-of-interest franchise search, SiriusXM Weather Forecast and SiriusXM Tune Select features. OnStar is also standard on all models.
Rivals include all the big luxury SUVs, such as the Lincoln Navigator, Lexus LX 470, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and Infiniti QX56. Escalade ESV is by far the largest of the lot, but it delivers fair fuel economy, delivering between 14-mpg and 18-mpg. That improves in the Escalade Hybrid, one of the few large luxury SUVs available as a hybrid.
Pricing ranges from $63,170 to $85,845 (Platinum Edition, tested).
For more information, contact your local Cadillac dealer or visit Cadillac.com.