2017 Cadillac Escalade

Overview: Read the specs for the gargantuan 2017 Cadillac Escalade ESV, and you may confuse it with a 1966 Cadillac Eldorado. Both measure a smidge over 224 inches long, both feature body-on-frame construction, and both feed (lots of) fuel to a pushrod V-8 engine. Compared to the Eldo’s 340-hp (SAE gross rating) 7.0-liter iron-block lump, however, the ‘Slade’s aluminum-block 6.2-liter V-8 makes an additional 80 horsepower and boasts now ubiquitous engine technologies such as direct injection, cylinder deactivation, and variable valve timing.

Still, like that ’66 Caddy, the Escalade makes a big statement, whether we’re talking about the standard-length version or the 20.4-inch-longer Escalade ESV, which rides on a wheelbase stretched an additional 14.0 inches. The ESV provides a gargantuan 39 cubic feet of space behind its third row, while the stubbier Escalade offers a mere 15 cubes behind its rearmost row—four fewer than what you’ll find beneath the trunklid of the Chevrolet Impala. The ESV’s long wheelbase also allows passengers in its standard third row to sit more comfortably, as there’s 34.5 inches of rear legroom, 9.7 more than those unfortunates stuffed into the shorter Escalade’s rearmost seats will get.

Both the Escalade and the $3000-pricier ESV are available in four trims: base, Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Platinum. Rear-wheel drive is standard throughout the lineup; all-wheel-drive models cost an extra $3000. For this review, we drove an Escalade Premium Luxury with a base price of $84,090. Thanks to a handful of options such as a $595 coat of Dark Adriatic Blue Metallic paint, $1750 for power-retractable running boards, $2000 in Kona Brown leather seats, $2695 for the dealer-installed Radiant package (special 22-inch wheels, chrome exhaust tip, and a more garish grille), and $3000 for all-wheel drive, the as-tested price swelled to $94,130.

What’s New: The Escalade and ESV see a smattering of changes for 2017. Superficially, Cadillac renamed some trim levels. Last year’s Luxury Collection and Premium Collection are this year’s Luxury and Premium Luxury. Of more substance is the addition of Cadillac’s rearview-mirror camera system on the Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Platinum trims. With a flip of a switch, the reflective rearview mirror displays a video feed from a camera mounted at the rear of the SUV, virtually eliminating blind spots caused by pillars, headrests, and the like. Other new items include an automatic parking system that can steer the Escalade into a parallel or perpendicular parking space, the addition of automated emergency braking to the Luxury trim’s list of standard features, and a new 22-inch wheel design.

What We Like: Despite weighing well over two and a half tons, the Escalade doesn’t struggle to build speed. We’ve yet to strap our test equipment to the ESV, but a regular Escalade Platinum ran from zero to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, 0.4 second quicker than the Infiniti QX80, 0.7 second quicker than the Lincoln Navigator, and 1.4 seconds ahead of the Lexus LX570. The Escalade and Escalade ESV are able haulers, capable of towing up to 8300 pounds (8100 for the ESV), be it a boat, a camper, or a track-prepped Acura Integra. Finally, there’s no denying the Escalade’s immense visual presence—a quality we’d imagine sits high on the wish lists of buyers in this vehicle segment.

What We Don’t Like: While the Escalade is equipped with Cadillac’s magnetorheological dampers, which should improve ride quality, we’ve found that the Escalade still suffers from a rather harsh ride, especially when equipped with the 22-inch wheels and tires that come standard on Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Platinum models. Additionally, Cadillac’s CUE touchscreen infotainment system continues to be a thorn in the Escalade’s side. Although it is somewhat improved over earlier versions, we still prefer the HVAC and infotainment setups found in the Escalade’s siblings from Chevrolet and GMC, which use knobs and physical buttons rather than CUE’s capacitive proximity-sensing switches. Finally, the cabin’s overabundance of General Motors parts-bin switchgear is disappointing in a vehicle of this price.

Verdict: Flashy and iconic, but we’d save $7330 and buy a GMC Yukon Denali instead.

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Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear- or rear-/all-wheel-drive, 7- or 8-passenger, 4-door hatchback

BASE PRICES: Escalade, $74,590–$96,390;
Escalade ESV, $77,590–$99,390

ENGINE TYPE: pushrod 16-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 376 cu in, 6162 cc
Power: 420 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque: 460 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 116.0–130.0 in
Length: 203.9–224.3 in
Width: 80.5 in Height: 74.0–74.4 in
Passenger volume: 163–180 cu ft
Cargo volume: 15–39 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 5600–6100 lb

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA combined/city/highway driving: 17/15/20–22 mpg

C/D TEST RESULTS FOR:
2016 Cadillac Escalade Platinum
Zero to 60 mph: 5.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 14.8 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 19.0 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 6.3 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.1 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.3 sec @ 98 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 112 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 202 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.73 g
Curb weight: 5882 lb
C/D observed fuel economy: 15 mpg