The Cadillac Escalade is arguably the pinnacle of full-size luxury SUVs. Whenever you think of big, showy, expensive luxury SUV that screams status, the Escalade is probably the first vehicle that comes to mind. Mostly everyone, even people who aren’t car enthusiasts, has heard about the Escalade. It’s become a huge nameplate in North America ever since its 1999 debut. You can easily recognize one by its massively sized grill, big LED headlights, and the big Cadillac Crest centrally positioned in the front fascia. Overall, the Escalade is a vehicle that makes a huge statement, and I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel of one just to see how it drives.
This fourth generation Escalade went on sale in spring of 2014 as a 2015 model. You get some niceties that differentiate the Escalade from the other SUVs that share this same platform, like the Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon. The Escalade gives you a standard 6.2 liter V8 engine making 420 horsepower and 460 lb. ft. of torque. You also get an 10-speed automatic, along with GM’s highly respected Magnetic Ride Control that was first introduced in the Camaro. With all these advanced mechanical specifications, you’re probably wondering how the Escalade drives, and if it’s any different from the cheaper Chevrolet Tahoe. Below are some of my driving impressions.
When you first start driving the Escalade, you notice that it feels very similar to the Tahoe and the GMC Yukon. I was kind of hoping for a totally revamped and more luxurious feel to the Escalade, something that lets you know that you’re driving something more classy and expensive as soon as you start driving. Thankfully the drive does feel somewhat differentiated from its less expensive GM siblings when you get the Escalade up to speed, but in terms of just the general responsiveness and “feel” of everything, the Escalade will remind you of the Chevrolet Tahoe. It’s more of a bouncy, truck-like experience, and the Escalade definitely feels like it’s body-on-frame. The accelerator is stiff and springy just like it is in the Tahoe, Yukon, and Silverado, and it doesn’t have the quickest or the most linear response to it.
The 6.2 liter engine also feels similar to the 5.3 from the Tahoe and lower trim Yukon and Silverado models in how it distributes the power. I was kind of hoping this engine would feel a little more sprightly and engaging, but this still feels like somewhat of a harsher and more utilitarian V8 engine. It feels slow to rev when you get on the gas, and I think the power band could stand to feel smoother and more connected. The off the line response is on the softer side, so it kind of reminds me of the 5.3 V8 in that way as well. Thankfully the 6.2 has amazing torque once you cross over around 3,000 RPM, but I felt like I had to hammer down the accelerator too hard to really feel that power. You always kind of have to slam on it just like in the Tahoe and Silverado that I drove, so that may be a drawback to some people. The engine doesn’t make its maximum torque until 4,100 RPM, so unsurprisingly you do have to rev the engine out occasionally. Other full-size luxury SUVs like the Infiniti QX80 or the Lincoln Navigator will just feel quicker and more eager to give you those sprightly torque numbers right off the bat. When you start to push the Escalade, it whips up to speed very smoothly, and it effortlessly gets from 40-70 mph in only a couple seconds, but you just have to work the throttle a bit more and get the revs up higher before you start feeling that torque. This engine won’t give you that silky smooth jetliner feel that you might find in some of the German or Japanese competitors. All that said, the engine is pretty quiet and I think it sounds just a tick more refined in the Escalade compared to the Tahoe and the Yukon. There is definitely less cabin intrusion and you don’t hear nearly as much raspiness or transmission whine in the Escalade as you do in the Tahoe. The engine sounds nice and burly right off idle, which makes you feel like you’re driving something that packs some punch to it.
I was also expecting the 10-speed to feel a little snappier and smoother compared to the 6-speed automatic from the other GM trucks. I complained that the 6-speed from the Tahoe and the Silverado was too slow to shift, didn’t downshift all that quickly, and didn’t really maximize the engine’s power band. And, well, the 10-speed automatic from the Escalade is kind of similar in some ways. The first few upshifts feel too slow for my taste, and the downshifts don’t come on all that quickly. You have to put some legwork into the accelerator if you want to make a passing maneuver. You also feel the drivetrain clunking occasionally when the transmission is shifting.
Under normal acceleration, I do think that this transmission works with the engine’s power band pretty well. The first few upshifts are on the slower side, but once you get past 2nd gear, everything feels decently quick and not nearly as sloppy feeling as the Tahoe’s 6-speed. You get a nice sense of predictability in what the transmission is going to do, and the transmission rides out each gear for a good amount of time. You definitely feel a little more connected with this 10-speed automatic than you do with the 6-speed from the Tahoe. Sometimes the shifts feel a little clunky, but when you’re smooth on the accelerator and getting up to speed normally, the shift quality is pretty smooth for the most part. I was just expecting some more refinement from this 10-speed, along with a slightly more intuitive shift logic. It just kind of lags when requesting passing power and isn’t quite as good at sensing hills or adapting to your driving style. The 9-speed automatic from the GMC Terrain was nice and quick, but the Escalade’s 10-speed kind of feels just like the other GM 6-speeds with a few extra gears tacked on. It’s just not a very premium feeling transmission, and I think it’s missing that “read your mind” feel that you will get in some of the competing vehicles. Still, it’s a good transmission, and it definitely helps the power delivery from that 6.2 to feel decently brisk and satisfying under acceleration, but it’s not completely flawless.
Steering response in the Escalade will also feel similar to the Tahoe. It’s got nice weight to it, but the steering ratio does feel a tad bit unrefined. You can definitely tell that the Escalade is body-on-frame when you start maneuvering the steering wheel. It is quite coarse in its response and you don’t always feel connected with where the front tires are pointing. The steering has kind of a slow return to center, and you have to maneuver the steering wheel more compared to a conventional unibody car or SUV when you’re going around corners. That said, the steering does feel a little different from some of the less expensive SUVs built on this same platform. I think the steering in the Escalade is smoother and feels a little more planted compared to the Tahoe’s steering. If you drove both cars back to back, you’ll definitely be able to tell that they share the same parts, but the Escalade steers itself with more smoothness, along with a better sense of predictability and control. You get a little more precision when rounding bends and making lane changes, but like I said, the steering in all these GM trucks do feel pretty similar to one another. It’s a burly, heavy, “truckish” steering feel, with a modest amount of refinement injected into it.
I think the Escalade’s magnetic ride does make a difference in the handling. The suspension feels more settled and it doesn’t get quite as bouncy compared to the Tahoe’s standard suspension. You do feel some bounciness here and there, but I think the Escalade is generally more tame and settled for the most part. The Escalade actually did pretty well on the curvy backroad that I drove it on. There is body lean and a decent amount of flex from the suspension, but the actual grip wasn’t bad at all. The body feels controlled, and it’s definitely easier to predict where the car is going to end up compared to the Tahoe. You just feel a little more tuned in, and everything feels a little more precise. The Escalade rounds corners with a good level of composure and solidity for what it is. It is still a big truck-based SUV though, so it definitely will feel dicy if you’re coming in hot on a cloverleaf off-ramp, for example. There is body lean, and the Escalade certainly has its limitations. For just normal around-town driving though, I think the handling feels decently refined and predictable, considering that this is a nearly 3 ton SUV. You do feel every last one of those 5,500 pounds, but when you’re just cruising down the road normally, the Escalade can take a corner just fine for the most part.
In terms of just daily driving, the Escalade feels great. It points in a straight line really well, it glides down the road with a nice settled ride, and the interior noise levels are very subdued. This SUV has good dampening over potholes and rough patches, and on normal pavement, the ride is silky smooth. You do feel some bumps every now and then, but they aren’t quite as jarring as some other truck-based SUVs on the market. Overall, I think the ride quality and the noise levels are the most resounding traits of the Escalade. I’ll admit, I was expecting somewhat of a softer and cushier ride, but I didn’t really have any complaints with the Escalade’s ride quality. Another thing to note, is that I was getting some tire noise at around 40 mph. Not a big deal, but it was fairly noticeable. Not sure of all Escalades have that, or if it was just the one that I drove.
One thing that I really don’t like from these GM trucks, is the accelerator responsiveness. I already talked about this above, but I want to touch on it again. The accelerator just doesn’t really do anything for the first few inches of the pedal travel. It’s just not very predictable and it feels more challenging to maintain a constant speed than it should be. I also think the lackadaisical throttle response makes that 6.2 liter V8 feel slower than it really is. If the Escalade just had a more responsive accelerator, it would probably make a world of difference in how it drives.
Braking response feels nice and powerful. There is some dead travel in the brake pedal, so if you’re driving in stop and go traffic, the brake pedal somewhat lacks in reassurance. The bite from the brakes kicks in sharply though, and the pedal feels sturdy and solid. It is very easy to modulate the amount of braking power that you need, and the stopping power feels smooth and powerful. There is some nose dive under braking, but that’s typical with most vehicles of this size.
Outward visibility in the Escalade is just like the Tahoe or the Yukon, as you would expect. You have a pretty long and blocky front hood in your frontward visibility, but you can see over it just fine. I also prefer the larger side mirrors that the Escalade has over the tiny mirrors from the Tahoe and Suburban models. The Escalade feels big, but it still feels decently manageable and fairly easy to tell where the vehicle is positioned on the road. Rearward visibility is nice and open with the third row down, but that third row cuts into about half of the rear glass when it is up. You can still see the road behind you just fine, but that third row definitely limits your view at times.
The Escalade has that rearview mirror camera feature that GM has been adding into some of their more expensive models. Personally, I’m not a fan of this feature. I tried using it, and I found that it distorts your depth perception and just doesn’t really make your rearward view any better. Sometimes the cars behind you look like tiny specks in the camera. I also think that looking out of the rear glass gives you a better sense of where you’re at on the road in relation to traffic around you, and with the camera it just makes it harder to judge the vehicle’s length and how far away everything is. It’s a good idea in theory, but I would just leave this feature turned off.
And that about covers it. The Escalade drives kind of like a Tahoe, just with a more settled ride, a slightly more intuitive transmission, and a bump in midrange power. The handling is a little sharper and more tuned in as well, although the Escalade is still definitely a truck and does not have the most competent handling capabilities. The ride could feel a little softer on rough pavement, and the chassis is still a little too bouncy for my liking. However, when you’re out on the open highway, the Escalade feels very smooth and relaxing to drive. The throttle response is lacking, but at least the brakes feel solid and reassuring. I also think the fancy interior touches, like the digital gauge cluster, heads up display, the glossy black head unit, and the wood trim on the steering wheel, helps the Escalade feel a little more glitzy and expensive compared to your standard Tahoe. The seats are decently comfortable, although the fancy 30-way adjustable seats in the Lincoln Navigator will definitely feel more comfortable and relaxing on longer drives.
Would I buy the Escalade? Probably not. I still think this SUV reminds you more of a GM truck than it does a classy luxury SUV. The new Navigator doesn’t carry as much “bling” or presence in my opinion, but I think it is just more well-rounded and has significantly better interior appointments than the Escalade. I also think that the Range Rover and the Mercedes GLS will have a more expensive and luxurious driving experience, along with better interior features. The Escalade definitely makes a bigger statement compared to cars like the Infiniti QX80 or the Lexus LX, but I’m not sure that is worth shelling out $90K for one of these. If you want a vehicle with most of the same features and mechanical specifications as the Escalade at a cheaper price, I would go with the GMC Yukon Denali.