Review: 2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD Premium

Balling out has loads of upside. In addition to oversized jewelry, record deals, front row NBA seats, celeb friends and the like, you are expected to convey yourself in an appropriate vehicle. And unless you are into foreign metal, there is none better than the latest Cadillac Escalade.

With an interior that looks inspired by the lavish cabins of Gulfstream G650 executive jets, the Escalade can be everything from a limousine to school bus, mobile office and onward. But is it a ride that can be tolerated for a week? Hop in as we take Cadillac’s biggest for a drive.

What is it?

Now in its fourth generation, there is no denying the Escalade’s utilitarian (read: truck-based) DNA. Coinciding with the recent introduction of the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Tahoe, the Escalade rounds out the General Motors trilogy of large SUVs that are based on the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks. In the case of our sampler, we tooled around in a luxury four-door sport utility vehicle utilizing body-on-frame construction with four-wheel-drive. Although not of the unibody variety, it was still outfitted to carry up to seven passengers.

Power for our high-roller came in the form of an EcoTec3 6.2-liter V8 engine that produces 420 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 460 lb-ft of torque at a mid-range 4,100 rpm. In addition to its direct-injection fuel delivery, the engine is outfitted with Active Fuel Management, which deactivates four cylinders at cruising speed for the most fuel-efficient ride possible. With a curb weight of more than three tons, every little bit of help, er, helps.

A new four-wheel-drive system was included with our Premium model offering Set-it-and-forget-it automation, which adapts to changing traction conditions as needed. Other standard accoutrements included a third-generation Magnetic Ride Control system, which magnetically charges a viscous fluid to soften or firm up the suspension as needed. Also included is a new electrically variable power-assisted steering system, a new four-wheel disk brake kit with GM’s Duralife rotors for extended life and a standard automatic locking rear differential.

Our ESV tester was delivered with the standard Driver’s Assist Package, which includes front and rear automatic braking, Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise controls and automatic collision preparation.

In case buyers decided they didn’t need the full-zoot, 224.3-inch long, 130-inch wheelbase Escalade ESV version after all, Cadillac offers a standard 203.9-inch-long, 116-inch wheelbase version. Both sizes are offered in 2WD and 4WD versions as well as Standard, Luxury and Premium trim levels.

What’s it up against?

Cadillac’s big boy competes head-to-head with the new Lincoln Navigator, Range Rover, Lexus LX570, Mercedes-Benz GL and Infiniti QX80. Although not as pricey, the Audi Q7 dips its toes into the same pool along the way.

How does it look?

As sharp as a piece of origami, there is no mistaking this as anything less than a product of the brand that used to be called the “Standard of the World.” Though the title may no longer apply, we think the Escalade shows great strides in the right direction. We like the use of LED headlights, which flank the storied Cadillac grille, but find that the foglamps in the bumper’s lower bout tend to verge toward a sense of busyness.

Massive in the space it takes up, it hits most of the marks in the bling and functionality categories. (Just be sure to measure your garage area first.) Getting inside shows why it appears so large on the exterior. The process is made all the easier by the addition of available power retractable steps for ease of entry and exit from this big bruiser. They’re just the thing to avoid an unattractive move while proceeding to make a star-turn on the red carpet. At the rear is a power and hands-free liftgate for cargo and rear seat access. Cleaning up appearances at the hatch’s top edge is a spoiler that helps to hide the rear wiper when not needed.

And on the inside?

Getting into the Escalade is an easy affair using the steering wheel as a grab handle while stepping on the running boards down below. Once inside, it’s an easy job to achieve a good driving position, thanks to the power heated and ventilated front seats and adjustable pedals. A configurable 12-inch diagonal TFT screen greets the driver while the centerstack is home to a very tablet-like eight-inch color display utilizing the Cadillac CUE system.

Speaking of the CUE (Cadillac User Experience) system, we have had a love-hate relationship with it since we were first introduced to each other a couple of years ago. What a difference a few years of refinement can have. We are happy to report that the love affair has been rekindled. Radio channels were quickly retrieved (“tune to Howard 100″), and the navigation system was always able to decipher voice commands, even though some of our editors have accents that twang like a Fender Telecaster.

Tumble-forward second row seating offers quick access to the rearmost row, and both rows fold flat for room to bring home the sixty-inch flatscreen from the neighborhood big-box retailer. By the numbers, the Escalade ESV offers 39.3 cubic feet behind the third row seats, 76.7 cubic feet with the third row folded and 120.9 cubic feet with both second and third rows in fold-flat mode.

Cadillac’s interior designers must have used hides from half a dozen cows to trim out the interior of this large-and-in-charge land-barge. Though very well done in its material execution, it’s hard to deny the fact that there is a lot going on here. The shale-toned leather seating surfaces aren’t bad, but we think the entire interior would look better using the cocoa tones found on the steering wheel and dashboard covering leather. We were also put off by extra-glossy wood trim that would more at home in a 1990s-era Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham than this 2015 example. Thankfully, classy open-pore wood trim can be specified instead.

But does it go?

Cadillac’s 2015 Escalade ESV 4WD Premium reminds us of a corporate jet whose wings have been clipped. Not in a bad sense but with the realization that it will likely never leave the ground. Power from the 6.2-liter V8 was abundant on an expressway on-ramp, to the tune of zero-to-60 mph run in just over six-seconds. Once we entered traffic, the AFM sensors quietly shut down four-cylinders in such a manner that we were not aware of such happenings until we glanced a V4 icon on the speedometer.

The Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmission never went hunting for cogs while at speed and managed to select the proper one for the speed and load at hand. For those needing a slow start, the transmission has the ability to change gears in a manual-like mode through its TapShift Control feature. According to the General, the power from the ESV 4WD’s 6.2-liter V8 is capable of towing up to 7,900 pounds.

Configurable shock rates were the push of a button away to step through comfort, tour and sport modes. At the same moment we selected sport, a piece of gravel wedged itself into the large grooves of one of the ‘sclade’s tires, making for an unnerving and temporarily rough ride. Sort of like getting a pebble in your shoe, it made for uneven goings until it managed to dislodge itself again.

The Escalade’s suspension with its front independent coil-overs and rear multi-link kit with magnetic ride control at both ends provided stellar handling throughout our excursions. Using the same technology as found in the Chevrolet Corvette, and certain Ferraris, it makes a really huge vehicle handle much smaller than it really is, but mind you, drivers will never confuse the Escalade with either of those two sportscars. The cabin was extremely quiet thanks to the active noise cancellation, which transmitted very little in the way of road noise.

Leftlane’s bottom line:

Cadillac’s biggest, and arguably General Motor’s flagship, the 2015 Escalade ESV Premium 4WD makes (in the luxury world) for a reasonably priced high-line vehicle capable of carrying up to 8 passengers in ultra-luxe surroundings. Although not relying on contemporary unibody standards, it still manages to bring it, so to speak, when upscale transportation is the order of the day.

2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD Premium, base price, $85,795. As tested, $89,980.

Power retractable assist steps, $1,695; White diamond tricoat, $995; 22-inch Aluminum alloy wheels, $500; Destination, $995.