2011 Cadillac Escalade
The 2011 Cadillac Escalade is a SUV for buyers who like to be noticed, but also need the capabilities of a full-sized truck-based SUV – and are willing to pay to get them. 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. For 2011, The Escalade gets an updated, available navigation system, which reviewers say is an improvement over the old one.
The Cadillac Escalade is a perennial car reviewer favorite among luxury large SUVs for its powerful V-8, flamboyant styling and luxurious passenger cabin. A smaller crossover would give you just as much seating capacity, and some competitors would give you more genteel styling, but nothing else gives you the panache of an Escalade. There are many of luxury SUVs and then there’s the 2011 Cadillac Escalade. There are full-size SUVs and then there’s the Escalade, you could buy any number of big, luxurious vehicles instead, but there’s just no true substitute for Cadillac’s celebration of power, brashness and wheels in a package so large the Amish could stick one in a river to power a grain mill.
The 2011 Cadillac Escalade features seating for up to eight in a roomy and luxurious cabin. Though its third-row seat is almost universally panned by reviewers, that’s typical for this class. And, while the Escalade’s big V-8 has no trouble moving it down the road, it does drink a lot of gas. While most Escalade buyers should have no trouble affording the fill-ups, this isn’t the car for you if you want to go green (if you want Caddy looks in a slightly more earth-friendly package, check out the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid).
Pricewise, the Escalade falls in the middle of its class. For the money, you get a strong list of standard features and performance capabilities that reflect the Escalade’s truck-based construction. The Escalade is best for people who want comfort, style, power and towing abilities, but no one would blame you if you bought one just because it looks so dang good.
