2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV SUV

The Cadillac Escalade ESV comes with a myriad of features and options along with a long list of trim options. All the trims get the option of a 4WD driver train for an extra cost. The vehicle primarily comes with six trim options including the newly launched V- series, however, the price and specs of that trim call for a separate review. Here we are going to discuss the 5 trims namely, Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury, and Sports Platinum. The interior of the Cadillac ESV is one of the best places to be in. The interior is plush and loaded with lots of electronics and a lot of storage places. The vehicle is quite loaded from the Base luxury trim which gets features like climate control, safety aids like Lane departure and mitigation systems, and many more however the problem comes to the packages. The Base trim gets only limited package offerings. The Premium Luxury trim is the trim of preference due to its price point and the Luxury it offers along with the option of availing the Performance package, heavy-duty trailering package, and Touring package.

Though the company offers a big detailed list of package options wehave listed the few important packages that help to improve the performance of and capability of the vehicle. 

Packages offered:

All-weather floor liner package @ $350 MSRP

• Running boards
•  50 State emissions

Cargo convenience package @ $855 MSRP

• Cargo security shade
• Vertical cargo net
• Black roof rack cross rails

Heavy duty trailering package @ $ 600 MSRP

• Auxiliary trailer camera1
• Trailer Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Trailering assist guidelines
• 4WD models include 2-speed active transfer case
• Extra capacity cooling system
• May require additional optional equipment

Performance Package @ $2,700 MSRP

• Electronic Limited-Slip Differential (eLSD)
• Magnetic Ride Control
• Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert
• Integrated trailer brake controller
• Hitch Guidance with Hitch View
• In-vehicle Trailering App
• Smart Trailer Integration Indicator

Touring Package @ $1,050 MSRP

• Front and rear soft-close doors
• Illuminating sill plates
• Air Ride Adaptive suspension
• May require additional optional equipment

We Recommend: 

The Most feature-loaded version of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV is either the Premium Luxury Platinum or the Sports Platinum trim, however, both the trim costs a significant amount of money, on the contrary, the Luxury trim is devoid of the packages, We recommend the Premium Luxury trim along with the Heavy duty trailering package, the Performance package, and the touring package so that the vehicle offers the best combination of feature and options, along with increased safety, performance and load bearing capabilities. The Price of the vehicle still remains under $ 100,000.

Cadillac offer two engine options for the Escalade ESV, the 6.2 L V8 naturally aspirated gasoline engine and the 3.0L Duramax Turbocharged fuel-efficient diesel engine. The 3 L Duramax diesel engine is not as powerful as the V8 but it still generates a respectable 277 hp of power and 460 lb-ft of torque. The 6.2 L V8 generates humongous power 420 hp of power with the same torque output of 460 lb-ft. The giant engine is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission along with the option of two drivetrains, the stock RWD, and the optional 4WD with a low-range gearbox. This power results in a pretty decent acceleration figure of 5.9 seconds in the 0 to 60 MPH run. The Caddy manages to reach the quarter-mile mark in 14.5 seconds. The top speed of the Cadillac is restricted to 125 MPH. The 6.2 L V8 has the option to activate and deactivate the number of cylinders operating based on the required power output.

The Cadillac Escalade ESV and the GMC Yukon Xl Denali has the same 6.2 L V8 engine and gives the same power output. The GMC Yukon XL is the slowest among the competitors to reach 0 to 60 MPH taking a time of 6 seconds. The Cadillac Escalade ESV performs marginally better by reaching 0 to 60 MPH in 5.9 seconds. The Jeep Grand Wagoneer L is the most powerful vehicle as it generates 510 hp from a smaller 3L engine which allows it to reach 0 to 60 MPH in just 4.7 seconds, which is rather quick. The Lincoln Navigator L is equipped with a 3.5 L Turbocharged engine which allows it to reach the 0 to 60 MPH mark in 5.3 seconds. In the quarter-mile run, the GMC and the Cadillac have similar performance, both cover the quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds. The Jeep makes the quarter-mile run significantly faster than the Cadillac and the GMC with a time of 13.5 seconds. The Lincoln takes 13.9 seconds to reach the quarter-mile mark. The Cadillac has the highest top speed of 125 MPH, very closely followed by the Navigator L with a top speed of 124 MPH. The Wagoneer L has a top speed of 115 MPH while the GMC comes last in this department with a top speed of 112 MPH. 

2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV Ride and Handling

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV is the most spacious version of the Escalade that comes with state-of-the-art technologies to enhance driving dynamics and responsiveness along with better isolation and NVH levels. The Vehicle is equipped with Air ride adaptive suspension and Magnetic ride control in the front that allows for variable damping rate of the shockers by reading the road conditions using a sensor. It reacts way better than computer-controlled shockers, especially while reducing vibrations, vertical body motion, and body roll, which are classic characteristics of such a large SUV. The rear of the Escalade ESV is equipped with an independent multilink with air ride adaptive suspension and magnetic ride control that changes the driving dynamics by letting each of the rear wheels react separately to the road conditions to enhance comfort and handling. The Electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering wheel ensure the handling of the vehicle is as responsive as much as possible for a vehicle of this size, the steering feels light and nimble at low speed but weighs up nicely as the speed increases. The Air ride suspension system also alters the ride height during highway runs for better aerodynamics and high-speed stability. 

2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV Braking Performance:

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV is equipped with ventilated dura life rotors in the front, the size of the discs has not been disclosed by the company. The size of the vehicle lets us predict that the rotors are not small though. It might just have the same 17-inch discs as the GMC Yukon as both share the platform and the underbody. The feel of the pedal is a bit lacking and for the first timers, it becomes difficult to gauge. Once, somebody is accustomed to the long travel of the brake pedal, the exact amount of pedal input can be gauged. The brake size is sufficient considering the vehicle is able to stop from 60 MPH to 0 within 121 ft.

The 2023 GMC Yukon XL Denali is equipped with the biggest pair of brakes among the competitors with 17-inch rotors on each wheel. The Jeep Grand Wagoneer L is next in terms of brake size as it gets 14.9 inches discs on the front and 14.8 inches discs on the rear. The Lincoln Navigator L gets a brake size of 13.8 inches discs in the front and 13.2 inches discs in the rear. The Wagoneer L has the highest curb weight of 6,621 lbs whereas the GMC Yukon XL is the lightest weighing 5,331lbs. The 60 MPH to 0 braking distance of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV confirms that our apprehension regarding 17-inch brake rotors on the wheels might be accurate as the GMC Yukon also has a stopping distance of 125 ft and weighs roughly the same.

The Cadillac Escalade ESV is equipped with a 6.2 L naturally aspirated V8 that is an absolute gas-guzzler. The vehicle makes appalling fuel efficiency numbers of 14 MPG in the city, 19 MPG on the highway, and 16 MPG in combined driving conditions, despite having a fuel management system that is able to activate or deactivate the number of cylinders used on the basis of power requirements, especially during the highway cruising conditions. The vehicle also comes with an option of a 3L diesel engine that provides much better mileage of 21 MPG in the city, 27 MPG on the highway, and 23 MPG in combined driving conditions. The vehicle is equipped with a 24 L gas tank that gives it a range of 336 miles in the city, 456 miles on the highway, and 384 miles with combined driving conditions.

The Lincoln Navigator L has the best fuel-efficiency figures of 17 MPG in the city while the rest of the SUV have identical mileage of 14 MPG. The Lincoln Navigator L is also the most fuel-efficient on the highway at 23 MPG while the GMC Yukon XL is the most inefficient with 18 MPG on the highway. The Jeep Grand wagoneer L performs identically to the Cadillac Escalade ESV both in the city and on the highway but has a better range due to the giant 30.5-gallon gas tank that gives it a range of 427 miles in the city and 579.5 miles on the highway. The Cadillac has the smallest gas tank among the competitors measuring only 24 gallons, while the competitors are all equipped with at least 27.8 gallons of gas tanks. The GMC has a better range of 504 miles on the highway than the Cadillac because of the bigger gas tank despite having less fuel efficiency. 

The Cadillac Escalade ESV interior is of a different level altogether. This is what makes it a luxury vehicle and differentiates it from its sibling SUVs. The quality of the material and the fit and finish is outstanding. Every nook and corner is filled with premium quality material, and the size of the display in the dashboard is exclusive. The base model features inteluxe synthetic leather seating while higher trims feature leather interiors. All the trims get Tri-zone Automatic climate control with vents which makes the cabin a very comfortable place to be. The comfort of the cabin is further accentuated by the heated first and second-row seats which become ventilated as well in the higher trims. The Extended length of the ESV translates to better cargo space availability. The Cadillac Escalade ESV gets a trunk space of 41.5 cu-ft after the third row which is huge by any standards. The third-row passenger also gets better legroom of 36.6 inches which makes the third row suitable for adults as well even on longer runs.

All the cars have a seating capacity of 7 people. The Cadillac Escalade ESV and the GMC Yukon XL with 44.5 inches of legroom and 42.3 inches of headroom. The Grand Jeep Wagoneer L gets the smallest first-row seats among the competitors due to a headroom of 39.3 inches and legroom of 40.9 inches. The Jeep Wagoneer L gets 42.7 inches of legroom in the second row which is best in class. While comparing the third-row seating area it is quite evident that the Lincoln Navigator L offers the most spacious seats due to the legroom of 40.9 inches even in the third row. The Jeep Wagoneer L boasts the biggest trunk space after the third row measuring 44.2 cu-ft while the Lincoln Navigator L gets the smallest trunk space of 36 cu-ft. The Cadillac and the GMC have identical trunk space of 41.5 cu-ft.

Some of the standout features of the interior of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV are: 

• Power-adjustable and heated steering wheel
• Power adjustable heated front seats 
• Tri-zone climate control with rear vents
• 12V DC auxiliary power outlets
• Ambient interior lighting
• Cruise control
• Heated front and rear outboard seats
• Inteluxe synthetic leather seating
• Wireless phone charging

How Intuitive is the 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV infotainment system?

The Cadillac Escalade ESV has been equipped with one of the best infotainment systems that are ever offered in an automobile. The dashboard features a giant curved organic light emitting diode( OLED) screen which consists of a 16.9-inch infotainment screen along with the 14.2-inch digital instrument cluster and the 7.2-inch panel that controls various functions of the vehicle. The OLED display covers a total of 38 inches of the diagonal display area. The infotainment system is paired with a 16-speaker AKG Automotive audio system in the luxury trim, which can go up to 36 speaker AKG sound system in the higher trims. The icon and the menu of the infotainment screen are so vivid and vibrant that the additional dashboard hood is not required at all.

The Infotainment system is equipped with all standard features one can think of like

• Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and Apple CarPlay
• 16 Speaker AKG premium sound system
• Augmented reality enabled Navigation
• Voice recognition 
• Bluetooth hands-free music streaming
• Satellite radio
• Wifi hot spot

The 2023 Cadillac ESV retains the same look as its predecessor, the vehicle has a boxy design but with the right line at the right places. The vehicle is over six meters long and still does not look disproportionate. The overall design of the gigantic beast is defined by the front fascia which gets the big grille with the Cadillac logo, the sleek LED headlights, and the gigantic hood that houses the massive engine. Move to the side and the lines in the side profile continue till the rear fascia where it gets reunited with the vertically elongated eldorado inspired LED tail lights that extend from the rear spoiler to the bumpers. The vehicle looks like a gigantic beast from the back. The vehicle sits on massive 22-inch wheels which gives the vehicle at least 8-inches of ground clearance, however, the official figure for the ground clearance is yet not known.

The Cadillac Escalade ESV is a huge SUV by any standards. The vehicle is the longest among competitors with a length of 227 inches very closely followed by the Jeep Grand Wagoneer L which has a length of 226.7 inches. In comparison, the Lincoln Navigator L is the smallest vehicle with a length of 221.9 inches. Width wise the Yukon XL and the Escalade ESV are almost the same with the GMC measuring 81 inches while the Cadillac measures 81.1 inches. The Jeep Wagoneer L is the widest vehicle with a width of 83.6 inches while the Navigator L is the narrowest with only 79.9 inches of width on offer. The Jeep offers the most ground clearance of 10 inches while the GMC offers the least measuring 8 inches. The Navigator L boasts a ground clearance of 9.7 inches. The GMC and the Cadillac share an identical wheelbase size of 134.1 inches.

Some of the key features of the exterior are 

• 22-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels with all-season tires
• Body-color heated, outside mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators
• Acoustic laminated glass
• IntelliBeam auto high beams LED headlights
• Eldorado inspired LED tail lights
• Acoustic windshield and rear privacy glass
• Hands-Free Power Liftgate

Cadillac intends for its flagship SUV to serve as a showcase for driver-assistance technology. Cadillac also offers its superb Super Cruise adaptive-cruise system, which enables hands-free driving. The 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV has been tested by NHTSA and overall it received 4-star safety ratings. The IIHS has yet not tested it. The car gets a long list of active and passive safety features like front pedestrian braking, automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, lane keep assist and lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and blindspot monitoring.

 Here is a list of active safety features that the company offers:

• Blind spot monitoring along with rear cross-traffic alert
• front pedestrian braking
• lane keep assist and lane departure warning
• Automatic parking assist
• Electronically limited slip differentials
• Vehicle Stability Control
• Automatic High beam 

2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV vs 2023 Lincoln Navigator L Reserve: 

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV and the Lincoln Navigator are age-old competitors, the Navigator is costlier than the Escalade by almost $ 10,000 which is a significant amount of money. Both vehicle offer state-of-the-art interiors, and while the quality of the Navigator might be better the Escalade scores some serious points on the OLED infotainment system and the sound system. The Navigator is faster than the Escalade in reaching the 60 MPH mark and the quarter-mile run. The Lincoln Navigator L is also significantly fuel efficient till the moment we consider the diesel engine of the Escalade. It is tough to decide, however considering the price factor we are a bit more inclined toward the Escalade ESV.

2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV vs 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L:

 The Jeep Grand Wagoneer L is a direct competitor to the Cadillac Escalade ESV, though the base model of the Jeep is quite costly as compared to the Cadillac. The Jeep is one of the most powerful vehicles in its class that is powered by a 4WD drive train which makes it more capable. The Jeep Wagoneer L outperforms the Escalade by quite a distance in terms of engine performance, especially during the o to 60 and the quarter-mile runs. Both vehicles have identical fuel efficiency but the Jeep has a better range due to a bigger gas tank. The choice ultimately depends on the customer.

2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV vs 2023 GMC Yukon XL Denali Ultimate:

The Cadillac Escalade ESV and the GMC Yukon XL Denali are rather more of siblings than competitors as they share the same platform and parts. The vehicle has almost identical performance in most of the departments including the 0 to 60 MPH and the quarter-mile runs. The GMC is cheaper than the Cadillac, but the Cadillac is more fuel efficient on the highway. The Cadillac is more luxurious as compared to the GMC, especially inside the cabin. Despite being more fuel efficient than the Escalade, the GMC Yukon XL has a better range due to the bigger gas tank. In reality, it is difficult to distinguish and the choice is entirely dependent on the customer.

Yes, absolutely, the 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV is a brilliant piece of machinery that comes with a tonne of customization options, and the 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV, in our opinion, is a stunning full-size luxury SUV. The vehicle has got state of the art interiors with every feature one can think of. The vehicle comes with a choice of varying engines and drivetrains that makes it very desirable. The Escalade is a very large land yacht that can accommodate seven people in comfort with style and transport them anywhere they want. The vehicle is immensely capable to haul large cargo as well as trailers. The car is very luxurious and features one of the best infotainment systems that is available in the market along with features like Super cruise which allows for a little bit of autonomous driving. The vehicle looks very good from every possible angle and is a must-have for somebody who is looking for a luxurious capable SUV under the $ 100,000 price tag.