2015 Cadillac Escalade

By Steve Kursar –

The 2015 Cadillac Escalade is the undisputed top-of-the-line stretch SUV in the market. There are other SUVs that are as long and others that are as luxurious. But the Cadillac stands alone as the only one that combines both qualities. This is the king – or queen – of the carpool lane, soccer practice and Girl Scout adventure. Get one, and they will stare, ask you questions about it and generally envy you.

When the SUV swept into the American conscious way back in the 1990s, automakers realized they had a winner on their hands and began to introduce big SUVs that were aspirational and catered to the luxury buyer.  The biggest and most luxurious came out in 1999 when Cadillac introduced the Escalade. About four years later, they brought out the ESV, which was built on the Chevrolet Suburban. The biggest luxury SUV was born.

The 2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV continues its reign as top super-large luxury SUV with a new body style, a new interior and an all-new engine. The exterior is unmistakably Cadillac with a huge chrome grill and out-sized Cadillac badges just in case your neighbors lost their glasses. With standard LED headlights and the optional 22 inch wheels, the new Escalade ESV is a definite presence on the road.

The interior boasts buttery leather, real wood, suede accents and all of the technology you should expect in a new Cadillac. The CUE infotainment system comes standard and features voice recognition software and touch controls that mirror those found on your smartphone and tablet. The third row folds flat at the push of a button, and there’s enough cargo space behind the third row to easily accommodate every piece of equipment that the softball team needs to reach the playoffs.

With a starting MSRP of $75,690, the new Cadillac Escalade ESV is offered with only one engine choice, the equally new 420 hp, 6.2 liter V-8 engine with cylinder deactivation that seamlessly switches from V8 to V4 when you reach cruising altitude and back to V8 when you need to pass that eighteen wheeler. Fuel economy is awfully respectable considering the vehicle’s size and weight with 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway.

With a price tag that can take you close to $100,000 if you choose all of the bells and whistles, the new Cadillac Escalade ESV remains firmly rooted as the top luxury big SUV. Long live the king – or queen!