CADILLAC ESCALADE FOR 2021, NEW TECH AND A NEW ATTITUDE

From celebrities to athletes to the titans of business, the Cadillac Escalade is a symbol of success.

Bumper2Bumpertv has to reluctantly admit that the large luxury SUV may have something to brag about these days.

LET’S START WITH AN APOLOGY TO THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING TEAM AT CADILLAC.

TO BE HONEST I WAS LESS THAN IMPRESSED WITH THE EARLY VERSIONS OF THE ESCALADE SUV, WHICH IN MY VIEW WAS A DRESSED-UP SUBURBAN.

THAT PERSPECTIVE CHANGED 180 DEGREES WHEN THE LATEST VERSION OF THE LUXURY SUV ARRIVED FOR A WEEK OF SEAT TIME.

THIS ESCALADE COMES WITH A FULL SUITE OF LUXURY TECHNOLOGY FROM DRIVER’S ASSISTANCE, HIGH END LED LIGHTING SYSTEMS AND A MUCH-IMPROVED REAR SUSPENSION.

THE SUSPENSION IS WORTH A MENTION BECAUSE HOW A CAR RIDES AND RESPONDS IS KEY TO BEING CONSIDERED A LUXURY PLATFORM AND CADILLAC IS A PLAYER WITH THE UPGRADES.

AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO PLAY IN THE LUXURY SEGMENT THEN A SERIOUS DISPLAY PANEL IS EXPECTED.

THE ESCALADE NOW COMES WITH A CURVED 39 INCH SCREEN THAT SEAMLESSLY COVERS THE SPACE FROM THE DRIVER’S SIDE DOOR TO THE START OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.

A TECH ITEM WE ENJOY IS SUPERCRUISE, WHICH ALLOWS HANDS FREE DRIVING ON OPEN ROADS.

ONE OF ITS IMPORTANT FEATURES IS THAT A DRIVER CANNOT USE IT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC UNTIL THERE IS A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN VEHICLES.

OUR TEST CAR WAS THE EXTENDED LENGTH VERSION WITH PLENTY OF LEGROOM FOR SECOND AND THIRD ROW PASSENGERS.

ONE BENEFIT OF THE 226 INCH OVERALL LENGTH IS CAPACITY TO HAUL THINGS.

FOLD THAT THIRD ROW DOWN AND THERE IS 63 CUBIC FEET OF SPACE.

WHEN THE SECOND ROW IF FOLDED DOWN THAT GROWS 109 CUBIC FEET FOR CARGO.

(NAT SOT) WE ALSO APPRECIATED THAT THE ESCALADE HAS ENOUGH RESPONSE WHEN POWER IS NEEDED.

THE TEST VEHICLE CAME WITH VERY SMOOTH SHIFTING TEN SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

IT MATES UP WELL WITH THE 6.2 LITER V8 ENGINE PUTTING OUT 420 HORSEPOWER AND 460 POUND FEET OF TORQUE.

HOWEVER, A REAR BADGE ON THE ESCALADE READS 600, WHICH IS THE NEWTON METERS MEASUREMENT OF TORQUE.

I GUESS THE NUMBER SOUNDED SO GOOD THE DESIGNERS COULDN’T RESIST THE URGE TO USE IT.

CADILLAC HAS SPENT THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE TRYING TO RECLAIM ITS PLACE AS A GLOBAL LUXURY CAR MAKER.

WITH THIS VERSION OF THE ESCALADE THE AUTOMAKER MAY HAVE SUCCEEDED.

I’M GREG MORRISON.