The original Cadillac Escalade was little more than a rushed “badge-engineered” version of a GMC Yukon Denali full-size SUV, created in something of a hurry as GM had spotted that the Ford Motor Company was finding significant numbers of buyers for their Lincoln Navigator, thus proving that there was a market for a luxury and premium priced monstrously big SUV. That first Cadillac sold well enough to encourage Cadillac to persist with the same formula as the underlying car evolved. Four generations on, and the Cadillac Escalade under review here isn’t far off this original blueprint, still sharing all of its bones (and musculature) with GM’s full-size, truck-based SUV offerings, the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon. Cadillac unveiled the fourth generation Escalate on October 7, 2013 at a star-studded event in New York City, just under a month after GM had unveiled their next-generation SUVs from Chevrolet and GMC, following a campaign to promote it that had begun in August and some online teasers in September 23, 2013, with help from the photographer Autumn de Wilde, who helped reveal more images ahead of the unveiling. A YouTube page called “Escalade Reveal” was set up to showcase the videos along with the countdown to the unveiling. On November 25, 2013, Cadillac began spreading the word of mouth about the 2015 Escalade by placing a front facsimile cutout of the vehicle on display at Saks Fifth Avenue’s New York City flagship store during its annual Christmas promotional campaign, which shows the SUV being frozen in wraps. Production on the 2015 Escalade began in January 2014 at GM’s Arlington, Texas, assembly plant and went on sale in April 2014 as a 2015 model (with the MSRP starting at around $71,000 for standard-length, $74,000 for ESV), and available in only three trims: Base, Luxury, and Premium. International sales were scheduled to start in the summer of 2014. The Escalade had been planned to switch to the unibody Lambda platform but was quickly nixed because of customer aversion. According to a report on Autoblog.com, GM had reissued a redesign on the GM full-size SUV lineup, including the Escalade, for a 2014 release in response to increased SUV sales, and was working on its full-size SUV replacements, which would see a possible change in the Escalade’s SUV platform. The proportions of the new model changed a little, with cargo space reduced from 109.8 in (2,789 mm) to 94.2 in (2,393 mm) on the standard model and from 137.5 in (3,492 mm) to 120.5 in (3,061 mm) on the ESV in order to allow an additional 1.7 inches of headroom and 45.3 inches of legroom in the front while reducing the third-row legroom space from 25.6 in (650 mm) to 24.8 in (630 mm). GM’s 6.2-litre EcoTec3 V8, good for 420 bhp and 460 lb/ft of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission (2015i models and beyond are 8-Speed Automatics), was the only engine offered, along with a new coil-over front suspension and five-link rear setup, a wider track, variable-assist electric power steering and Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control system with Tour and Sport modes. The interior now had a hand-crafted design featuring cut-and-sewn and wrapped materials, with wood trim options. The dashboard was also updated, and the Cadillac CUE system was added as a standard feature, along with an updated security system. Since that time there have been a number of updates, with an 8-speed transmission, surround view camera, and 4G LTE connectivity as part of a 2015 mid-year refresh. Since then, the available colours have changed almost annually, and there have been some tech upgrades to both the CUE system and some safety and driver assistance features but overall nothing that significant. An all-new fifth generation model appeared in February 2020, with sales starting late that year, though the Covid situation made for a difficult beginning. On-going chip supply shortages have limited supply, and so this latest model has only just started to appear in the rental fleets in late 2022, so there are still lingering fourth generation models still available. The Escalade has always been popular with rental customers, so it’s been some time since I last drove one, and indeed the fourth generation model looked as if it was going to elude me, until I spotted one parked up at the Hertz LAX facility. It was actually there for a couple of days, so when I asked if I could have it, it was an easy “yes” from my friends there.

Having sorted the paperwork, I headed over to the corner of the parking facility to inspect the car. It turned out to be a 2019 model year car, with just over 50,000 miles on the clock and it was in fact an Escalade ESV. The ESV version is to the regular Escalade what the Suburban is to the Tahoe and the Yukon XL to the Yukon. Longer, with an extra 14 inches in the wheelbase, this gives usefully more space in the third row and the boot, though of course that extra length has a weight penalty: 250 pounds of it, to be precise, which is significant even though as a percentage of the total it is not that much. In all other respects, the ESV is no different to the standard model. Whilst I’d not driven a fourth generation Escalade before, I had sampled the closely related Tahoe and Yukon. The former, I recalled, had a truly awful ride, a problem that was less obvious in the Yukon which I drove in Arizona where road surfaces are better. In all other respects, these vast behemoths struck me as decent cars if you really do insist on something so gigantic. However, some research elicited that whilst the model had been quite favourably received at launch, the US press had turned against it by 2016, with Consumer reports declaring the Escalade as worst in its class with a litany of things they did not like about it. For sure, the revised Expedition/Navigator did seem to be “better”, but I wondered if the Escalade was going to be as bad as that. Time to find out:

All Escalade models have a 6.2 litre V8 petrol engine which puts out a healthy 420 bhp. Even allowing for the immense weight of the car, this is more than enough to make the Cadillac feel brisk at all times and the hefty 460 lb/ft of torque means that there is ample mid-range acceleration available. There is a ten-speed automatic transmission and it is well suited ot the car with very smooth gearchanges, including a rev-matching function on downshifts.  The engine is very smooth and quiet and you never really feel like you have a V8 powering things. At times, you don’t, as there is a cylinder deactivation technology here which really does seem to work, and which cuts in smoothly. That is there to help with fuel economy, but even with it in operation, this is a thirsty beat. I covered 178 miles during my day with the Escalade and it needed 9.8 gallons to fill it, which works out at 18.16 mpg US or 21.7 mpg Imperial. With a massive 31 gallon (US) fuel tank, you could easily travel long distances in the Escalade, and it is a peaceful place to be, with active noise cancellation meaning that the cabin is quiet and refined.

Despite its size, the Escalade is easy to drive. There is keyless starting, and yes,  you do get a column-mounted gearlever, but put the car in Drive and it will do the rest for you. The steering does not have much feel and is quite twitchy around the straight-ahead, but you don’t really expect anything else. The assistance means that this heavy car is pleasingly light and easy to manoeuvre, or at least as easy as anything this big can be. You need to be careful on bends as this is a heavy car with a relatively high centre of gravity and so it is not going to take the corners in the way you could tackle them with a smaller and lighter car. The Escalade has low cornering limits, even among other full-size SUVs. The adjustable dampers keep body motions under control, up to a point. Sport mode stiffens the ride and decreases body roll. The Escalade is big and you can’t escape physics. Disappointingly, despite the standard self-adjusting suspension that Cadillac call Magnetic Ride Control, the ride was rather fussy on the concrete ridged sections of the LA freeways, but when the roads got smoother, so things did improve. This version of the Escalade came on large 285/40 R22 wheels. Although there is quite a long travel to the pedal, I had no concerns with the brakes which seemed to do the job that was asked of them. There is a foot operated pedal-style parking brake. All round visibility is generally good, with the very high driving position certainly helping, though I did find the rear-view mirror very small. The front and rear cameras are invaluable when it comes to parking up. There are a full complement of the latest safety aids, not all of which are welcome. Blind Spot Assistance certainly is, whereas Lane Keep Assistance and Lane Departure Warning generally are not. Like all recent Cadillac models I’ve tested, the seat vibrates when the system thinks you have done something wrong, which is not entirely welcome.

Although successive Cadillac models are getting better, the interior finish is still some way off the standards set by premium marques from the rest of the world. The problem is largely down to the selection of materials, with too many different textures and use of various types of plastic inlay which could never pass for anything else trying to look like wood. The gloss black plastic, a feature on so many cars at present, really does not help and nor does the use of a fake suede trim on the doors. The leather steering wheel, at least, it pleasant to hold.  There are electronically defined dials which can be configured in a number of ways. As presented when I collected the car, and indeed how I let things, the speedometer was in the centre, rev counter to the left and on the right a combined unit for fuel level and water temperature. Trip computer data displays in the central section of the rev counter. The graphics are crisp and clear to read. There is a Head Up Display but it seemed a bit feint, and I failed to find the means of making it bright enough which is a shame. The steering wheel boss contains a lot of touch pads which includes cruise control, audio repeaters and trip computer selections.  There is just one column stalk, which is used for both indicators and lights. Lights and the 4WD controls operate from knobs and buttons to the left of the wheel. The centre of the dash contains the integrated 8” colour touch screen which runs the CUE system. Whilst better than a generation back, this is still a frustrating system to use. I found the screen to be slow in its responses and it is all but unusable on the move, with sliders required for audio channel selection and the lack of conventional knobs proving quite an easy issue. Features included XM Satellite radio, navigation and Apple Car Play and Android Auto, and the 16 speaker Bose sound system does offer good sound quality. Beneath this unit are touch pads – quite a lot of them – for the tri-zone automated climate control. These are on shiny gloss black plastic which quickly shows fingerprints and dust and looks anything other than premium.

The Escalade is a big vehicle and it sits high off the ground, but even so, I found it quite easy to get in and out. Once installed, there is a particularly commanding driving position, where you really are noticeably higher than all regular sized passenger cars. The leather upholstered seats have plenty of adjustment which is electrically assisted. There is a two position memory to store your preferred seating position once you’ve found it and you need to set this, as with a facility that powers the seats backwards when you turn the ignition off, which of course aids entry and exit, the seat will return to whatever position someone else has stored. The seats are heated and cooled, as is the steering wheel and there are height adjustable seat belts as well as an electrically adjustable steering column and pedals. It would be hard not to be able to find a driving position to suit but whether you will be comfortable or not is another matter. The seats themselves are large and a bit shapeless, so if you are looking for bolstering support, you will be looking in vain. Although I found I slid around a bit on them, I was not uncomfortable on the journeys I made. The more significant demerit I found was that the seats were somewhat creaky.

The middle row of seats are presented as “captain’s chairs”, so two separate and large seats, set well apart. They are fixed in position on the floor.  There is a real feeling space here, with ample leg room, and more width and headroom than anyone could possibly need. Occupants here are well provided with comfort features, too, with their own climate controls, power sockets, USB and AUX ports and even drop-down video screens, as well as map pockets on the back of the front seats and pockets on the doors. The seats tip forward to allow for access to the third row. As you might hope for such a gargantuan vehicle, there is plenty of space for adults here, and although it is a bit awkward, access is about as easy as you will ever get in a three-row car. Once installed, the seats seemed comfortable, with their positioning meaning that you can sit with your legs in a natural position, which is not always the case with a three-row car. There are air vents here and video screens for passenger entertainment.

Thankfully, given how large and heavy it is, the tailgate is electrically assisted. Although quite high off the ground, so lifting heavy things in may be a bit of a challenge, the available boot space ids massive, even with the third row of seats erect. Some of that extra length of the ESV version goes to benefitting the boot which on official figures is 30 cubic feet larger than in the standard length car. It makes the difference between a meagre boot with the third row erect and one that is genuinely useful. Even more space is created by folding rear seats down. The third row are split 50/50 and once these are lowered there is a veritable cavern of a luggage area, though that is nothing compared to the space available when the middle row is also folded down. The resulting area is completely flat, though there are some gaps in the base area. Inside the passenger compartment, there is a surprisingly small glovebox, split-level bins on the doors, an armrest cubby, a lidded tray and a phone charging pad.

There are two versions of the Cadillac Escalade, the regular car and the extra long ESV as tested here. Apart from the additional length, the two are essentially the same, and that applies to the different trim versions, of which there are four: base, Luxury, Premium Luxury and Platinum. The base trim comes with a dizzying array of equipment, but the Premium Luxury and the Platinum take this big, plush American machine to a whole different level. The base trim is generously appointed both inside and out. Standard features include a 6.2-litre V8 engine (420 bhp, 460 lb/ft), a 10-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive (four-wheel drive is optional on every trim), 20-inch wheels, an adaptive suspension, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, an automatic parking system, a hands-free liftgate and remote start. Inside the cabin, you’ll find tri-zone automatic climate control, a heated and power-adjustable steering wheel, power-adjustable pedals, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats, heated rear seats, and power-folding split third-row seats. Standard electronic features include the CUE infotainment interface with an 8-inch touchscreen, OnStar with 4G in-vehicle Wi-Fi, a surround-view camera system, a customizable gauge cluster, a navigation system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Bose 16-speaker audio system with satellite radio, five USB ports and a wireless device charger. For additional driver aids and more plush equipment, the Luxury trim adds 22-inch wheels, a sunroof, automatic high beams, power-folding second-row seats, a head-up display, and a camera-based rearview mirror system in which the rearview mirror is a screen displaying what the camera sees behind the vehicle. It also includes a blind-spot monitoring system, lane departure warning and intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. The Premium Luxury, hits the sweet spot with the above features plus adaptive cruise control, a rear entertainment system with a Blu-ray player and two overhead-mounted displays, adaptive cruise control, and a more advanced collision mitigation system with both forward and reverse automatic braking. The most lavish Escalade ESV is the Platinum trim, which adds power-retracting side steps, upgraded power front seats with massaging function, upgraded leather upholstery, a cooled front-seat centre console, and two more rear entertainment screens (mounted in the front headrests) with the ability to display individual video sources, for times when your passengers can’t agree on what to watch.

The Escalade is one of those cars which, as a European, you just have to try, at least once. But most definitely, you should do so in its native land. In the UK or mainland Europe anything of this size would be an absolute nightmare, as it would be simply too big to get into parking spaces, and too tall to get under various height restrictions such as underground car parks, and the fuel economy might be OK when you are paying US prices, but would be truly wallet emptying at European fuel costs, and that’s before worrying about things like road tax. In America, it almost makes sense. I still really can’t understand why Americans feel they need anything quite as large as this, even allowing for their propensity to take mountains of luggage wherever they go, but even though this is a truly gargantuan car, it does fit in parking spaces, you can manoeuvre it quite easily, and there are more than a few other vehicles on the road which are just as large. If you want something this big and want the luxury features and the associated trim, then the Escalade is worth serious consideration, though you should also take a look at the Lincoln Navigator and Infiniti QX80, as well as asking yourself if really you could manage with something slightly smaller, such as the 7 seater Cadillac XT6. There’s no denying that with an Escalade, you get a lot of car for your money, it really will seat 7 people and take their luggage and tow something incredibly heavy, and it will do so whilst providing a level of comfort that is rather pleasing, providing the road surfaces are good. It’s quiet and would be relaxing on a long drive, until the fuel tank is drained. For sure it’s not exactly fun to drive, but no car of this size is going to be that, but for what it sets out to do, it does it decently well. It will be interesting to see to what extent the fifth generation Escalade moves things on, and in due course, I plan to find that out for myself.