Luxury is a tough game, at least if you’re one of the Tier 2 brands. You can probably guess the Tier 1 final four: Mercedes-Benz,

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BMW, Audi and Lexus. Depending on personal bias you can interchange the last two as far as premium status goes, the popular vote going with Audi as it outsells Lexus both globally and here in Canada, although your viewpoint may differ if reading this review from the U.S. where Lexus decimates Audi in annual sales. Of course, if we were to base Tier 1 rankings on sales alone then Buick would outrank Audi in the U.S. as well. Sales are merely one indicator of success, with status symbol strutting street cred taking decades to develop and sometimes even a century of doing it right.

Cadillac has earned its way into the century club, having sold luxury cars since 1902. This makes it the oldest luxury auto brand currently available, other than Buick,

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which was founded in 1899. For interest, Audi was founded in 1910, BMW in 1916, Lincoln in 1917, Jaguar in 1922, Mercedes-Benz in 1926, Volvo in 1927, Porsche in 1931 (although it didn’t build its first car until 1948), Land Rover in 1948, Acura in 1986, Lexus in 1989, Infiniti in 1989, Tesla in 2003, while Hyundai-owned Genesis will be become a new premium player later this year.

No doubt Cadillac would rather be slotted into the first tier of today’s luxury brands, and historically deserves such respect not only for its years but also because it has always sold luxury cars (and hearses), which were once so good they were declared the “Standard of the World” above such revered brands as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Maybach, Horch (Audi’s previous name), Bugatti, etcetera, unlike

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Mercedes that currently sells taxis, buses, highway rigs, etc; BMW that started off with aircraft engines and motorcycles, while their first car that was a licensed Austin 7 dubbed Dixi and later a three-wheel contraption with a single front door called the Isetta, also sold under license; Jaguar built motorcycle side cars under its original brand, SS Cars Limited and only became the Jaguar brand in 1945; Land Rover initially built farming tractors (as did Lamborghini), and the list goes on, but due to decades of often poorly executed badge-engineering by parent-company General Motors, Cadillac is nevertheless lumped into the Tier 2 luxury car category by most market analysts’ ratings, and more importantly by most luxury buyers’ purchasing patterns, even though they’ve really pulled up their socks over the last number of years.

Numbers

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never tell the entire story, but success is part of luxury’s lure. Nobody wants to be associated with a loser. Of course, ultra-luxury brands like Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Ferrari and Lamborghini are in a different league altogether, their dramatically higher pricing limiting sales to the point of extreme exclusivity, which is part of their cachet, but few buyers will choose a Jaguar this year because it was the poorest selling luxury brand in Canada last year, with only 1,296 vehicles delivered. Even Tesla sold more at 1,556 units with a single EV model no less, although to be fair to the British brand their SUV division is effectively Land Rover, which was the fifth slowest selling luxury brand with 7,720 down the road (and trail). By the numbers Cadillac doesn’t fare too badly, having sold 12,249 vehicles in 2015, which meant that it also beat Infiniti (11,321), Lincoln (7,939), Porsche (6,413), and Volvo (4,788), although was trounced by Acura (21,003), Lexus (22,025), Audi (26,754), BMW (35,002) and Mercedes-Benz (43,810).

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category that Cadillac clearly leads, however, is full-size truck-based SUVs, the subject of this review. The Escalade slaughtered its closest competition by almost three-to-one here in Canada last year, a massive 211-percent surge in 2015 sales boosting the big Caddy’s numbers to 2,558 units (from 821 in 2014) compared to the next-bestselling Range Rover that only managed 1,101 sales and third-place Infiniti QX80 that did pretty well (for an Infiniti) at 727. Next in line was the Land Rover LR4 that sold 706, followed by the Lincoln Navigator with just 550 units, Lexus LX with only 348 sales and M-B G-Class with a mere 269 (albeit BIG profits). Sales are up right across the board, a clear sign that big luxury utes are once again cool (I’m thinking GM might be wishing they’d kept Hummer right about now).

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glance is all you need to understand why Cadillac leads this segment. Few SUVs look as good as an Escalade. While it may no longer be the go-to-vehicle for hip-hop videos, most would agree the Escalade commands respect. Drive one around and you’ll immediately get nods of approval from old and young. Once parked, I found myself turning around to stare at it over and over during my test week. Its ultimately tall taillights are shocking to the point of surreal, and equally sharp front LED driving lights pull eyeballs from blocks away. And then there’s that dazzling grille, an awesome spectacle with any Escalade, although uniquely distinctive in my top-line Platinum-trimmed tester. I like everything that Cadillac has done with this SUV, from front to back.

When approaching, some of the nicest door handle jewelry you’ll ever see lights up with LEDs to provide a little extra welcoming visibility at night, while proximity-sensing

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keyless access requires the push of a button on any of those handles or pressure under the rear liftgate’s latch in order to open. Do so with the former and optional powered side steps lower into place for easy access, at which point you’ll be greeted to one of the more alluring cabins in autodom.

Cadillac has almost completely forgotten about something the brand used to pay tribute to liberally when inadvertently ruining its image, cheap plastic. The roofliner and front two sets of roof pillars in my top-line Platinum model were finished in ultra-rich psuede, while most of the dash top between the A-pillars consisted of separately stitched pieces of leather finished in a beautiful design. It flows over to the midway point of the instrument panel where it butts up against more of that fabulous pseudo suede, the leather and micro-fibre combination stretching

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around the entire passenger compartment, across the door uppers from front to back. A strip of hardwood, feeling solid on the doors albeit disappointingly hollow ahead of the front passenger, visually divides top from bottom, the lower portion continuing the suede surfacing treatment even over the glove box lid, which incidentally can be opened with a touch-sensitive control on the centre stack.

The doors get leather-trimmed armrest handles and soft-touch surfacing down below, while the Platinum model’s centre console is finished in leather all the way to the point that it meets the leather-covered armrest/storage bin lid, the lower portion done out in soft-touch synthetic. The same hardwood covers the top of the console, which is actually comprised of two doors, the first opening up to a velvet-lined compartment for what-have-you, also hiding a cooler on/off switch, a 12-volt charger, and two USB plugs, the second door in behind for the metal-trimmed cupholders. There’s also a velvet-lined storage compartment under the centre

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armrest filled with two more USBs, another 12-volt charger, and a holder for a smaller cellphone than my Samsung Note 4. It would have had lots of room for personal paraphernalia too, but the cooler button I mentioned a moment ago is actually connected to a six-pack sized chiller integrated into this compartment. Atop the lid is a rubberized phone tray with Qi wireless charging capability.

Yes, if digital is your thing the Escalade is now fully wired, and wireless. The wired portion includes a high-resolution colour TFT primary gauge package that’s as good as this type of system gets, controllable via a whole myriad of buttons on the steering wheel spokes, while this as-tested Cadillac projects a head-up display onto the windshield as well. The infotainment system on the centre stack is the brand’s

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latest CUE design, with proximity-sensing capability and much more. So far they haven’t incorporated Apple CarPlay or Google’s Android Auto, but I certainly had no problem figuring out its complexities or making everything work, from its impressive navigation system to its full load of features. Of course, a backup monitor is included, Cadillac going a step further by offering one of the widest 360-degree overhead views I’ve ever seen in a surround camera system, standard. This really helps when parking, as you can see everything around the car for a considerable distance. Active guidelines help to slot the big SUV into a given spot, while front and rear parking sensors make sure you’ll never scratch the paint.

Cadillac includes a quad-zone automatic HVAC system with mostly touch-sensitive controls, this being a real step up from what

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most luxury brands offer. Along with these are GM’s best-in-class seat heaters that offer the choice of three-way heat on both backside and buttocks or alternatively just the back, while three-way cooling is also part of the Escalade’s standard package.

As far as getting comfortable goes, the heatable leather-wrapped steering wheel, which actually goes a bit further by adding a leather and stitched hub as well as metal and wood trim on the spokes, gets power tilt and telescopic functionality with memory, the latter also automatically adjusting the foot pedals. Of course, the Platinum’s 18-way powered semi-aniline leather-covered seats get the memory treatment as well, and in case you’re wondering that’s an incredible level of adjustability allowing you to find the perfect position for ultimate comfort and support,

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not to mention three-mode massage function. For a long road trip, the Escalade Platinum would be my choice, providing I had funds to replenish the tank.

On that note, the Escalade’s big, powerful standard 6.2-litre V8 only requires regular unleaded, which will save you about 10 percent over premium at the pump, while its five-cycle EnerGuide rating is actually pretty decent when compared to competitors at an estimated 16.0 L/100km city, 11.2 highway and 13.9 combined. I’m guessing, mind you, that filling the 98-litre tank isn’t an issue if you’re financially capable of stepping up to a vehicle in this class.

I’m not, but fuel costs aren’t the only reason I wouldn’t want to drive this SUV everyday. It’s beautifully finished and comes close to being as luxurious as sport utes

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get, but it feels like you’re driving a tricked out pickup truck. Come to think of it, I don’t remember the Silverado or Sierra riding so rough (they’re especially nice riding half-ton pickups). The Escalade’s ride is firm to the point of being a bit choppy over bumpy patches, probably at least partially due to its massive 22-inch alloys and low profile rubber. Additionally, parking is a bit challenging despite its many driving aids. It’s more about finding a spot long enough to fit the big rig into rather than the actual process of slotting it in, although negotiating narrow roads can also be a bit of a chore, and getting anywhere quickly nowhere near as handy as say, driving an ATS. Of course I’m aware that this is just one person’s perspective. I’ve known many people who wouldn’t want to drive anything less, and I respect that. We’re all different, and that’s what makes this wonderful world go

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around, while I can also appreciate that there’s no substitute for a vehicle like this when trailering a big load. The Escalade is rated at a colossal 3,674 kilos (8,100 lbs), that aforementioned V8 a big reason why it’s so capable with a load in tow.

The 6.2 makes a sizable 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque thanks to good old cubic inches plus direct injection and variable valve timing, while the latter two technologies plus GM’s class-exclusive cylinder deactivation system, Active Fuel Management, and a heavy-duty eight-speed automatic transmission with tow/haul mode and Driver Shift Control are reasons for its previously noted excellent fuel economy. All that thrust and twist makes it quick off the line too, at least for a full-size SUV, its substantive 2,649 kg (5,840 lbs) of heft coaxed to 100km/h in the low six-second range. I can name you a lot of sports cars that can’t claim such straight-line performance, yet the big Cadillac can also scale mountainsides thanks

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to the low gearset of its two-speed Autotrac transfer case, which is easily controllable via a dash-mounted rotary dial. I would’ve loved to test its mettle off-road, especially to find out how its sport-tuned suspension’s Magnetic Ride Control managed rock crawling and mud slinging, but no such luck this time around.

I’ve already mentioned that the ride can be firm, but I didn’t notice this as much around town as on the highway. In the suburban area I live, which is mostly flat and nicely paved, it was quite enjoyable, comfortable and smooth. Out on the local highways, where there’s a lot more patchwork, I really noticed when hitting pavement irregularities at high speed. When the road started to wind, however, I was shocked at how agile this big ute is. Even through tight twisting backroads it felt

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stable, secure and plenty of fun to drive. No doubt the big rims and rubber noted before played their part, as did the sport-tuned magnetic suspension. Even with the ride a little firmer than expected the overall setup Cadillac chose suits my personal style well.

Road holding is important, but holding the family is more so in this full-size SUV segment. For such purposes the two second-row seats are limousine-like in their size, comfort and spaciousness. The third row is easy to access, thanks to those second-row seats popping forward and completely out of the way when needed, by the touch of a button no less, but there’s precious little legroom in the very back, relegating these seats to child use only, or at the very most short hops for smaller adults.

On

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the positive, when all three rows are in use the Escalade provides 430 litres (15.2 cubic feet) of luggage space behind, which is about the size of the average mid-size sedan’s trunk. Dropping my tester’s third row seatbacks down required the push of a button on the right side of the cargo wall, at which point they laid completely flat, opening up a much more utile 1,461 litres (51.6 cubic feet). To reverse the process, simply push the button in the other direction. The second row works similarly, but it’s more of a backrest release that drops each seat immediately rather than a fully powered system, as you’ll need to walk around to the side door to manually raise them back up. When both rear rows are fully lowered you can stow up to 2,668 litres (94.2 cubic feet) of cargo, which is gargantuan as far as SUVs go. Back to those second-row seats, if you hold the same buttons a bit longer they’ll pop all the way forward to get completely out of the

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way, creating yet more vertical space or access to the third row. That you can do this from up in the driver’s seat is especially helpful if picking up a group of kids from school or soccer practice.

I’ve listed off a number of Escalade Platinum features already, but would be remiss if I didn’t mention some other items that are either exclusive to this ultra-luxe model or grandfathered up from lower trims, the menu also including full LED headlamps with cornering and auto high beam capability, an electromechanical parking brake, unique doorsill plates, adaptive cruise control, 16-speaker Bose audio, and a host of active safety features including blind spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane change alert, autonomous lane keep assist, a safety alert driver’s seat, forward collision alert, front and rear autonomous braking and auto-tightening safety belts, plus much more.

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The only options were the aforementioned power-retractable assist steps and a rear entertainment system consisting of a DVD player, a pair of monitors on the backside of each front headrest, and a nine-inch roof-mounted foldable widescreen at centre.

As far as building premium full-size SUVs go, Cadillac has come a long way since it helped to create the segment in the late ’90s. Where its first attempt was a gussied up Suburban, this new model can respectfully be compared against the best in the industry. As good as a Range Rover? In many ways yes. The new Bentley? Maybe not. But, even at my near full-load Platinum tester’s $104,000 price tag it’s a bargain compared to either of those ultra-premium models, while it’s a great deal more impressive inside than a Mercedes-Benz G-Class that also sells for much more. The Escalade is not without fault, my complaints including cheap

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plastic doorsills, the low-rent Tahoe-sourced hard shell stuff also used for the lower B-pillars, all of the C-pillars plus the rear side panels in their entirety, all shortcuts Cadillac shouldn’t be taking anymore, but overall the Escalade not only deserves to play in this rarified luxury SUV league, but truly warrants its impressive sales numbers. Escalade pricing starts at $85,720 plus freight and dealer fees, whereas those who need even more interior space can opt for the long-wheelbase Escalade ESV.

If I were looking to pull an Airstream this summer or required something to dip my Chaparral 270 Signature into local waters, the Escalade Platinum would be high on my list.
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