Mum’s the word for Escalade
Noise reduction is evident in retooled SUV
LAKE SIMCOE , Ont. — Conspicuous consumption just got a whole lot quieter.
That was the lasting impression after we’d motored deep into cottage country during the official Canadian launch of the 2015 Cadillac Escalade, the allnew fourth generation of the luxury automaker’s flagship vehicle.
Two hours earlier in Toronto, Cadillac engineers underscored the efforts made to banish road, wind, engine and exhaust noise from the completely redesigned SUV’s seven-occupant cabin. Often there is a ring of hyperbole to engineering briefings at new vehicle press launches, but after negotiating the downtown core north to where suburbia gives way to farmland, it became quietly apparent their loud boasts were justified.
Credit goes to changes including inlaid and triple-sealed doors, a new exterior mirror design, acoustic laminate glass, even relocation of the fuel pump, complete with acoustic cover.
All work in concert to provide an amazingly quiet cabin at highway speeds, most notably in terms of wind noise, as the big SUV cuts through the air like one of the automaker’s sexy sport sedans.
And the good news for fans of the Escalade, the SUV that in 1999 became Cadillac’s first truck, is that this fourth-generation model has been improved upon in almost every other aspect over the outgoing model.
Built in Texas, the Escalade still comes in short and long wheelbase models, but that and the distinctive Caddy grille represent the only major carry-overs from 2014.
There’s an all-new engine — a 6.2-litre V-8 with 17 more horsepower (420) and 43 more pound-feet of torque (460) over the outgoing power plant.
There’s a more efficient active fuel management system, a computer-controlled feature that shuts down cylinders when extra power is not required and one that gives the 2015 Escalade segment-leading V-8 fuel efficiency (in two-wheel drive).
An all-new four-wheeldrive drivetrain replaces an all-wheel-drive system. It has three settings, including a fuel-usage-friendly two-wheel-drive mode.
There’s a standard Gen 3 Magnetic Ride Control system derived from the new Corvette’s suspension and said to be the fastest-acting suspension in any production vehicle in the world.
The third-row seating is now of the stow-and-go variety, replacing the removable back-row seating, and provides an increase in cargo capability and capacity. The second-row seating folds flat also, providing a huge holding area. Owners can still remove the third-row seating, though it requires a socket wrench.
There’s a sophisticated theft-deterrence package, including interior movement sensors, inclination sensors, glass-break sensors, self-powered horn and doorlock shields.
And the redesigned cabin includes a cut and sewn interior befitting a vehicle wearing the Cadillac badge.
All told, the new Escalade improves upon its predecessor in all aspects. But there are still a couple of shortcomings.
First and foremost is the transmission, an automatic six-speed relic that belies the technology available within the GM family. However, that could change shortly as GM has announced the coming availability of an eight-speed automatic for the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra, both equipped with the same 6.2-litre V-8 as the new Escalade. Expect an eightspeed gearbox option soon.
The other weakness in an otherwise rock-solid luxury SUV package is the lack of an independent rear suspension. Escalade project manager Craig Couch told me that putting that kind of suspension into the new Escalade would have required a retooling investment of around $200 million, so the decision was made to focus on other improvements.
Pricing ranges from $79,900 for the standard model; $85,500 for the Luxury Collection; and $90,500 for the Premium Collection.
Cadillac Canada expects 70 per cent of sales to be the short wheelbase model, and 2015 Escalade sales to represent about 20 per cent of all Cadillac sales across the country.
I had a turn behind both short and long wheelbase models, the latter the Escalade ESV. The two are the same back to the secondrow doors, with the 51.8 extra centimetres in the longer model made up in the rear doors and back-end. Most of that length adds to the rear cargo hold, but there is also more legroom for third-row passengers in the ESV over the short wheelbase model.
From a driving perspective, the longer wheelbase’s 71 extra kilos are noticeable when accelerating, but handling of both models is surprisingly nimble and light.
The magnetic suspension system has two settings — touring and sport — and the only time the sport setting is really that noticeable is when you throw the big SUV into a turn at speed, and those sensors computing at milliseconds keep things quite orderly in terms of body roll.
There is a sense of the size of the SUV when first underway, particularly in city driving, but out on the open roadways these vehicles are easy to handle and in no way intimidating.
The power is more than ample, and that 470 lbft. of torque will certainly make the job of towing a boat or trailer easier. As will that hoped-for eight-speed transmission.