The Cadillac Escalade is a massive luxury SUV with a hefty price tag to go along with it. The SUV comes with lots of features and equipment list along with a very powerful engine and massive towing capabilities. The one main reason for many people to get the Escalade rather than its competition is because of its massive road presence which is unparalleled by any other SUV in the segment. This huge road presence is one of its main advantages too and is mostly thanks to its truck-based origins for the platform. It was mentioned above that the Cadillac Escalade has a powerful engine and yes it is, thanks to the courtesy of the brawny V8 engine under the hood. This 6.2-liter V8 engine produces 420 hp and has 460 lb-ft of torque on offer which is adequate enough to pull this large luxury SUV. The V8 unit also provides the Cadillac Escalade with a massive towing capacity of 8,300 pounds. It also features a plush, luxurious, and comfortable cabin on the inside with a great amount of space for all the passengers to be seated inside. The 2020 Cadillac Escalade MSRP has also seen an increase with all the added features and equipment.
What’s new for 2020?
The 2020 Cadillac Escalade is the fourth generation refresh for the model that was launched back in 2015. The 2018 model was the first generation change for the Escalade and it replaced the 8-speed automatic gearbox with a new improved 10-speed automatic gearbox. This continues the same with the 2020 Cadillac Escalade model but fuel economy is only marginally improved over what it was with the 8-speed automatic unit. For 2020, there are no other massive changes with the Escalade. But one change on the interior is that Cadillac has removed the dual-screen rear entertainment system with the 2020 model.
How well does the 2020 Cadillac Escalade perform?
The 2020 Cadillac Escalade comes with a 6.2-liter V8 engine which produces 420 hp and has 460 lb-ft of torque on offer. Even though it is a massive luxury SUV, the acceleration that the Escalade offers with the help of its V8 is on par with the performance levels of even some sports cars. The Escalade does the 0-60 mph sprint in just an astonishing 6.6 seconds. This V8 engine is shared with the other GM trucks but is not vocal because Cadillac has used good insulation and more sound-deadening materials which makes it very comfortable on the inside. The power is sent to the rear wheels on the base version Escalade whereas it can also be had with an all-wheel-drive system but that costs some $3,000 more as an additional option. Transmission duties are held by a 10-speed automatic gearbox which works well for the most part but occasionally struggles with downshifts.
Trims and Features
The 2020 Cadillac Escalade is a full-size large body on frame luxury SUV and comes in a total of four trims namely Base, Luxury, Premium Luxury, and the Platinum trim. Even though the starting trim level is named as the Base trim, it is in no way basic to almost every other luxury SUV in the segment. It is even more luxurious, comfortable, and has a wide array of features than most of the luxury cars in the automotive landscape. The Premium Luxury and Platinum trim takes things to a whole different level as it gets every feature that Cadillac has to offer with the Escalade and is very plush on the inside too. And when it comes to the engine and transmission options, all the models get the same 6.2-liter V8 engine with 420 hp and 10-speed automatic transmission. The rear-wheel-drive system is standard on the Escalade whereas the all-wheel-drive system is available as an option.
The 2020 Cadillac Escalade MSRP starts from $75,165 for the Base trim whereas the long-wheelbase version of the same starts at $78,195. Even though this price is similar to what a typical SUV will cost around, it is definitely a little expensive than some of its rivals. The MSRP of the Luxury trim starts at around $82,090 whereas the Premium Luxury trims costs around $86,490 and for the long-wheelbase version of the same costs even more than the regular wheelbase versions. The range-topping Platinum trim is the most expensive of the lot which costs around $93,590 but has all the plush equipment and features along with it.
The standard equipment on the base trim of the 2020 Cadillac Escalade includes 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive suspension, LED headlights, automatic parallel and perpendicular parking assist, three-zone automatic climate control, a hands-free tailgate, heated and ventilated front seats, power-adjustable front seats, and power-folding split third-row seats, and heated rear seats. The other features include an 8.0-inch touchscreen system, a navigation system, a Bose premium sound system, and a surround-view camera system.
The Luxury trim gets all the equipment and features list but now gets added driver assistance technologies and more plush equipment. The added equipment and features include a sunroof, overheard mounted display, power-folding second-row seats, a camera-based rearview mirror system, a heads up display, and a Driver Awareness package with a wide range of driving aids which makes driving this massive SUV a lot easier.
The next trim with the Cadillac Escalade after the Luxury trim is the Premium Luxury trim which adds upon the plush equipment and features list found on the Luxury trim. This trim adds features like a rear entertain system with a Bluray player, an overhead mounted display, adaptive cruise control, forward and reverse automatic braking, and an advanced collision mitigation system.
Then we have the most expensive, extremely plush, and comfortable Platinum trim which has all the bells and whistles that Cadillac has to offer with the Escalade. Some of these features are a little too extravagant to a point that you might not even need some with the Escalade. Anyways, the features added to the Platinum include upgraded powered front seats, massaging function for the front seats, upgraded leather upholstery, cooled front-seat center console, and power retracting side steps.
Which variant should you go for?
The 2020 Cadillac Escalade is a very popular SUV in the segment and is also one of the most luxurious too. Even though the 2020 Cadillac Escalade’s MSRP seen an increase but still for the price you pay, you get lots of features and equipment list whereas it is also very plush and comfortable. But among the four trim levels available, the most value for money and a perfect choice is to get the Premium Luxury trim which gets all the equipment list and features. It also retains the regular Escalade traits of very spacious interiors and comfortable seats along with superior ride quality and handling.
