The much-anticipated 2015 Cadillac Escalade met the public for the first time in New York City this week. Entering its fourth generation, the Escalade’s got a difficult road ahead of it. It’s one of the last full-size luxury SUVs in a market that’s still getting smaller, and it’s the last of the lineup to get the sleek, world-class treatment that’s made the ATS, CTS and XTS stand out this year. Can the new Escalade live up to its own glamorous past?
The all-new model just might. Completely redesigned, standard equipment on the new Escalade includes a 6.2 liter V8 and Magnetic Ride Control. The styling has taken on the look of Cadillac’s sedans, with vertically-stacked LED headlamps and taut, vertical-themed styling. The Escalade’s grille and face have been cleaned up nicely. Hidden aerodynamic tricks like active air shutters, tight body panel gaps and inlaid doors improve fuel efficiency, as do the aluminum tailgate and hood. At the rear, there are those vertical taillamps again, ensuring that the Escalade isn’t mistaken for anything else. For 2012, the Escalade and long-wheelbase Escalade ESV are offered.
The interior has received a lot of attention as well. Cadillac turned to hand-crafting and authentic materials to trim this big SUV, and the seats have been made more comfortable. Head- and legroom are both improved. And, of course, it’s high-tech in the extreme. The 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is reconfigurable, and an available head-up display projects information onto the windshield. Cadillac’s CUE infotainment system is standard. The power tailgate has programmable height settings, and the Escalade features a segment-first center-mounted airbag for the front seats to protect from far-side impact crashes.
Active safety equipment includes front and rear automatic braking, a lane departure warning system, adaptive cruise control and a blind zone alert. The Escalade is as much of a technology showpiece as the Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7-Series.
The 6.2 V8’s output is increased to 420 horsepower and includes direct fuel injection, Active Fuel Management with cylinder deactivation, and variable valve timing. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard. That may pale in comparison to the seven- and eight-speeds found in some of the German luxury sedans, but none of those cars can tow up to 8200 pounds.
The Escalade goes into production in Arlington, TX, next spring.
