What's so great about the Cadillac Escalade? 01/03/2011
Despite its relatively short lifespan, the Cadillac Escalade has already become a classic car, ingraining itself in popular culture as the ride of choice for pro athletes, movie stars and anyone who commands an entourage. So why is the Escalade held in such high acclaim?
We stacked the Escalade up against another tank-like full-size SUV, the Toyota Land Cruiser. The Escalade has a reputation as being expensive, and some of the high-end trim levels certainly earn that reputation. But in this case, the Escalade was actually $5,000 cheaper than the Toyota.
So the Escalade must be giving up a lot of features as compared to the Land Cruiser, right? Actually, it surpasses the Land Cruiser in nearly every way. The Land Cruiser is a bit bigger, but an eighth seat shouldn't run 800 dollars. Meanwhile, the Escalade offers drivers practically everything standard, including OnStar and a navigation system, two features the Land Cruiser does not have.
In terms of performance, the Escalade is again the winner. The 6.2-liter V8 cracks 400 horsepower with 417 lb-ft of torque. Meanwhile, the Land Cruiser produces 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque. The Escalade also comes with a flat-out better warranty.
Some cars make a splash when they debut and are then quickly surpassed by their competitors. But in the case of the Escalade, it's classic reputation is well-earned.