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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV

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Curious about the newer model? Check out the 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV

Overview

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2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV Review

By KBB.com Editors

KBB Expert Rating: 6.7

In the world of full-size luxury SUVs, they don't come much fuller or more luxurious than the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV. Based on the popular Chevrolet Suburban, the ESV gets the full-blown Cadillac treatment, including a unique suspension, engine, and options list. With its three-row seating and massive towing ability, there really isn't anything like the Escalade ESV from Europe or Japan. Its closest rival is probably the Lincoln Navigator L, which has some obvious advantages over the Cadillac ESV, but can't quite match the big Escalade ESV's "wow" factor. Status does have its price, and the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV seems to have met the bar set by the country club set and the urban elite alike.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you desire a capable, full-size premium luxury SUV that isn't shy about attracting attention, the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV belongs in your driveway. That's partially because it probably won't fit in your garage.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If you don't need the massive interior and towing ability of the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV, there are plenty of other luxury brands that are a bit more refined and a lot less flashy (think Land Rover Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz GL and Audi Q7, just to name a few.)

What's Significant About This Car?

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV gets Cadillac's Premium Care Maintenance Program that covers scheduled maintenance for four years or 50,000 miles. Physical upgrades include enhanced noise-reduction measures, available cocoa carpet color for the Platinum Edition and the ninth-generation OnStar with enhanced voice recognition software.

Driving the Escalade ESV

Driving Impressions That the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV doesn't ride and handle like a sport sedan should come as no surprise. However, that it rides and handles better than any full-size truck...

we've driven is an eye opener. Thanks to a phalanx of electronic stability, traction and suspension controls, twisting curves that would have lesser SUVs heaving and tossing are simply tamed. All the electronic goodies in the world, however, can't help make the Escalade ESV easy to park. As for power, the ESV's 6.2-liter V8 is as smooth as glass and has what feels like endless reserves of torque on hand. If you need to tow a boat or horse trailer, the Escalade's V8 suddenly becomes indispensable.

Favorite Features

Remote Vehicle Start
This is one of those features that you may not want to live without once you've become used to it, especially in hot summer or cold winter weather. A the touch of a key-fob button from afar can start the engine and begin cooling or heating the cabin before you're even inside.

Heated and Cooling Cupolders
Available only on the Platinum Edition, these decadent luxury items actually seems to be one of the most logical inventions since the cup holder itself.

2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV Details

Interior

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV is awash in leather, French-stitched seams and soft-touch everything. Seating can be ordered with a second-row bench or captain's chair configuration, with both the front- and second-row seats heated. A power flip-and-tumble second-row seat allows easy access to the third row. The cargo floor does not flood flush, which is a bit of a miss. On Platinum trims, comfort levels rise to new heights with such items as heated and cooled cup holders, a heated steering wheel and Tehama aniline leather covering all three rows. Even base models are lavish beyond measure, with leather covering the seats, doors, steering wheel and center console, and the interior pillars wearing rich-looking fabric.

Exterior

From its massive Cadillac signature grille to its chrome-clad fender vent ports to its giant 22-inch chrome wheels, there is nothing about the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV that is subtle. Its road presence is made all the more apparent by the sharp-edged lines, flush-mounted headlamps and ridiculously long side-glass panels. Stepping into the Escalade ESV requires a hike up, but thankfully, Cadillac supplies an available power retractable assist step to help out. While most of the Escalade ESV's body is bold and upright, its windshield is laid back at a 57-degree angle, a design that helps this mammoth SUV slice through the wind. It boasts a segment-best drag coefficient of 0.36, so the design apparently works. Cadillac offers the Escalade ESV in a number of colors, but let's face it, if you want the full Escalade ESV effect, it's Ice Metallic Black or nothing.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV's comprehensive standard equipment begins with road-sensing suspension, automatic rear leveling, ultrasonic rear park assist, power liftgate and remote vehicle starting. Inside are leather-covered 14-way power heated front seats, heated fold-and-tumble second-row seats, three-passenger third-row seating, tri-zone automatic climate system, steering wheel radio controls, rear audio controls, power adjustable pedals, DVD navigation with MP3/CD-changer, rear backup camera, Bose Surround Sound and rear-seat LCD monitor, XM Satellite Radio and OnStar with Turn-by-turn navigation.

Optional Equipment

With so much standard equipment, the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV's option list is not long. It includes 22-inch tires on chromed aluminum wheels, power retractable running boards, a power sliding sunroof, and a Luxury Package (Blind-spot Alert, IntelliBeam headlamps, power center seat release, heated and cooled front seats and a heated steering wheel).

Under the Hood

Powering every 2011 Cadillac Escalade is a 403-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 with Active Fuel Management, which deactivates half of the cylinders under light load. Variable valve timing (VVT) optimizes camshaft timing to improve low-rpm torque and high-rpm power, along with emissions and fuel economy. The Escalade ESV's V8 engine is also E85 compatible.

6.2-liter V8
403 horsepower @ 5700 rpm
417 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4300 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/18 (2WD, gas), 10/15 (2WD, E85), 14/18 (AWD, gas), 9/13 (AWD, E85)

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2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.2

Out of 10

Based on 141 Ratings for the 2007 - 2013 models.

Review this car

Value

8.2/10

Quality

8.4/10
Reliability

8.7/10

Performance

8.7/10
Comfort

8.9/10

Styling

9.0/10

It's a Cadillac...

By Tom (CA) on Saturday, April 27, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,200

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Great drive..."

Cons: "No sun blocker at the sun roof opening."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Now part of the Cadillac Family...this is a vehicle I will drive and keep...pass on to my son...it is a forever vehicle..."

3 people out of 4 found this review helpful

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Unsurpassable

By GN BRINT (TX) on Sunday, February 03, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 12,800

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Excellent Quietness and Ride"

Cons: "Not enough Caddy options available ..."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This is the Top of the Line... The seating is excellent as is the comfort for 5 people on Extended Trips... You will arrive at your destination almost as though you never took the Trip... 600 pluse miles a day is an absolute Joy... The bed has more uses than anything out there and only the Avalanche has a comparative pickup Bed.... Trailer pulling is unsurpassed as the 6.2 Liter 403 HP High Torque Engine effortlessly will pull any load up to its capacity rating... It is hard to believe GM will stop building this Super Great Vehicle so this will be the last one I will ever be able to purchase... I fully intend for this Caddy to be he last one I will ever buy and fully intend for it to last for the remainder of my Life Time... I owned the Cadllac 2009 XLR Before trading it in on this EXT and even though I throughly miss the fabulous EXR as the ultimate Roadster I needed a more versatile vehicle .... The EXT almost has all the amenities I would have preferred such as Vehicle Warning on the Outside Mirrors, Heads up Display on the Windshield, and Adaptive Radar Cruse Control... The front Seats on my 2005 DeVille were more confortable in the seating portion but the EXT front Seats are fully acceptable... Other than those unavailable options and being spoiled by the Deville Seats I am fully content with my 2012 EXT... One more thing; I have never heard a complaint from riders about the spacious and comfortable seating and no one can believe how Quiet the interior is even at extended speeds on all the various highway surfaces... This is one incredible Cadillac and what a Ride it is in typical Caddy Fashion..."

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Awesome

By Happy (NJ) on Tuesday, January 29, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 78,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Everything"

Cons: "Nothing"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Never thought we would buy a caddy but I am glad we did. This SUV is definitely awesome, everything works like a dream and it handles like a sports car. Can flick it in and out of parking spaces and down the highway. Comfort for every passenger and diamond white with black definitely gets the looks with the huge chromed 22's. mileage avg 15 city and 19 hwy use premium every 2nd or 3rd fill and reg or plus otherwise."

4 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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Never thought I'd own a Cadillac

By George (FL) on Tuesday, November 27, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 5,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Well built, great service, cool features."

Cons: "MPG could be better but after all it is a 400HP V8"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"After years of owning nothing but BMW's and Range Rovers if anyone had told me that I would buy a Cadillac I would have laughed at them. Then a couple of years ago both my 550i and my RR were coming up for lease end so my wife and I would need new cars. We test drove the ML550 thought it was nice but too "car like", we test drove a new RR; same old same old and then my wife suggested we look at an Escalade at first I thought "No way" but we went and arranged for an extended test drive as we had done with the others. We were no more than 1/4 mi from the dealer when we looked at each other and said this is the one. We went back and bought it and a month later I went back and bought the CTS Coupe. I'm now on my second Escalade and all cars were/are flawless. They drive and feel as if they were carved from a single block of steel. I just can't say enough good things about these vehicles and the dealer has treated me like gold. I doubt that I will ever own another foreign car or a different domestic for that matter."

4 people out of 4 found this review helpful

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Ended up buying the Navigator

By Bates (CA) on Saturday, November 03, 2012

I don't own this car

10 8.0

overall rating 8 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 8/10
Value: 5/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 8/10
Performance: 7/10
Styling: 7/10
Comfort: 8/10

Pros: "Stylish"

Cons: "Loud, poor visibility, 3rdrow seats don't flatten"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 5

"I test drove the Porsche Cayenne S and GTS, Range Rover, Q7, Escalade, Yukon Denali, and Expedition. I chose the Navigator. Spouse and i thought we would just try the Escalade since reviews say it beats the Navigator and because it looks stylish and has 400 hp. But its visibility was worse than Lincoln, 3rd row seats did not go flat plus did not have button that you could just push like the Navigator and Expeditions had. Also did not have better acceleration at high speeds and worse visibility made passing more cumbersome. Plus engine was louder by far. THX stereo system in Navigator was much betterr sound. And Navigator had smoother ride on the bumps and cracks. I am used to Lexus and have driven SC 430s for the past several yrs. Before that i drove a little G35, and before that i had a couple Integras and a Prelude. Also had a 2007 MDX. The Navigator was the best SUV, hands down and we can tow 9,000 lbs. Still kept my cute SC 430 though"

5 people out of 9 found this review helpful

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