Cadillac is cool again, and you need look no further than the Escalade SUV for the reason why. Instantly adopted as the hot wheels of choice by influential young celebrities and musicians when it debuted as a barely-modified version of the
, the Escalade hit its stride when the 2001 version introduced Cadillac’s current hard-edged design theme. But it’s not just the hip Hollywood crowd that loves the ‘Slade. This Cadillac truck is popular nationwide, proven by its status as the best-selling model in its class.
As one of the more important vehicles in Cadillac’s portfolio and a major profit center for General Motors, the Escalade gets a complete redesign for the 2007 model year. Highlights of the new
include a stiffer frame, a more powerful V8 engine, higher-quality interior materials, and a more refined appearance inside and out.
Given its stylish design and interior improvements, the 2007 Cadillac Escalade is sure to appeal to current owners looking for even more comfort and luxury. But the recipe is still the same – body-on-frame architecture, fuel-guzzling V8 engine, high-riding and hard to enter or exit passenger compartment – in a marketplace that shows a distinct preference for
that look like trucks, drive like cars, and get better fuel economy. Until we get behind the wheel and drive this new-and-improved version of the Escalade, we question whether good looks and a hot brand will be enough to sustain the ‘Slade’s sales success.
What it is The 2007 Cadillac Escalade is a full-size
luxury suv that seats up to eight passengers while towing up to 7,400 pounds. Available with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, the 2007 Escalade shares its foundation and structure with the
2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and
2007 GMC Yukon, though the Cadillac is the most luxurious of the trio. Shown here is the standard Escalade; the extended-length Escalade ESV and the crew-cab Escalade EXT pickup are slated to debut at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in January. A gasoline/electric hybrid model is slated to arrive for the 2008 model year.
Why it matters A pop culture icon and the luxury SUV sales leader, the Cadillac Escalade has cemented itself as one of the few gotta-have-it products built by General Motors. Young, old, rich, poor, male, female – everyone knows about the Cadillac Escalade, Drawing younger, more sophisticated customers to showrooms, the Escalade is a favorite of celebrities, musicians, professional athletes, and influential businesspeople. Add the fact that General Motors relies heavily on full-size SUV sales to generate profits, and it’s clear that this is one cash cow that Cadillac needs to be successful.
What’s under the hood Some might think it strange that Cadillac would introduce a new Escalade equipped with a 403-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 engine when gas prices are so high, but when GM began planning this model years ago, it could not have predicted the unfortunate timing. But really, if you can spend upwards of $50,000 on a
new suv, are you really pinching your pennies at the pump? In addition to the 58-horsepower gain over last year, the Escalade’s motor generates 417 lb.-ft. of torque, and Cadillac thinks this new SUV will garner fuel economy ratings of 14/19 with 2WD and 13/19 with 4WD, slight improvements over the old model. Keep in mind, though, that Cadillac recommends premium fuel. A new six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control sends the power to the pavement. Surprisingly, the new motor doesn’t come with GM’s Displacement on Demand (DOD) technology, which shuts four cylinders down under low-load conditions, such as when driving on the highway. Right now, according to Cadillac, DOD is available only on the 5.3-liter V8 found in the redesigned Tahoe and Yukon. However, DOD is due to arrive for the Escalade for 2008.
The 2007 Cadillac Escalade rides on standard 18-inch wheels, but chrome 22-inch “double dubs” riding on 285/45 Bridgestone Dueler performance tires are an option. By engineering the Escalade to accommodate 22-inch wheels from the factory, ride, handling, and safety are not compromised by the popular oversized wheels. Rack-and-pinion steering guides the front wheels, and the 2007 Cadillac Escalade is equipped with larger four-wheel-disc brakes. A five-link solid axle holds up the Escalade’s rear end, while up front there’s an independent coil-over-shock suspension and road-sensing automatic dampers. Traction control comes standard, too.
What’s inside If there’s any reason to wait for the 2007 Cadillac Escalade to arrive, it’s for the interior. Stylists have made a huge improvement inside this SUV, ridding the new ‘Slade of all its cheap plastic Chevy pickup parts and replacing them with luscious leather, brushed aluminum, real wood, and a plush woven fabric headliner. Nothing inside looks cheap – except the giant script on the stereo and climate control buttons, which are smushed together in a jumbled grid near the bottom of the dashboard where they’re hard to see and use. At eye level, a lovely set of gauges is readily visible, accented with soothing blue lighting. Soothing, that is, unless you’ve got the latest download from 50 Cent thumping through the Bose 5.1 Surround Sound system.
Cadillac has injected a bunch of content into the 2007 Escalade. You can order DVD entertainment screens for the second- and third-row seats, a reversing camera that displays objects behind the Escalade on the navigation screen is available, and you can opt for a power fold-and-tumble second row to make getting into the way-back that much easier. Up front there’s a heated steering wheel as well as heated-and-cooled front seats, and with the Escalade’s remote start feature, you can automatically cool your truck on hot days and warm it on cold ones. Side curtain airbags are standard, and deploy in side, rollover, and severe frontal impacts. Rear crash sensors work to tighten the front seatbelts in an effort to reduce whiplash injury.
What it looks like Unfortunately for Cadillac, the new 2007 Escalade looks plenty like the 2007 GMC Yukon, but with a beautiful egg-crate grille inspired by the Cadillac Sixteen concept car decorating the nose. The headlights contain vertically-stacked projector beams embossed with the wreath-and-crest emblem, and match the jeweled appearance of the driving lights that define the outer edges of the lower air dam. Chrome coats the grille, lighting bezels, wheels, mirrors, side moldings, greenhouse trim, and door handles – lots and lots of chrome. It means luxury, y’know. There’s a vent port in the front fenders for a sportier appearance, and in the back is a Cadillac badge big enough to make a rodeo winner’s belt buckle jealous. It’s encased in a shiny trim panel that would do a
Rolls-Royce Phantom proud, pasted between twin vertical LED taillights. Perhaps best of all, the fake cladding used to differentiate the Caddy from its Chevy and GMC siblings in the past is gone, leaving tastefully clean flanks. Unquestionably, this is a good looking vehicle, with tight shut lines and a minimum of panel gaps. You know it’s a Cadillac Escalade the minute you see it. But it still looks too much like its less-expensive brethren.
What Cadillac says Cadillac says that the Escalade is the model that made the former “standard of the world” relevant once more. “Escalade has led the charge to make Cadillac cool again,” opines Jim Taylor, Cadillac’s general manager. Indeed, buyers of this upscale SUV are the youngest of any model in Cadillac’s lineup, and with the ‘Slade accounting for 27-percent of total Cadillac sales and commanding a comfortable 36-percent of the luxury SUV market, this is clearly the most important vehicle to wear the wreath-and-crest badge today. Which explains why the name Escalade wasn’t phased out in favor of some meaningless alpha-name like DAR (Dope-Ass Ride) – “Escalade has too much positive brand equity,” explained product manager Dave Schiavone.
What we thinkBased on a brief examination of a pre-production model, we think the 2007 Cadillac Escalade is a stylish, luxurious SUV. The flaws of the old model, such as cheap interior trimmings and a pasted-together exterior appearance, have been resolved. There’s more power under the hood, and it feels like there’s more room inside. But many of these same benefits can be had in the new 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe, 2007 GMC Yukon, and 2007
GMC Yukon Denali. The Cadillac’s appeal lies mainly in the handsome design, several exclusive features, real metal and wood trim, and a higher power rating. Practical buyers will choose something else, which is fine, since
buying a Cadillac should not be a practical consideration.
When you can buy it Movers and shakers, take note: The 2007 Cadillac Escalade will be on showroom floors by the end of February, 2006. By June, the extended-length Escalade ESV and the Escalade EXT pickup truck will be on sale. Pricing has not been set, but you can expect to shell out about $50,000 for an Escalade without options and as much as $65,000 for an Escalade ESV with all the trimmings.
Key StatsVehicle: 2007 Cadillac Escalade
Est. Price Range: $50,000-$65,000
Engine Size and Type: 6.2-liter V8
Engine Horsepower: 403 at 5,700 rpm
Engine Torque: 417 lb.-ft. at 4,400 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with manual shift control
Curb weight, lbs.: 5,818 (AWD model)
Est. Fuel Economy (city/highway): 14/19 (2WD); 13/19 (AWD)
Length: 202.5 inches
Width: 79 inches
Wheelbase: 116 inches
Height: 74.3 inches (AWD model)
Leg room (front/row 2/row 3): 41.3/39/25.4 inches
Head room (front/row 2/row 3): 40.3/38.5/38.2 inches
Max. Seating Capacity: Eight
Max. Cargo Volume: 108.9 cu.-ft.
Max. Payload: 1,282 lbs. (AWD model)
Max. Towing Capacity: 7,400 lbs. (AWD model)
Min. Ground Clearance: 9 inches
Competitors:
Audi Q7, BMW X5, Chrysler Aspen, Infiniti QX56, Land Rover Range Rover, Lexus GX 470, Lexus LX 470, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Porsche Cayenne
Photos courtesy of General Motors
