2019 Cadillac Escalade Road Test and Review

It’s loved by celebrities and business executives, mobsters and business executives, teenagers and senior citizens. It’s at home in America’s heartland or its coastal cities. It’s a big, imposing limousine when you’re riding solo, or it’s a family-hauling bus if you pack it full of kids. We’re talking about America’s best-selling full-size luxury SUV, the 2019 Cadillac Escalade.

It’s easy to understand this diverse appeal. You can command attention when you turn up in in a big SUV, and their king-of-the-road seating positions tower over other traffic. But unlike many "cool" cars, they’re also extremely useful, with three rows of seats and high towing capacities. Of course, with Escalade prices starting at $75,195, you want to make sure you get the right full-size luxury SUV for your needs. Whether you need a ton of interior space or just love these massive machines, keep reading to find out if the Escalade is the one for you.

The current-generation Escalade dates back to 2015 with few changes — but it’s still arguably the best-looking full-size SUV. While competitors like the Lincoln Navigator and Infiniti QX80 have gently rounded shapes, Cadillac goes for crisp, clean lines and sharp edges. We think that’s the perfect approach for a giant road-dominating SUV.

The Escalade’s body and mechanical equipment are largely shared with General Motors' other full-size SUVs. The standard-length Escalade is the equivalent to the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, while the extended-length Escalade ESV pairs with the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL. The design details are pure Cadillac, though. The Escalade’s slim, angular, vertical headlamps and chrome grille stand apart from the Chevy and GMC models. And its taillights, which run from the bumper all the way up to the roof, pay subtle homage to the tail fins of old Cadillac sedans.

The Escalade also distinguishes itself from its GMC and Chevrolet counterparts inside, where it has a sleeker, more upscale dashboard design and higher-end materials. Our test vehicle sported rich Kona Brown leather and genuine open-pore wood trim. And Cadillac smoothed out the dash by replacing big bulging control knobs and with a flat, sleek, touch-sensitive panel.

That said, some Escalade buyers might have preferred conventional buttons and knobs. The touch-sensitive controls require extra attention to activate, and although they provide haptic feedback like a smartphone, you won’t always notice the feedback while you’re driving. The Escalade’s 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system works well, though it’s less dazzling than the 10-inch unit in the latest Lincoln Navigator. Like many luxury cars, the Escalade’s gauge cluster is a reconfigurable digital display, which looks attractive and works well. Further keeping current on the tech front, the Escalade has five USB ports, a wireless smartphone charger, and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot.

As you’d expect from a full-size SUV, the Escalade has big, comfortable front seats. They’re cushy and supportive, and there’s tons of leg, head, and hip space. A wide center console (with generous storage inside) separates the driver and front passenger with no risk of claustrophobia. The Escalade comes standard with not only a 12-way adjustable driver’s seat and a power-adjustable steering column, but also power-adjustable pedals that let you further tailor your driving position.

The Escalade’s second-row seat is available as a three-passenger bench seat, for a total eight-passenger capacity, or two captain’s chairs for a seven-passenger limit. Both options have comfortable cushions and generous space for each passenger — good news if you’re planning to be chauffeured in the back. However, despite its size, the standard Escalade has limited third-row legroom; the Lincoln Navigator does better if you'll be carrying seven passengers often. The extended-length Escalade ESV model also can comfortably seat three adults in the third row.

The standard-length Escalade also is skimpy for cargo capacity with its third-row seat in use. There’s just 15.2 cubic feet behind its third row, enough for some groceries but not the family’s luggage. That means this Escalade model is best suited for buyers who’d typically keep the third row folded down and use it as a four- or five-passenger SUV. You have 51.6 cubic feet of cargo room with the third row folded down, more than some small crossovers can fit in total. Fold the second row and you get 94.2 cubic feet.

Big families will want the Escalade ESV, which more than doubles the volume behind the third row to 39.3 cubic feet — making it one of the few SUVs with as much cargo space as a minivan. You get 76.7 and 120.9 cubic feet behind the second row and front seats, respectively. On all Escalades, you can either pop open the rear windshield for quick cargo access, or use the new-for-2019 hands-free power liftgate.

In an era where many luxury vehicles have adopted small-displacement turbocharged engines, the 2019 Cadillac Escalade’s naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 offers old-school performance. With 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, it propels the big Cadillac effortlessly — especially if you select Sport mode instead of the more relaxed Touring mode. Further separating itself from car-based crossovers, the Escalade can tow up to 8,300 pounds.

As you might expect, you’ll feel the Escalade’s size and power at the gas pump. The EPA estimates that the rear-wheel drive model will achieve 14 mpg in the city, 23 mpg on the highway, and 17 mpg overall, while the four-wheel drive model drops to 21 mpg on the highway. We tested a four-wheel drive Escalade ESV and achieved about 19.5 mpg in primarily highway driving. Premium fuel is required. 

The 2019 Cadillac Escalade is a body-on-frame SUV, like a pickup truck, rather than cars and crossovers that integrate their body with their chassis. That means the Escalade can handle heavy-duty towing, but it won’t have the extra-smooth ride and relatively sporty handling of a BMW X7 or Mercedes-Benz GLS.

Especially with our test vehicle’s big 22-inch wheels, the Escalade’s ride quality can be stiff and unsettled, meaning that bumps can register sharply and you’ll feel the vehicle jiggling at times even on smooth pavement. That’s the norm for big truck-based SUVs, and the Escalade’s magnetic ride control — which continuously retunes the suspension based on changing road conditions — can only do so much. Similarly, the Escalade won’t handle like a sports car or even a big crossover; when the freeway exit sign says “25 mph,” don’t laugh it off. You’ll also feel the Escalade’s bulk in tight-quarters maneuvering, whether you get the standard model (204 inches long) or the ESV (224 inches long). The good news is that the Escalade stays serenely quiet, and it even features an active noise cancellation system.

Even the “base” 2019 Escalade is generously equipped. At $75,195, it includes a heated, power-adjustable steering wheel; a semi-autonomous parking system; heated and cooled front seats; heated second-row seats; wireless smartphone charging; a hands-free power liftgate; a 16-speaker Bose surround sound system; and 20-inch wheels.

Honestly, we’d probably stop there. But the Luxury model ($80,795) also is tempting for its advanced driver aids: low-speed automatic emergency braking with a forward-collision warning, a lane-departure warning with automatic steering corrections, blind-spot monitoring, and a vibrating “safety alert seat.” It also includes a sunroof, a rear camera mirror, a head-up display, and 22-inch wheels. However, you need the Premium Luxury ($85,195) for adaptive cruise control or high-speed automatic emergency braking, even though they’ve become common even among affordable cars. The top-of-the-line Platinum, $94,295, brings richer interior materials and massaging front seats. Add $3,000 for the ESV model and another $3,000 for four-wheel drive. Cadillac frequently offers huge discounts on the Escalade, so if you’re getting sticker shock, we recommend getting price quotes from dealers.

The Escalade’s closest competitor is the Lincoln Navigator, a similarly sized and similarly priced SUV that’s also available in standard-length and extended-length variants. Still fresh from a 2018 redesign, the Navigator boasts up-to-date infotainment, interior opulence, and overall refinement, along with a roomier third-row seat than the Escalade. Its turbocharged V6 engine uses less fuel than the Escalade’s V8, but some traditionalists still will demand eight cylinders.

Another close rival is the Infiniti QX80, which is the size of the standard-length Escalade but fits seven passengers a little better. While it hasn’t seen many changes since 2011, and its interior design and fuel efficiency show its age, the QX80 is a comparatively affordable way to get a high-end badge and features. Today’s mainstream-brand jumbo SUVs also are quite well-appointed and worth considering. Lastly, if you’re not wedded to traditional SUVs, the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS crossovers are great-driving family-friendly luxury rides, while the five-passenger Land Rover Range Rover offers beautiful looks and dynamic performance. 

The 2019 Cadillac Escalade isn’t what you’d call a sensible choice. On a purely rational level, you’d pick a Chevrolet or GMC suv with a lower price and more user-friendly controls, or perhaps a Lincoln Navigator with more interior room and better gas mileage — or if your left brain is in full control, probably a crossover or even a dang minivan.

But the Escalade isn’t about distilling pros and cons. It’s about style, presence, and prestige. It’s about old-school character. It’s about plenty of space for up to five adults to stretch out, plus acres of cargo room if you pick the ESV. True, we don’t love the dashboard controls. We wouldn’t mind a smoother ride. We wish the base model had more safety tech. And we definitely winced when filling up the 31-gallon gas tank. But as long as you know what you’re getting yourself into, and you’ve also checked out the Escalade’s impressive competitors, we’re pretty sure you’ll enjoy it.