INTERIOR TRULY LUXE
Dash blends classic styling with new technology, but this is one huge SUV that sucks fuel
I've got to be honest with you — the Cadillac Escalade is not for me. Too big. Waaay too big, and too truckish. But if that's your kind of thing, then you're going to love the all-new 2021 version of Cadillac's top-of-the-line Escalade.
Among other things, it packs augmented-reality navigation, an independent rear suspension setup, and perhaps the most stylish interior in the entire luxury segment.
In fact, it's this last that impresses most. If the new Escalade's entire dashboard were transplanted into a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, we'd all be congratulating Mercedes-Benz on its recent turnaround. The dashboard is an almost perfect blend of classic styling and new technology, the entire instrument cluster and infotainment system looking like a giant, one-metre-wide Organic LED screen separated by lovely leather dividers. It's actually three different screens, but the effect is of one sweeping display. Automakers have long been looking for a way to blend our pixelated future with familiar styling cues, and Cadillac found it.
Functionally, it's pretty stellar as well. I really like the way the
trip meter, with fuel economy and distance, is separated from other parts of the dashboard, and immediately evident. And, the portion for infotainment is a huge 16.9 inches.
The entire OLED display that makes up the traditional gauges can be used to display the navigation system's mapping. Since it's almost 14 inches wide and in front of your face, it's easily deciphered, making navigation less of a distraction. I'm less convinced about the infotainment system's new technology. Essentially, that same large screen turns into a camera view of what you're seeing though the windshield, and then “augmented” with instructions —
arrows, warnings, etc. — from the mapping software.
It sounds like such a good idea, but in everyday use, I just couldn't get along with it. The perspective of the camera is quite wide, so there's a significant amount of distortion. More disturbing, however, is having two displays — one real through the windshield, the second on the large, hard-to-ignore screen — feeding your eyes what should be the same information, but with a different perspective. That said, the traditional bird'seye-view mapping is enough of an advancement that I think Cadillac's hard work isn't wasted.
Of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is a
Wi-Fi hot spot. Rear-seat passengers get their own sizable touch screens equipped with both USB and HDMI ports, and with the capacity to enter destinations that can be sent to the navigation system up front. Oh, and did I mention the 36-speaker AKG Studio Reference audio system? You can feel the bass through the gas pedal. It's incredible — the first automotive sound system I can't turn up full blast.
As for the rest of the dash, what little switchgear is left is reminiscent of a Mercedes — subtle yet efficient, and easily deciphered. But why is there not a radio tuning knob? There are three ways to change stations, including pushing an arrow on the touch screen, or clicking the rotary dial on that same touch screen button and then changing stations. None are as simple as a rotary knob.
You'll note that I haven't mentioned Super Cruise here. Although a new and improved version of GM's vaunted self-driving system is available on this new Escalade, my tester was an early production model that lacked the upgrade.
The interior is incredibly roomy. The second-row's individual captain's chairs, for instance, boast enough legroom for any aspiring
LeBron James. Even the third row has enough space for adults, with Cadillac claiming that its new independent rear suspension allows almost a foot more legroom. And yes, there's still a little bit of cargo room left over.
It should be noted that the decor — especially the leather coverings of the seats and doors — are a marked step up. Pictures, even the glossy studio versions that automakers pump out, don't truly do it justice.
GM's tried and true small-block engine makes its customary appearance, this one a 6.2-litre V8 with 420 horsepower. Mated to 10-speed automatic transmission, there's plenty of get up and go. It's no dragster — the Escalade weighs almost 2,718 kilograms — but it moves pretty well. That said, it sucks back some serious gas.
Of course, if you have the almost $120,000 it takes to get behind the wheel of the 2021 Escalade — $117,798 for the regular Sport Platinum or Premium Luxury Platinum models, $4,500 more if you want either in ESV form — I can't imagine you're going to worry about that. But if you are selectively parsimonious, GM's latest Duramax 3.0-L in-line six turbodiesel is available as a no-cost option.