2015 Cadillac Escalade - TestDriveNow.com Quick Takes

2015 Cadillac Escalade – Quick Takes

From its introduction in 1999, the Cadillac Escalade quickly became the standard among luxury SUVs, with a formula of bold design, powerful capability and luxurious accommodations. The all-new 2015 Escalade takes design and technical elements from Cadillac’s product expansion to elevate the brand’s signature SUV.

The fourth-generation Escalade has an entirely new exterior design yet is instantly recognizable. Inside, cut-and-sewn materials and wood trim, chosen for elegance and authenticity, combine with the latest technologies to convey an exceptional level of luxury.

“Cadillac’s ongoing growth provides the ideal stage for the all-new Escalade to take a major step forward,” said Uwe Ellinghaus, chief marketing officer, Global Cadillac. “Escalade has always had a bold character, differentiating itself from other luxury SUVs. Now, Escalade adds more sophistication, with advanced technology and hand-tailored craftsmanship.”

The product line includes the standard Escalade and the extended-length ESV edition, which offers a 14-inch-longer (355 mm) wheelbase and approximately 20 inches (508 mm) more in overall length, maximizing space for third-row passengers and nearly double the cargo space behind the third-row seat.

Luxury and Premium collections are available in addition to the base models, offering higher levels of content and technology. And all models are offered with 2WD and 4WD drivetrains, as well as a new 6.2L V-8 engine that is more powerful and more efficient than previous models.

In fact, it’s powerful enough to enable 0 to 60 mph performance in less than 6 seconds – 5.96 seconds for Escalade 4WD and 5.98 seconds for Escalade ESV 2WD.

The new 6.2L engine also delivers an EPA-estimated 21 mpg on the highway (Escalade 2WD/4WD and Escalade ESV 2WD). That’s about 17 percent greater efficiency on the highway than previous models, and also about 17 percent greater efficiency than Mercedes-Benz GL550 (18 mpg) – and nearly 24 percent greater than Lexus LX 570 (17 mpg).

Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control, the world’s fastest-reacting suspension system, is standard, delivering precisely controlled driving performance. And at its core, Escalade is an SUV with the capabilities of a full-size truck, enabling a trailering rating of 8,300 pounds on the standard model and an 8,100-pound rating on Escalade ESV. That’s more than Mercedes-Benz GL550 (7,800 pounds), Lexus LX 570 (7,000 pounds) and Land Rover Range Rover (7,716 pounds).

Cadillac design
Escalade’s new design provides a signature look of quality, elegance and capability. The styling cues combine sculpted surfaces and high technology embellishments to give Escalade a unique and stand-out appearance.

“At a glance, it is undeniably and unmistakably a Cadillac Escalade,” said Bob Boniface, Cadillac exterior design director. “It is powerful in size and presence, with integrated technologies that push its design to the leading edge.”

Dynamic front styling cues are enhanced by a highly detailed Galvano chrome grille that has a unique, almost brushed appearance. It is accented by full light-emitting diode – LED – lighting in the front and rear that creates unique, razor-like vertical light signatures. LEDs provide even, steady and very bright illumination, while delivering longer life and using significantly less energy than conventional lighting.

The headlamps incorporate the industry’s first Total Internal Reflection LED high-beam function, which consists of four vertically stacked crystal lenses and LEDs. The low beam consists of five crystal lenses and LEDs that create the light pattern. The Cadillac script is branded in the headlamp bezel. Tall, thin vertical LED taillamps reach to the top of the Escalade and feature the brand’s wreath-and-crest insignia, which illuminates in the dark.

New inlaid doors fit into the body side openings instead of over the top of the body, significantly improving the quietness of the interior and contributing to improved aerodynamics – an attribute that helps Escalade slip through the air on the highway with less drag for greater efficiency. Lightweight aluminum hood and aluminum liftgate panels also enhance efficiency through reduced overall mass.

Additional exterior features include:

The rear is dominated by signature LED lighting extending full-height, from the fascia to the roof. The twin, light-blade taillamps recall Cadillac’s design heritage
Chrome-accented side assist steps are standard, with power-retractable assist steps with light-pipe technology available on the Premium Collection
Illuminated door handles are included with the Premium Collection
Standard heated, power-adjustable and power-folding outside mirrors
Standard hands-free, power-programmable liftgate
The standard rear spoiler on the liftgate houses a rear window wiper that is hidden when not in use
Capless fueling.

Twenty-inch dual-seven-spoke chrome aluminum wheels are standard and 22-inch aluminum wheels are available.

Crafted interior
Craftsmanship defines the 2015 Escalade’s passenger space, which is designed to be one of the industry’s most authentic and luxurious cabins – with seamless technology integration for today’s connected luxury customers. And like the exterior, there’s harmony with Cadillac’s other vehicles in the cabin’s appearance, amenities and controls.

“An exceptional level of craftsmanship is found in the 2015 Escalade, and it all centers on the premium, layered materials and extensive use of cut-and-sew live stitching – the way fine furniture is produced,” said Eric Clough, director of design, Cadillac Interiors. “We designed Escalade with what we call the beauty of contrast – a distinctive combination of bold, SUV character, but also the refinement of the Cadillac form vocabulary and technology.”

Real wood combined with premium cut-and-sewn materials and sueded accents, along with ambient lighting, were designed to add elegance to the interior design. Tight tolerances of the instrument panel and door panels, precision controls and triple-sealed doors were engineered and designed to reinforce a feeling of quality.

The seats were designed to be more comfortable and sculpted in appearance with a reclining second row. The design incorporates dual-firmness foam that ensures long-trip comfort and helps retain appearance over time.

Additional interior features include:

Standard keyless entry and push-button start
Standard electric telescoping/tilting steering column
Standard heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel with wood accents
Concealed center-stack storage with motorized door
Standard tri-zone climate control
New fold-flat second- and third-row seats, with standard power-folding third row
Heated and cooled seats are standard in front and second-row bucket seats have standard heat
Three interior color choices: Jet Black, Shale/Cocoa and Kona/Jet Black.

Escalade is also a quieter environment, thanks to a stronger body structure, enhanced use of noise-attenuating materials and processes, including triple-sealed doors and acoustic-laminate glass and Bose® Active Noise Cancelation technology. Even the exterior mirrors were carefully shaped in the wind tunnel to reduce wind noise.

Infotainment and connectivity
Technology is integral to the Escalade’s driving experience. New and enhanced features help make what already was one of the industry’s most-connected vehicles more intuitive.

CUE – Cadillac User Experience – is standard. It is an advanced system for connectivity and control, featuring state-of-the-art voice recognition with touch controls common with the world’s most popular tablets and mobile devices. The eight-inch center screen uses capacitive touch technology and gesture recognition, enabling tapping and swiping common to smartphones and tablets.

The system also uses proximity sensors to activate common options and controls as the user’s hand approaches. An expanded “favorites” section offers quick access to phone contacts, navigation destinations – even digital music – in the same one-touch form as traditional radio presets.

The instrument cluster features a reconfigurable, high-resolution 12.3-inch digital driver information center (DIC) display paired with Cadillac’s CUE infotainment system, with data also shown on an available, full-color head-up display on Luxury and Premium Collections. Along with vehicle systems information, the DIC provides details on the audio, Bluetooth phone and navigation systems, which can be adjusted via steering wheel controls.

Enhanced connectivity includes a new Text Messaging Alerts feature for smartphone users with Bluetooth profile (M.A.P.), which reads incoming texts through the vehicle’s speakers, and Siri Eyes Free for iPhone iOS 6 and iOS 7 users to enhance connectivity and convenience. Each enables voice-controlled connectivity, to help keep phones safely stowed and hands on the wheel.

Complementing CUE to enhance Escalade’s connectivity is new OnStar with 4G LTE and standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot (late availability). It provides a mobile hub for drivers and passengers to stay connected. The hotspot is on whenever the vehicle is on and comes with a three-month/three gigabyte data trial.

4G LTE is the most current and fastest mobile data network – 10 times faster than 3G and 100 times faster than the previous generation of OnStar hardware. And with OnStar, it also offers stronger, broader coverage than smartphones on the same network and it’s easy to use: If the vehicle is on, the connection is on.

At the time of purchase, six months OnStar Directions and Connections includes all of OnStar’s advisor-based safety and security features, including Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Assistance, as well as Turn-by-Turn navigation.

Five years of OnStar Basic Plan includes RemoteLink Key Fob Services, allowing owners to remotely start and lock/unlock a car (if properly equipped), and activate the horn and lights from anywhere with a data connection. It also includes OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics, which runs monthly checks of a vehicle’s engine, transmission, anti-lock brakes and more, and Dealer Maintenance Notification, which sends diagnostic report directly to a preferred dealer, simplifying service scheduling.

Bose® Centerpoint® audio system
The 2015 Escalade features a new Bose Centerpoint® surround sound system that is the most advanced ever in a Cadillac. Customized exclusively for the Escalade, it features new technologies that help heighten the sophisticated in-vehicle experience.

Proprietary technologies and 16 strategically placed speakers create a concert-like experience throughout the cabin. Five custom-tuned speakers placed across the instrument panel and front doors, combined with Bose Advanced Staging Technology, help reproduce expansive sound with exceptional precision and clarity.

Further enhancing the experience is Bose Centerpoint 2.0 signal processing technology, which enables a surround sound experience across all rows and SurroundStage® signal processing circuitry, which compensates for off-center vehicle seating to create 360-degree sound for every occupant.

An available Blu-Ray DVD rear entertainment system is tied into the audio system and includes a nine-inch, roof-mounted screen on Escalade and two nine-inch screens on Escalade ESV. The overhead system also includes built-in remote storage, USB, SD car and RCA ports.

Performance and driving experience
Escalade performance advances with an all-new, more powerful and more efficient 6.2L V-8 engine rated at an SAE-certified 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 460 lb-ft of torque (623 Nm) – a nearly 5-percent increase in horsepower and 10-percent more torque. The greater torque delivers an enhanced feeling of power on demand and greater confidence when trailering.

The new 6.2L features state-of-the-art technologies, including direct injection, Active Fuel Management – also known as cylinder deactivation – continuously variable valve timing and an advanced combustion system, designed to make the most of power, torque and efficiency across the rpm band. More precisely controlled combustion enables Escalade to run with a higher compression ratio, which delivers greater power and greater efficiency.

The engine is matched with the Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission with enhanced TapShift control.

Escalade’s performance is channeled to a more sophisticated chassis and suspension system, engineered for a greater feeling of solidity and a quieter, smoother ride. A fully boxed frame – composed of more than 75 percent high-strength steel – is the foundation for its ride quality.

Chassis and suspension highlights include:

A wider rear track that contributes to a more planted stance
Shear-style body mounts, which reduce body shake and enhance the feeling of structural stiffness, improve damping performance when compared with previous compression mounts
Addition of a cross-axis ball joint on the frame-side of the rear suspension lateral link that enhances steering precision
Third-generation Magnetic Ride Control is standard, with two selectable modes. Its new, dual-electric-coil design enabled engineers to tune with more resolution to handle quickly changing road conditions
New, electric variable-assist power steering system enhances fuel economy and tailors steering assist to vehicle speed
New four-wheel-disc brake system with Duralife™ brake rotors that offer up to double the service life
Revisions that improve pedal feel for more-confident braking performance
New tires designed to enhance efficiency, ride quality, handling and stopping performance
Standard automatic locking rear differential that provides greater traction when needed and greater driving comfort when it’s not.

A new four-wheel-drive system enables the driver to select an Auto mode for set-it-and-forget-it automatic activation when conditions call for extra traction assist. A separate 4 HI mode offers the most capability for more challenging conditions.

Safety and security measures
Escalade’s new technologies include safety features to help protect occupants before, during and after a collision, such as front and rear automatic braking, which relies on short-range radar technology and ultrasonic sensors to help the driver avoid front and rear low-speed collisions via a progression of alerts that extend to complete braking, if necessary.

Also new is the segment’s only Front Center Air Bag. This feature deploys from the inboard side of the driver’s seat and inflates between the driver and front passenger, providing added protection for both front occupants in side-impact crashes.

A Driver Awareness package includes forward collision alert, lane departure warning system, and the patented safety alert seat, which pulses the left, right or both seat cushion bolsters to alert the driver of a dangerous situation. A driver assist package adds full speed range adaptive cruise control, front and rear automatic braking, automatic collision preparation and automatic safety belt tightening.

Additionally, side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert and lane change alert are standard on Luxury and Premium models.

The new Escalade has also been designed with greater security features to thwart thieves, including glass breakage sensors, motion detectors and a self-leveling inclination sensor that sounds an alarm if a thief attempts to steal wheels or tires, or tow or lift the vehicle onto a flatbed truck.

The advanced theft protection package also includes door shields in the driver’s door, which help block access to those using a “slim jim”-type unlocking device. Additional anti-theft features include enhanced door security, laminated windshield glass and a steering column lock.

2015 Cadillac Escalade – Quick Takes MSRP as shown: $85,795. With Power Assist Steps, White Diamond Tricoat, 22″ Dual 7-Spoke Ultra-Bright Aluminum Wheels: $89,980.