Click the image above to check out the episode detailing the Cadillac Escalate Sport.
By Tony C. Lesesne
The supersize Escalade is Cadillac's most iconic vehicle on the market. Its luxury on Wheels. Historically, the Cadillac Escalade was Cadillac's first major entry into the SUV market for the 1999 model year to challenge other premium brands in the luxury SUV segment. Today, I’m discovering that the Escalade is as regal as ever.
I’ll share with you the details and highlights. With its big sturdy body, and steady ride quality, it combines a luxurious ride with an unapologetic sportiness and surprisingly agile street handling. An all-new independent rear suspension platform results in a smoother ride. Supercruise offers the ease and convenience of hands-free driving on compatible roads. No, I did not try it. not that I was being a wimp about it, but I personally just love the act of holding the steering wheel for myself and making the vehicle do what I want it to do intuitively. With that said, I am impressed that such technology is on the market and applaud Cadillac for being bold enough to pull it off.
The vehicle is literally an cultural statement that has captured the imagination and sparked the delight of filmmakers, celebrities and VIP's alike. You see them in music videos, movies and tv shows like the Sopranos and Drake’s in my feelings. The Escalade has also brought a level of prestige and a feeling of accomplishment for legions of drivers that want to make a great first impression while getting the most out of the time being spent on the road.
INSIDE
For the complete review, click here and check it out but I can briefly tell you that the Escalade has three rows of seating for seven. The 2021 Escalade offers more room for passengers and their cargo. A new architecture and new chassis technologies have significantly expanded interior space, offering 40 percent more third-row legroom (34.9 inches / 886 mm) and a 68 percent increase in maximum cargo space behind the third row (25.5 cubic feet / 722 liters) in the standard-length model.
The first row and second row occupants get their own dynamic chairs and the second row passengers get the benefit of screens mounted behind both the drivers and passenger chairs. Speaking of the driver's chair, You can see from the picture below that they are speakers mounted in the headrest. That's totally awesome. There's lots of space for the legs and roominess all around. Another feature that stands out is the fact that the third row seating actually has enough room to sit without feeling crunched. The interior is packed with technology, luxury and style. The tech package is quite impressive and its showcased best within the infotainment center.
THE DRIVE
This is the first year that a Sport model has been offered with the Escalade. Those 22-in big alloy wheels are what helps facilitate that comfy ride. The 6.2 liter naturally aspirated V8 engine makes 420 horsepower and 460 lb ft of torque And you have an option for a 3 l turbo diesel producing 277 horsepower turbo inline 6 cylinder 466 lb feeder torque and it won't cost you more.
Adaptive cruise control: Maintains a selected following gap between you and the detected vehicle ahead. Real-time cameras, sensors and GPS, along with LiDAR precision map data, work in unison to detect every curve, helping the vehicle stay centered in the lane and elevating the comfort and convenience of your commute.
Hit the acceleration and it grows, it's a sweet growl letting you know that it has lots and lots of power, and that V8 engine with the air suspension underneath makes all the difference in the world. The ride quality is over the top. You can even get a back massage on on your drive. Impressed yet? Inside the sound is dampened significantly so the cabin is quiet unless you're blasting the music like I did.
The drive is cushy, like cruising along on pillows. It's easy to understand why this iconic vehicle is such a mainstay and movies and TV for people trying to make a statement on the big and small screen. It's simply boss. It has lots of high-tech performance assets that engineers gave lots of planning and thought to as a continue to make each Escalade more compelling year after year.
With every test drive I present to you, I try to also share the feeling, the emotion and the vibe I get from each and every vehicle...and in this case Cadillac says that CONFIDENCE IS AN EXPRESSION OF POWER and its a quote that we should take to heart - confidence - which is exactly what the entire time test driving the Cadillac Escalade Sport. See you on the next episode of AutoFOCUS World Test Drive. I enjoyed the Escalade and always have but this new updated version is exactly where Cadillac wants to be when it comes to being one of the standard bears of luxury. Cadillac has outdone itself by producing an SUV that performs like a sports car and yet it's super large.
What an accomplishment.
