The Cadillac Escalade is big and powerful,
capable of towing trailers of 7600 to 8300 pounds. In its most
popular configuration, the Escalade seats seven. Built on GM's
full-size truck platform and equipped with a 403-horsepower
6.2-liter V8, the Escalade, ESV, and EXT make good tow vehicles. The
2009 Escalade Hybrid is notably easier on fuel than the standard
Escalade, with EPA ratings of about 20 mpg. Mechanically, the 6.2-liter V8 can now run on
E85 (EPA 11 combined) and Escalades with 22-inch wheels get Magnetic
Ride Control automatic suspension damping.
The Escalade offers comfort and convenience
features of a luxury sedan, including automatic climate control,
navigation, rear camera, a premium Bose sound system, ultrasonic
parking assist, power adjustable pedals, and heated leather seats.
Escalade comes in three body styles: Escalade, ESV, and EXT. On the
road, all Escalades are smooth and stable.
Options and Available Trims 2009 Escalade
The Cadillac Escalade is a full-size sport
utility vehicle. Also standard are a six-speed automatic
transmission, 18-inch alloy wheels, and Autoride (Road Sensing)
suspension.
The Escalade is available with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Standard features include
leather upholstery (all three rows); three-zone climate control; DVD
navigation with rearview camera; Bose 5.1 surround sound, XM radio
and NavTraffic; Bluetooth; rear park assist; power liftgate; 14-way
power heated front seats; driver memory; adjustable pedals; 50/50
split removable third-row seats; power tilt wood-and-leather-wrapped
steering wheel; HID headlamps; heated, power folding mirrors;
rain-sensing wipers; roof rack; running boards; and trailer hitch
and wiring.
Options include rear roof-mounted DVD
entertainment, 60/40 split-rear bench seat with heaters
outboard, chrome wheels, block heater,
moonroof, and the Ultra Luxury Collection with
heated/cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, power fold-tumble
second row seats, moonroof, automatic high beams, Side Blind Zone
Alert, power retractable running boards, 22-inch wheels, Magnetic
Ride Control.
The Escalade ESV is available in 2WD
and AWD. The ESV is 20 inches longer than the regular Escalade on a
14-inch longer wheelbase, which aids ride, third-row room, and
nearly triples the cargo space behind the third row seats. ESV
equipment and options are the same as the standard Escalade.
The Escalade EXT is a sister vehicle
to the Chevrolet Avalanche, with a pickup profile and five-seat
cabin using ESV rear side doors. Atop the range are the Platinum
editions (Escalade 2WD; Escalade AWD; ESV 2WD; ESV AWD, Hybrid 2WD, Hybrid 4WD).
Safety features on all Escalade models include anti-lock four-wheel
disc brakes with EBD and Brake Assist; and an electronic stability
control system called StabiliTrak with rollover sensing. Passive
safety features include front seat belts with pretensioners and
load-limiters, dual front air bags and side curtain air bags that
span all three rows of seats. Since the Escalade is based on a truck
chassis the cargo load floor is 32.3 inches off the ground.
2009 Interior
Features
The Escalade's interior was designed to provide
luxury both in terms of space as well as features. Escalade comes
standard with seven-passenger seating, with second-row bucket seats
separated by a center console, with a three-passenger, third-row
bench behind it. Escalade ESV adds more than a foot of space
between front and rear axles, so the rear side doors are much
longer. XM radio comes standard.
A rear-seat entertainment system is available,
utilizing a flip-down eight-inch screen that folds down from
overhead. The Escalade's huge cabin benefits from triple-zone
automatic climate controls: One zone for each front occupant and
another tending to the rear-seating area. Escalade and ESV come standard with heated
front and second-row seats while EXT gets heated front seats only. A power liftgate is standard on Escalade and
ESV.
Arch-nemesis Navigator doesn't offer such
aggressive tires as the Escalade but works well, especially on
marginal road surfaces, because its independent rear suspension is
much lighter than the Escalade's.
Engine and Power
All-wheel drive is available. StabiliTrak
electronic stability control system manages wheel slip by applying
the brakes at the slipping wheel without interrupting power deliver
to the wheels with grip. Excepting the Hybrid, every 2009 Escalade
tested to date scores EPA ratings of 12/19/14 on gasoline
(city/highway/combined). The Escalade Hybrid features GM's two-mode,
gas-electric hybrid propulsion system developed in conjunction with
other automakers. The Hybrid adds thousands of dollars and roughly
450 pounds to an Escalade, lowers tow rating by about a ton (figure
4,500-4,700 pounds if the Escalade is loaded), and comes standard
with 22-inch wheels and Magnetic Ride Control. "Escalade wagons are
basically GMC Yukon Denalis with Cadillac looks, and add a pinch
more power, extra standard features, and higher prices. All of GM's
large SUVs are solid choices in their market segments, and although
Escalade wagons may not be worth every penny of their extra cost
over the Denali, they are Recommended picks in the premium large SUV
class." says Consumer
Guide. Hybrid Escalades are
also offered with 4WD that has an auto setting for on-road use like
the standard Escalade's all-wheel drive system but also has
low-range gears for maximum effort like deep sand or rocky terrain.
The Cadillac Escalade is an impressive vehicle in more ways than
looks.