What’s more American than a Cadillac? Fireworks at a rodeo; a NASCAR driver drinking a pumpkin spice latte; stars-and-stripes sweatpants at Walmart? All things that would no doubt bring a tear to a baby eagle’s eye, but none evoke the land of the free and the home of the brave like a gas-guzzling Caddy.
Surely the most American of the marque’s patriotic dream team is the Escalade, the brand’s offensive tackle, primed for heavy lifting and ready to challenge some tough terrain. That is, if your heavy lifting is a large family, a golden retriever with a caravan in tow, and said terrain is a broad highway lacking tricky turns.
That’s not a knock on the car, nor its target demographic, since the Escalade is certainly fit for purpose. Not only is the interior capacious and comfortable, it’s akin to a Business Class flight with wide, soft seating, seemingly unlimited controls and front and rear displays that are comparable to the comfort of a VIP Emirates experience.
While you’re not blessed with the choice of chicken or fish, the options are a little more enticing. The central controls are as vibrant (and initially mystifying) as a NASA shuttle, but end up being rather intuitive, with every push of a button rewarded with a reassuring “haptic feedback” vibration, ensuring seating, climate and displays are tuned to taste.
If we’re going to get analogous (and oh yes, we are) then just imagine if Uncle Sam took the soul of a polar bear and strapped it to a V8. The car feels just as heavy, but equally as strong. Therefore, as you sit perched in the driver’s seat, lofty and sanctimonious, there is always going to be a concern over stopping power. So if you’re used to driving a European car, be warned: it’s like trying to rein in the proverbial polar bear thus rewriting the “pedal to the metal” cliché to refer to the need for heavy braking.
That may seem a little callous of Cadillac, when kids are likely to be in the mix, but remember you’re driving a family-friendly tank – a rather benign one, albeit for the weight. The carmaker assures us that safety is paramount, with ultra-high-strength steel alloys composing the skeleton of every Escalade.
In addition to the standard crumple zones, there are seven (yes, seven) strategically located airbags, including the first-ever front-centre airbag in a luxury SUV – in the case of a side-impact collision. Add to that the optional Theft-Deterrent package (with myriad sensors, locks and alarms) and even worrywarts can start breathing easy.
As luxury SUVs go, top-spec Escalades are worthily in the mix, but the word is that a super-luxe Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum is in the works that would penetrate the US $100K price bracket. That’s no surprise. There’s a current gold rush into the SUV market from some of icons of luxury motoring, such as Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Maserati, which will no doubt see more mainstream 4x4 stalwarts raise their game.
What extra bang you’d get for your buck, however, remains to be seen, but expect the devilish price tag to reflect the details. The finishing in the Escalade is certainly adequate, but doesn’t push the envelope when it comes to the feel of the plastics and the console mechanisms, and there could perhaps be some brand tie-ups for the dashboard clock, as per the new Bentayga.
When all’s said and done, you don’t need to be a wealthy “soccer mom” to reap the benefits of the Escalade. Yes, there’s room for the kids, with growth spurts well and truly factored in, but when you factor in the thrill of American muscle, the feel of the leather-bound cabin and the endless gadgetry, it’s easy to understand the mass appeal. The car was even voted as one of the most likely SUVs to be owned by rappers – comfort and style never looked so good.
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