Fizzboy7

This truck must go on. Have to add to the high speed chase vehicle pool fifteen years from now.

Blackraven

Other than rappers, gansters, soccer moms or pimps, I would say that no other self-respecting individual would want to own a POS vehicle like this. Seriously, all unnecessary bulk and ZERO SUBSTANCE. I've seen the interior in one and my goodness seriously, the interior is a piece of ****. All rubbish to the point that Caddy actually wants to sell this in Europe??? Hah, apart from those working at American embassies there, would any European car buyer actually consider this crap SUV? A vehicle that can't come close to a MB GL or an BMW X5/X6, a Land Rover.......or any Toyota Land Cruiser......

It's hard to believe that a car company like Cadillac (that is known for making epic and world-class vehicles like the CTS-V, new ATS and XTS, etc etc) still want to build this piece of trash (in what I call and label as the "WORST GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE OF THE 21ST CENTURY")

This vehicle is like an exact opposite of automobile perfection and ingenuity. Yeah, it's more like ignorance and stupidity. A vehicle that weighs more than THREE or FOUR tons but has lousy fuel economy that consumes an entire oilfield, interior quality to rubbish degree and the worst turning radius I've ever experienced in any SUV I've ever test-driven.

Oh and I remember that ad on youtube where it beat the Mercedes Benz C-class in a straight line. Yeah what was the point in that? If the Escalade were driven in corners, the vehicle will FAIL massively and barely keep up with any C-class (or any other Benz for that matter). Hence, I would probably have to be seriously and mentally retarded to pick an Escalade over any Benz.

With that said: I'm really surprised why Caddy wants to continue making this vehicle. Heck, all of their other vehicles are superb, dynamic and world-class.........whilst the Escalade is like a black sheep or a bastard child of the Caddy lineup. Simply put, it's slow, heavy, unintelligent and a compilation of bad taste written all over it. Oh and it's so bulky (in a disgusting way). Probably meant to cater to those who are severely overweight and obese (those heavier than 400 lbs or 200 kg........who only find joy in Mcdonalds as well as all-you-can-eat buffets).

GM should probably think about this: Right now, they're having some financial problems. If they need to discontinue some vehicles to restore profitability, then why don't they to themselves a favor and start with this one?

This vehicle essentially goes against the idea of a world-class American automobile. It's like you group cars like the Chrysler 300C SRT, Jeep GC SRT V8, Dodge Viper V10, Camaro ZL1, Corvette, Mustang, etc.............all in one corner

then you have the Escalade on the opposite extreme..........belonging to the corner of "Low-Class American Junk"

Hence, at best, the Escalade is just utter rubbish and utter failure. Lowest of the low

rkyat

If people buy it, they will build it. I don't have specific #'s but I do see alot of them on the road. Maybe thats just NY and the rest of the country is a bit more scarce.

J.P.

I don’t understand the hate for this car, even though it’s not exactly me….

It’s no bigger than full sized pickup truck
It’s about the same weight as a Range Rover
It weighs less than a Lexus LX 470
Its weights less than a Toyota Sequoia
All these get about the same MPG
All these, including the Escalade have HUGE profit margins

LexLaw

Exactly! I'm a huge Range Rover and Lexus fan but I clearly see and accept it as a smarter choice for people who never hit the trails to off road and that's 90% of SUV owners. If someone gave me one tomorrow, I'd be in no hurry to trade it in. GM is great at building trucks and the Escalade is the epitome of what they do as an SUV. Roomy, good reliability, low maintenance, class leading power STANDARDr, 87 octane gas, decent mpg for it's size, drives better than it's actual size and good looking....now if only they could start using real wood and continue to scale back the low grade plastics as they have done since the 1st generation. I patiently await to see what GM has in store for the next Escalade.

Sulu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackraven

GM should probably think about this: Right now, they're having some financial problems. If they need to discontinue some vehicles to restore profitability, then why don't they to themselves a favor and start with this one?

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.P.

I don’t understand the hate for this car, even though it’s not exactly me….

Body-on-frame trucks are cash cows for the Detroit 3 (GM, Ford, Chrysler), which is why one reason they continue to make them. With the development costs of these trucks probably paid for just from the sale of the pickup trucks, the SUVs based on those trucks likely all make money. The Escalade is pure profit for GM, paying for the development costs of their world-class cars (CTS, ATS, XTS and that full-size RWD Omega platform flagship that is rumoured).

pvmike1

The ESV is popular in LA as well for hotel limo service. Clean, black/black ESV's retain their value for this reason; they are purchased used by limo service companies.

LexLaw

True indeed Mike. They are as ubiquitous in big cities as as the old Lincoln Town Car and for good reason.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

With the town car gone, this and it's lower cost siblings, have pretty much become the new standard in "black car" service in nyc. Like people mentioned before, they are rugged, easy to maintain, and offer an extremely cush ride on the pothole ridden streets of NYC. Unless gas shoots up, these things will sell like hotcakes and they will continue to build them. I think the hate comes from the fact that the escalade is just a huge form of exes that is so in your face, like the now defunct hummer. I wouldn't buy one, but i can appreciate one from afar. Lol

J.P.

When I am in NYC I often have the option of a navi or escalde rather than a yellow cab for only a few bucks more when your coming out of the hotels etc..

Toys4RJill

Cadillac will never drop the Escalade name. Its foolish and silly to think that it will.The name Escalade is just as well known as Prius, Shelby, or names like Camry.

xsh0tya

Very true, it is their most developed sub brand. I agree it would be a huge error on their part to try and change the name or drop it.

LexFather

Its amazing to think back in the late 90s Cadillac boldly stated they would NEVER do a SUV as Lincoln made the Navigator. The Navigator at the time was an amazing hit. Caddy initially did a literal rebadge of a Denali but sales were a hit. To Caddy's credit each generation has gotten better and been a hit compared to the Navigator which has become an afterthought.

Late article is late. I reported this years ago as EVO/CAR had an article about Cadillac where executives were very happy with Escalade sales but were unsure on how to handle its "image" and who was buying the vehicle. Esclade is still Caddy's "Face" and when people think Cadillac, the first thing they think is Escalade.

The Escalade has never been a product for me but I completely understand its success. Its big, bold with a V-8 like traditional Caddys of the past. And for every "rapper" that has one I see 10 suburban moms and Alan Greenspan types driving the same Escalade in the same black/white/silver colors with the same 20-22" OEM chrome wheels. Obviously this "rapper" image didn't hurt sales or prevent non "rappers" from buying it.

The fact of the matter is Caddy should thank "rappers" and the hip-hop group for buying the Escalade and making it hip and trendy, otherwise it could have been a GIANT FLOP since it really isn't class leading at all. Without their influence and help, Caddy might be struggling today.

For a historical perspective (this article is from Automobile) when African Americans were doing better for themselves in the 1920s/30s they still could barely buy a new house or a new car since no one would sell it to them. Eventually people would sell them used Cadillacs at ridiculous prices and they would buy them to show that they were successful and had made it. The article mentioned the irony that African Americans were the same people that helped make Caddy the success in the early 2000s.

It has its place and if you want a big full size SUV that has luxury and looks good the Caddy is a great choice. As James said at high level hotels you can find the long version (ESV? is it) used as valet. You don't feel a bump in the road and there is tons of room. Perfect vehicle for those type of services.

Long Live the Escalade!!!!

Some of these comments are not surprising at all and people show their true colors online all the time. Thanks for letting us know how you feel!

tex2670

People bought the Pontiac Aztek, and Buick Rendevous--people will buy anything. To classify the Escalade as a POS really is too much, given some of the POS cars that have been produced over the years. Yes it's big, and a guzzler, but it's far from a POS.

LexLaw

Wow, I had no idea about that statement. A lot of irony there.

I can't stress this enough. Thankfully automakers aren't as ignorant as some of the public who make broad, uninformed statements about cars or the people who buy and drive them. I used to enjoy reading reviews and comments on forums about the "Bling" factor of Caddy's Escalade. These same people who now commonly used the word which in itself is a dated reference and product of Hip Hop (the same thing they hate so much).

So true Mike, my grandparents would tell me stories of this all of the time. Very well stated points here.


Sadly even more truth. But that's the beauty of the Interweb and the anonymity of typing foolishness from your laptop without any real accountability or recourse.