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2019 Cadillac Escalade vs. 2019 Infiniti QX80: Which is Best?
2019 Infiniti QX80 vs Cadillac Escalade
When comparing the 2019 Cadillac Escalade vs. 2019 Infiniti QX80 to see which is best, the answer may not be as easy as you think. The Escalade is definitely the better-known alternative, and as Cadillac’s flagship SUV, it offers just about every technology in the brand’s arsenal. The Escalade also has an important advantage if you’re looking for a luxury SUV that’s just as tough as it is technologically advanced. With its body-on-frame construction, the Escalade can out-tow all of its crossover-style luxury rivals.
But the Infiniti team knows a thing or two about luxury, as well. And that brand’s full-size SUV flagship also is a true body-on-frame model. The 2019 Infiniti QX80 actually shares a platform with the Nissan Patrol, a global SUV with hardcore off-road roots. Let’s see if that’s enough to conquer the Cadillac.
Which is best for performance?
Big SUVs need big engines, and that’s exactly what you get with both the 2019 Cadillac Escalade and the 2019 Infiniti QX80. The one for the Escalade is a bit bigger, though. For the Escalade, a mighty 6.2-liter V8 is under the hood, with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. It’s enough for the Escalade to dash from 0 to 60 in fewer than 6 seconds. The QX80 comes with a 5.6-liter V8 that produces 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque.
In terms of fuel economy, well, neither of these vehicles is particularly green. Yet the Escalade’s top EPA ratings of 14 mpg city/23 mpg highway/17 mpg combined will give you a slight edge over the QX80’s line of 14/20/16.
Cadillac Escalade
Photo by General Motors
Which is best for capability?
Despite somewhat less engine output, the 2019 Infiniti QX80 can out-pull the 2019 Cadillac Escalade. The former can tow up to 8,500 pounds, while the latter is limited to 8,300 pounds.
But Cadillac has a secret weapon if you want to carry cargo on the inside. Only the Escalade is available in a long-wheelbase model that stretches the vehicle by about 20 inches in length. The Escalade ESV can fit 39.3 cubic feet of gear behind the third row, 76.7 cubic feet behind the second, and a whopping 120.9 cubic feet in total. The maximum storage capacity of the QX80 is 95.1 cubic feet.
Cadillac Escalade
(We let Cadillac carry away the victory here, since the difference in the vehicles’ cargo volumes is larger than their difference in towing capacities.)
Photo by General Motors
Which is best for infotainment technologies?
The 2019 Cadillac Escalade keeps right on rolling when it comes to infotainment technology. Like the 2019 Infiniti QX80, the Escalade delivers the usual features like navigation, premium Bose audio, and touchscreen infotainment.
But only Cadillac provides standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, which is something that the QX80 doesn’t offer at all. It’s the same story if you want to go online: The Escalade is available with a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot that you can’t order from Infiniti. For second- and third-row passengers, both brands supply rear-seat entertainment systems with dual monitors built into the back of the front-seat headrests. Cadillac can raise the bar with a third screen that drops down from the ceiling. Also, just to be clear, all three Cadillac displays can stream different content at the same time.
Cadillac Escalade
Photo by General Motors
Which is best for driver-assistance technology?
Although both of these vehicles are old-school body-on-frame SUVs, they can serve up some of the industry’s most sophisticated driver-assistance measures. This includes all of the usual features, plus automatic forward emergency braking, automatic reverse emergency braking, and a digital rearview camera. With that technology, a rear-facing camera is mounted outside of the vehicle to send live video to a display in the rearview mirror frame. The result is a much wider field of vision than a conventional mirror, but you also can use these systems in the traditional fashion, too.
That said, the 2019 Cadillac Escalade can deliver more technologies that you won’t see in the 2019 Infiniti QX80. Among the Escalade-exclusive highlights: a four-mode head-up display, a 12.3-inch reconfigurable LCD instrument panel, and automatic parking assistance.
Cadillac Escalade
Photo by General Motors
Which is best for luxury?
Now we get to the heart of the matter. The 2019 Cadillac Escalade and 2019 Infiniti QX80 each can coddle you inside luxurious cabins. Whatever the temperature is outside, you can be comfortable inside with supple leather upholstery and heated and ventilated front seats. Heated rear seats also are available, as are heated and leather-wrapped steering wheels with power-adjustable columns. Looking for real wood interior accents? Both SUVs offer multiple options, ranging from Cadillac’s natural-finish elm to Infiniti’s open-pore ash.
The Cadillac then takes luxury to the next level to out-do the QX80 once again. Only the Escalade can be ordered with multi-program massage-function front seats. There are three different settings for the driver and two for the front passenger. Finally, Cadillac further helps you customize your driving position with power-adjustable gas and brake pedals.
Cadillac Escalade
Photo by General Motors
Which is best for interior design?
The 2019 Cadillac Escalade may be more luxurious inside, but we think the 2019 Infiniti QX80 has the more attractive cabin. Infiniti designers created a sporty but upscale dual-cockpit look for the QX80 with wraparound dashboard trim. A massive center stack splits the dash for a bold SUV-style touch. The Escalade has more of a flowing, free-form look to its dash, and while it’s very artistically done, the overall feel seems a bit out of place for such a ruggedly capable vehicle.
The QX80 also is designed to better handle passengers than the regular-wheelbase Escalade. Cadillac saves most of its legroom for the front row, so it leaves less than 25 inches of third-row legroom. The QX80 provides an extra four inches of legroom there to go with 2 more inches of second-row legroom.
Infiniti QX80
Photo by Infiniti
Which is best for exterior design?
A dominating road presence is standard with both vehicles, each of which is well over 200 inches in length. The 2019 Cadillac Escalade then emphasizes its shape with strong shoulder lines and a futuristic front end. The lighting treatment is especially eye-catching, with vertically oriented headlights that seem to flow underneath the front body-color trim.
That said, the Escalade’s avant-garde appearance may be too “avant” for the segment. The 2019 Infiniti QX80 shows a more subtle and restrained vibe that lets the SUV’s aggressive power shine through. The QX80 adds its share of expressive details like low-profile headlights, a mesh grille, and Infiniti’s triangle-shaped rear roof pillars.
Still, the Escalade ekes out a close victory with a few more available exterior features, including a handsfree liftgate and power-retractable running boards with LED ground lighting.
Photo by General Motors
Which is best for pricing?
The 2019 Cadillac Escalade obviously has some advantages over the 2019 Infiniti QX80, but this is a situation where you get what you pay for - or perhaps it’s best to say you have to pay for what you get.
Consider: The QX80 is priced from $65,400, which certainly isn’t cheap. But you’ll have to fork over almost $10,000 extra to get into an Escalade. With an MSRP of $75,195, the cost of the Cadillac is more than twice as high as the average transaction price of a new 2019 vehicle. It’s also about 15 percent higher than the MSRP of the QX80. The extended-wheelbase Escalade ESV is then another $5,000 more expensive. Adding four-wheel drive to the QX80 and Escalade increases their costs by $3,100 and $3,000, respectively.
Photo by Infiniti
Which is best overall?
The 2019 Infiniti QX80 is a good-looking luxury suv that might surprise some folks with its capability. For example, it has more towing power than a 2019 Cadillac Escalade. The QX80 also has more second-row legroom, more third-row legroom, and more cargo space than the comparable Escalade. Infiniti matches many of Cadillac’s cutting-edge technologies as well, including its digital rearview camera mirror.
Yet the QX80 comes up short in a number of important ways. As a starting point, it isn’t available with modern-day connectivity resources like a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay - and that stuff can even be found in many mainstream cars. Nor does the QX80 offer a long-wheelbase model if you need extra space, or massage-function seats if you need extra comfort.
Photo by General Motors