Which 2017 Cadillac Escalade Trim Is Right for You?
The Cadillac Escalade is the ride of the stars, and the newest model is big, sleek, and better than ever. While there are only four trims, Cadillac offers different packages for each version, so it can be tough to choose between them. These are the highlights between these trims to figure out which is best for your lifestyle.
Escalade and ESV
There’s an important distinction between the Escalade and the Escalade ESV – space. The Cadillac Escalade is a full-size, luxury SUV. The ESV is…well, something larger than full-sized. Based on the Chevy Suburban, the ESV is longer, with a wider wheelbase.The Escalade has 15.2 cubic feet of cargo space with all the seats up. The ESV has 39.9 cubic feet. With the seats down, the maximum cargo space grows to 94.2 cu. Ft. in the Escalade and 120.9 cu. ft. in the ESV.
Because the ESV is also longer, it can’t tow as much as the Escalade. The Escalade also can tow up to 8,300 pounds when properly equipped, but the ESV drops that figure down a little, to 8,100 pounds. The ESV has the same number of trims and the same features as the Escalade. (i.e. the Luxury Escalade will have the same features as the Luxury ESV.) If you order one, they both come with the same destination charge of $1,195 on top of the MSRP.
Escalade
The Escalade is the base trim, with a starting MSRP of $73,395 for the two-wheel drive version. It has a 6.2-liter VVT V8 engine that produces 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. It doesn’t get great fuel economy, but it can get up to 15 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway and has a massive 26-gallon tank.
For a base model, the Escalade comes loaded with a ton of features. The SUV includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, heated and cooled seats, automatic park assist, and Surround Vision. Surround vision gives you a birds’-eye view of your car. This can make for safer driving, but also makes life easier when trying to back up or park inside the lines. In addition to safety and comfort, you get convenience in the form of fold-flat third-row seats, a 12-inch reconfigurable instrument cluster, front and rear park assist, and wireless charging.
Luxury
The Luxury gets a significant price hike to $78,395, but some of the added features may make the rise in MSRP worth it. While it has the same engine, it sits on 22-inch wheels rather than the base model’s 20-inch ones.
Another benefit of the Luxury is the addition of the Driver Awareness Package. This includes several features that may be substantial for safety-conscious drivers. It includes forward collision alerts, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, safety alert seats, side blind-zone alerts, rear cross-traffic alerts, and lane change alerts. (The downside is, that’s sort of a lot of alerts.)
The Luxury also has a Theft-Deterrent Package to help keep your investment safe. This adds a self-powered horn, interior movement sensors, vehicle inclination sensors, door lock shields, and glass breakage sensors in the rear quarter glass and liftgate window.
Premium Luxury
The Cadillac Escalade Premium Luxury starts at $82,895, but doesn’t have as many additions as the previous trims. The best feature added to this trim is a Driver Assist Package, which includes adaptive cruise control with full-speed range, front and rear automatic braking, and automatic safety belt tightening.
Additionally, the Premium Luxury trim has an entertainment package that doesn’t show up in the previously-mentioned trims. In the rear seat, passengers will have access to an overhead screen that’s Bluray compatible with a remote control and two-channel wireless infrared headphones.
Platinum
The Platinum is the final trim, with a starting MSRP of $93,390. It contains everything you may want in your 2017 Cadillac Escalade. On top of all the features in the previous trims, the Platinum adds premium semi-Aniline leather seating surfaces for the front two rows and Mulan leather for the third row. It also has a leather wrapped instrument panel, console, and upper door trim.
The headliner and door pillar trim also change to sueded microfiber, but the Platinum doesn’t stop there. The front seats have 18-way power adjustable seating along with massage, which definitely isn’t something we get to say often. Finally, the family road trips become a breeze with the inclusion of an integrated center console cooler.
