The Escalade’s ride feels Charmin-cushiony soft but not overly bouncy, with no sporty pretensions whatsoever. Driving a current-gen GM full-size SUV back to back with a mid-size model feels like night and day, but they arrived on the scene only a year apart. But that’s okay, as we assume the soft ride is what customers want anyhow.
And yet, the Hybrid is equipped with what GM calls Magnetic Ride Control, a setup that’s flaunted in the vehicle brochure as being “a technology shared by the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano”. Really?
And compared to the SRX and CTS, the Escalade’s cabin feels rustic. The centre stack, in particular, looks dated with its similar-sized buttons all bunched together. And do we really need the DVD slot reserved for the navigation system map disc right under the LCD screen? Put it elsewhere, move the audio and climate controls higher on the dash, and make everyone’s life easier.
The steering column tilts but doesn’t telescope, although the pedals are power-adjustable, so there’s hope for really tall or really short folks. However, the seats are sofa-comfy, great for long-distance cruises, heated and cooled up front and heated in the second row.
But despite the Escalade’s proportions, rear-seat space is underwhelming. Second-row legroom is on the tight side, and accessing the third row could make you discover a back problem you didn’t know about. And when the third row is in place, there’s virtually no more cargo room left. The interior packaging in GM’s mid-size SUVs (Traverse, Acadia, Enclave) is far better.
So, the Escalade Hybrid starts at $96,275. But what about that $11,700 difference between the ‘ordinary’ Escalade and the Hybrid version?
And yet, the Hybrid is equipped with what GM calls Magnetic Ride Control, a setup that’s flaunted in the vehicle brochure as being “a technology shared by the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano”. Really?
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| The dash design looks dated compared to newer GM products. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
And compared to the SRX and CTS, the Escalade’s cabin feels rustic. The centre stack, in particular, looks dated with its similar-sized buttons all bunched together. And do we really need the DVD slot reserved for the navigation system map disc right under the LCD screen? Put it elsewhere, move the audio and climate controls higher on the dash, and make everyone’s life easier.
The steering column tilts but doesn’t telescope, although the pedals are power-adjustable, so there’s hope for really tall or really short folks. However, the seats are sofa-comfy, great for long-distance cruises, heated and cooled up front and heated in the second row.
But despite the Escalade’s proportions, rear-seat space is underwhelming. Second-row legroom is on the tight side, and accessing the third row could make you discover a back problem you didn’t know about. And when the third row is in place, there’s virtually no more cargo room left. The interior packaging in GM’s mid-size SUVs (Traverse, Acadia, Enclave) is far better.
So, the Escalade Hybrid starts at $96,275. But what about that $11,700 difference between the ‘ordinary’ Escalade and the Hybrid version?
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| The Hybrid version is only $5,000 more than a comparably-equipped Escalade. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |