2011 Cadillac Escalade

2011 Cadillac Escalade Review
The 2011 Cadillac Escalade is not for shrinking violets. The Cadillac Escalade is a perennial car reviewer favorite among luxury large SUVs for its powerful V8, flamboyant styling and luxurious passenger cabin. "There are luxury SUVs and then there's the 2011 Cadillac Escalade. There are full-size SUVs and then there's the Escalade,” says Edmunds. The 2011 Cadillac Escalade features seating for up to eight in a roomy and luxurious cabin. Pricewise, the Escalade falls in the middle of its class.

Details: The Cadillac Escalade
The Escalade can seat up to eight people and comes in four models: the Escalade, Escalade ESV (an extended wheelbase version), the Escalade EXT (which trades the third row seat and enclosed cargo area for a short truck bed) and the Escalade Hybrid. We review the Escalade EXT and the Escalade Hybrid separately.

There are luxury SUVs and then there's the 2011 Escalade. There are full-size SUVs and then there's the Escalade. An adjustable suspension that's standard on all but the base Escalade optimizes ride and handling. Truly, the Escalade lives up to its Cadillac badge.
Sometimes, the only vehicle that'll do is an Escalade.

The 2011 Escalade is a full-size luxury SUV available in four trim levels: Base, Luxury, Premium and Platinum Edition. The base Escalade comes standard with 18-inch wheels, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, power-folding and driver-side auto-dimming exterior mirrors, a power liftgate, automatic xenon headlights, foglights and running boards. Other standard amenities include tri-zone automatic climate control, a power tilt-only steering wheel, power-adjustable pedals, and heated and ventilated 10-way power front seats with adjustable lumbar and driver memory functions. The Escalade Luxury adds chromed 22-inch cast-aluminum wheels, automatic headlight high-beams, a blind-spot warning system, a suspension with an active damping system (optional on the base model), a sunroof, power-folding and tumbling second-row seats and a heated steering wheel.

The Escalade Premium adds power-retractable running boards and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with a single roof-mounted display (optional on Luxury). The Escalade Platinum Edition adds different chromed 22-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, upgraded leather upholstery, leather-trimmed dash and door tops with contrast stitching, heated and cooled cupholders, and a headrest-mounted dual-screen DVD entertainment system.
The 2011 Cadillac Escalade is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 good for 403 hp and 417 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel drive is standard on the Escalade, but all-wheel drive is optional.
The Escalade features cylinder deactivation technology for improved fuel economy. Note that we said "improved" and not "good," as the big Escalade manages just 14 mpg city/18 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined with rear-wheel drive and 13/18/15 with all-wheel drive.

Safety
Standard safety features on the Escalade include stability control, antilock disc brakes, traction control, front side-impact airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera and OnStar emergency telematics. In Edmunds brake testing, the 2011 Cadillac Escalade came to a stop from 60 mph in a disappointing 144 feet. In government crash testing, the Escalade received a perfect five stars for frontal crash protection.
Adding the available second-row bench raises total seating capacity to eight. Fold those second-row seats down and the cargo capacity grows to an impressive 108.9 cubic feet.

For years, Cadillac has led the luxury SUV class with its classy and sport Escalade. A fuel-injected system equipped with a 26-gallon tank, the 2011 Escalade gets 20 miles per gallon on the highway and 14 around town.
Fuel economy: current fuel economy car ratings of 14/20 mpg city/highway is expected to remain the same
Engine: 6.2-liter, 403-horsepower V8
Acceleration: with all-wheel drive, the 0-60 time of the Escalade is just over 7 seconds
Car safety features: current safety equipment will carry over for 2011
Architecture: the 2011 Escalade is based on a new Lambda frame

Interior Features
The 2011 Escalade retains many of the interior features that made the 2010 version special. The vehicle makes driving comfortable by offering a Bose surround sound system, providing standard OnStar, and the added safety of a rear camera.

Drive Quality
The level of handling won't make drivers confuse the Escalade for a Ferrari, but it outpaces almost all large SUV competitors.

Performance
The standard Escalade will keep drivers above 20 on the highways, and the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid version will offer even more economy.

READ MORE - 2011 Cadillac Escalade

2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT Truck

2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT Truck Inside, 14-way power adjustable front leather seating, universal home garage door remote, Bluetooth connectivity and a 8-speaker Bose surround sound system is standard on all 2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT models.

Benefits of Driving a 2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT Truck
The Escalade's cabin is one of the most impressive, opulent interiors offered in an SUV, and ride quality and overall interior quality are top-notch.

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT is one of three Escalade models and is essentially a cross between an SUV and a crew-cab pickup. For all its luxurious versatility, the Cadillac Escalade EXT's hefty 6,000-pound weight contributes to lackluster braking performance and poor fuel economy. The 2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT is a premium full-size sport-utility truck offered in three trim levels: base, Luxury and Premium.
Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels; automatic xenon headlamps; foglamps; a roof rack; an adaptive suspension; rear parking sensors; power-folding and driver auto-dimming mirrors; a fold-down midgate; leather upholstery; 10-way power front seats with heating, cooling and driver memory settings; power-adjustable pedals; tilt-only steering wheel; dual-zone automatic climate control and remote engine ignition. The Luxury trim adds 22-inch chrome alloy wheels, Magnetic Ride Control adjustable suspension (optional on base), automatic high beams, power sunroof and a heated steering wheel. Every Escalade EXT is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 producing 403 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque. Power is transferred through a six-speed automatic transmission, full-time AWD and heavy-duty locking rear differential. All 2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT models include standard antilock disc brakes, stability control, traction control, front side-impact airbags and full-length head curtain side-impact airbags with rollover protection. Other standard safety features include rear parking sensors, a rearview camera and OnStar communications. The Escalade EXT's cabin treats its occupants to the experience expected of a Cadillac.

The EXT's name is a little deceiving; while it carries the Escalade name, and is very much part of this iconic luxury SUV family, it's a pickup.
Just as the Escalade has become a glitzy, chrome-and-excess fantasy object, the same applies here. The EXT isn't offered in a top-gloss Platinum version, as other Escalades, but its top Pemium trim gets power-retractable running boards, IntelliBeam headlamps, a rear DVD entertainment system, and a heated steering wheel—in addition to the great Bose sound system and all the other Escalade standard features.

READ MORE - 2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT Truck

Cadillac Escalade is big and powerful

2010 Cadillac Escalade  Review 
The Cadillac Escalade is big and powerful, capable of towing trailers of 7500 to 8300 pounds. In its most popular configuration, the Escalade seats seven.

Escalade comes in three body styles: Escalade, ESV, and EXT. The standard Escalade is a full-size sport utility sharing the same architecture and roughly the same dimensions as the Chevy Tahoe.

The ESV is a long-wheelbase version of the Escalade. Similar in size to the Chevy Suburban, the ESV is 20 inches longer than the regular Escalade. The Escalade EXT is a five-passenger luxury SUV with a short bed; it is Cadillac's version of the Chevy Avalanche and features the impressive Midgate that converts the rear seats into additional pickup space. On the road, all Escalades are smooth and stable. The Escalades deliver the comfort and amenities of a luxury sedan, including automatic climate control, heated leather seats, navigation, rearview camera, premium Bose audio, ultrasonic parking assist, and power-adjustable pedals. The Escalade Hybrid is notably easier on fuel than the standard Escalade, with EPA-estimated fuel economy of 20 mpg City, 21 mpg Highway. Available only with the standard Escalade body style, the hybrid gas-electric powertrain shares technology with the Tahoe/Yukon two-mode hybrids.

The 2010 Cadillac Escalade gets a few upgrades.
According to reviewers from across the Web, the plush interior of the 2010 Cadillac Escalade is matched to a macho, flashy exterior that turns heads and makes for a winning combination.

The Escalade shares its platform and mechanical layout with the GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs.
Despite sharing the same platform and mechanicals, the 2010 Cadillac Escalade is substantially different from either the Tahoe or the Yukon thanks to its unique style. The Escalade has been toned down from the first-generation model, but FamilyCar.com points out the Escalade’s “bigger grille, seven layers of chrome accents and just-for-show ‘vent ports’ on the front fenders gave the vehicle an even bolder look than its predecessor."
The 2010 Cadillac Escalade receives a number of notable upgrades. Handsome double-stitched leather upholstery and faux wood trim are complemented by an impressive list of upscale standard features.
The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class offers a more serious challenge to the big Caddy's category dominance, with its superior driving dynamics and a classy interior with a fold-flat third-row seat that's much more practical than the Escalade's old-school removable version.

For 2010, the full-size Cadillac Escalade SUV is offered in four different trim levels. Even entry-level models are very well-equipped, with 18-inch alloy wheels, an adaptive suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers, xenon headlamps, an auto-dimming driver-side mirror, a power liftgate, rear parking sensors and fixed running boards. Interior goodies include triple-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, heated 14-way power front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, power-adjustable pedals, remote start, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth hands-free cell phone connectivity, OnStar, a Bose surround-sound audio system with a six-disc CD/DVD changer, and a navigation system with real-time traffic updates and a built-in rearview camera.

Inside you'll find heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a power-release feature for second-row seats and a blind-spot warning system. The Premium trim level adds power-retractable running boards and a rear-seat DVD video entertainment system with a ceiling-mounted screen. The short list of available options includes different styles of 22-inch alloy wheels, a 60/40 split-folding second-row bench seat and the rear-seat DVD video system with the overhead screen (Luxury model only).

EPA estimates stand at 14 mpg city/20 highway for the 2WD Escalade, slightly higher than the 2009 Escalade. Properly equipped, two-wheel-drive versions can tow a healthy 8,300 pounds.
Standard safety features on the Escalade include electronic stability control, antilock disc brakes, traction control, front side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags that cover all three rows and the OnStar telematics system. In government crash tests, last year's Escalade earned a top five-star rating for crash protection in frontal and side-impact protection.

Interior Design and Special Features
Adding the available second-row bench raises total seating capacity to eight.
If you choose to lose the third-row seat, however, you'll end up with a cavernous 60.3 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second-row seats. Fold those second-row seats down and the cargo capacity grows to an impressive 108.9 cubic feet.
Driving Impressions
On the road, the 2010 Cadillac Escalade delivers surprisingly good acceleration at all speeds thanks to that big 403-hp V8.

READ MORE - Cadillac Escalade is big and powerful