 |
| The 2015 Cadillac Escalade gets a 6.2-liter V8 making 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. |
Redesigned Cadillac luxury SUV gets more power, more economy...more everything
What is it?
Were you expecting Cadillac to tone down its next Escalade full-size SUV? Maybe the company would smooth out the styling, or throw a strong V6 in it, so as not to upset the unwashed masses OR the crunchy greenies? Not gonna happen. The 2015 Escalade, in dealerships later this month, gets a stout 6.2-liter V8 and more bling than a Jay Z concert with Lil Wayne opening.
Yes, we predict the new Escalade will do well with the show-off set.
Curbside, the new 2015 Escalade is blockier than the outgoing model, with sharper angles both front and rear. Cadillac's “Art and Science” vision for the new car includes continuing with the boisterous design, making it feel visually large, which it does, and swing closer to the rest of the lineup. The new SUV rides on the same wheelbase as the previous model, but overall length grows 1.5 inches in both the standard and extended-wheelbase ESV model. Width grows an inch or so, while the roof height drops slightly.
Powering this American beast is GM's 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V8 making 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Those are gains of 17 hp and 43 lb-ft over the 2014 model. A six-speed automatic is standard and four-wheel drive is optional, but the take rate is very high. Fuel economy is "up" to 14 city, 20 highway in the four-wheel-drive model, from 13 city, 18 highway. It doesn't seem like much, but Cadillac put a lot of work into finding the gains. Active grille shutters, cylinder deactivation, changes to the mirrors and overall aero adjustments all helped to squeeze out a few extra miles per gallon.
What's it like to drive?
The 2015 Escalade gets the third generation of GM's outstanding Magnetic Ride Control suspension system, with sport and touring modes selectable through a button on the dash. We switched between the two and quickly felt the difference, both on bumpy roads and during lane change maneuvers. The track is wider in the rear, adding to the stability, and we found the overall ride to be stiffer than we expected. It's much less floaty than Escalades past.
Speed-dependent electric power steering is standard and we found the SUV easy to keep straight on the road. It rolled over most bumps and potholes without a peep, though the southern roads upon which we tested the car were nearly immaculate. Surprisingly, Cadillac didn't let us take the Escalade off-road.
The interior has a good flow to it, and lives up to its “world standard” moniker. Cadillac was quick to point out that all of the stuff that looks like metal is metal, and everything that looks like wood is really wood. The panel gaps are very tight; in fact, we think the Escalade now has one of the best American interiors available, second to the electric ELR. CUE continues as the infotainment system of choice; despite our initial usability complaints, we find it easier to use every time we get into a Cadillac, so owners will probably grow accustomed to the system's quirks relatively quickly. We also love that storage cubby behind the radio controls, and there are a bunch of other spots to hide valuables in the doors and back.
For tech fans, the Escalade has five USB ports, five 12-volt outlets, a 110-volt outlet, a rear entertainment Blu-Ray player, can connect up to 10 Bluetooth devices and a 16-speaker stereo that will probably trounce the system inside the club you're about to valet park in front of. The premium trim, which we tested, comes with an array of safety features that could fill a book of its own thanks to its driver awareness and driver assistance packages.
Overall, the cabin is extremely quiet on the road, and even quieter at idle. We joked that it almost feels like a stop/start system is shutting things down at idle, with the lack of vibration and noise. To get that serenity, Cadillac uses double-stacked acoustic glass, thick firewall insulation and triple-sealed doors. It also uses microphones and speakers with its Active Noise Cancelling technology to block out any stray sound waves.
This being a full-size SUV, we jumped in the second and third rows to get a feel for what a road trip would be like. The second row is fine, but the third row gets tight for an adult in the standard version. The ESV adds a couple more inches of legroom. We could see it housing six or seven grownups for a short drive to a concert or game, but not much more than that.
It is still a utility vehicle, Cadillac reminded us, after wowing us with all of the bling. As such, the second- and third-row seats can be folded from a button in the back, and the power tailgate opens with a wave of the foot. That leaves a cavernous 94.2 cubic feet of cargo space.
Do I want it?
Cadillac is making a real run at full-size luxury crown with the Escalade. It named the Mercedes GL and the Infiniti QX80 as its targets, but the level of equipment, fit and finish put it in Range Rover territory too. We have yet to test the new Lincoln Navigator, but it will likely also go head-to-head with the Escalade.
Luxury doesn't come cheap, of course: The standard 2015 Escalade starts at $72,690 while the premium model costs $81,190. Compare those numbers to the Mercedes GL450 which starts at $64,550, and the GL550 comes in at $89,000. Finally, the Range Rover starts at $84,225; the long wheelbase Rangie cracks the century mark at $106,225. Viewed in light of those competitors, the Escalade offers quite a bit of SUV for the dollar.
In other words, yes, you do want this, as long as you're looking for a full-size luxury SUV. It's every bit as good as the alternatives -- if not better -- and a lot more imposing to boot.
2015 Cadillac Escalade price and specifications
Base Price: $83,790
Drivetrain: 6.2-liter, 420-hp, 460 lb-ft OHV V8; 4WD six-speed manual
Curb Weight: 5,840 lb
Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined): 14/21/16
Options: Power assist steps with LED lighting ($1,695); machine finished 22-inch wheels ($600)
Source:
2015 Cadillac Escalade : First Drive
0 komentar:
Post a Comment