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10 Best Road Trip Convertibles

2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT

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Curious about the newer model? Check out the 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT

Overview

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2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT Review

By KBB.com Editorial Staff

At the time the Escalade EXT was created, its purpose was to give Cadillac an entrant in the then-growing market for big sport utility vehicles and full-size pickups, and with features not available on the competition. While the Escalade ESV is derived from the long-wheelbase Chevrolet Suburban, the EXT is Cadillac's take on Chevy's innovative Avalanche truck, which quickly converts from a closed SUV to a surprisingly capable pickup via a removable Midgate Panel divider system that extends the usable bed into the rear-seat area. The 2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT boasts GM's latest chassis, body, interior and powertrain upgrades, as well as a generous allotment of new convenience and safety features.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you need or want full-size truck towing capabilities, along with upscale Cadillac luxury and image and the versatility to change from a quiet, comfortable closed SUV to a pickup with more cargo capacity, this is the one.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If convert-a-truck flexibility and Cadillac crests are not important to you, any modern full-size crew-cab pickup can be equipped to do the job of serious hauling and comfortable occupant-coddling at well below the EXT's price. And Chevy's Avalanche offers the same Midgate Panel feature for a lot less money.

What's New for 2010

For 2010, Cadillac adds Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) to its 6.2-liter V8 engine. Other new features include a console mounted USB port, a locking steering column and seat-mounted front side thorax airbags.

Driving the Escalade EXT

Driving Impressions This heavy full-frame luxury truck drives like a very large car. It's no sport sedan, but it is more agile, sure-footed and Cadillac-comfortable than most any other full-size truck you'll...

encounter, at least in part due to its fully-boxed frame, capable suspension, wide tracks and improved rack-and-pinion steering. Both braking and steering feel, especially, are vastly improved compared to previous GM trucks. The 6.2-liter V8 idles aggressively at rest and roars impressively at full throttle as it thrusts the big vehicle forward with eye-opening authority.

Favorite Features

Remote Vehicle Starting
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. At the touch of a key-fob button from afar, it can start the engine and begin cooling or heating the cabin before you're even inside.

Convert-a-Cab Midgate Panel
This clever removable divider system quickly converts the EXT from a closed-cabin SUV with a five-foot pickup bed to a surprisingly capable pickup by extending the bed nearly three feet into the rear seat area.

2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT Details

Interior

The 2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT's interior is luxury-plush, surprisingly quiet and raises the luxury and refinement bars another couple of notches. The instrument panel is set low and far forward to improve real and perceived room. It houses quad round gauges with white needles, blue-light inlays and white LED backlighting. "Nuance" leather covers the seats, doors, steering wheel and center console, while the interior pillars wear rich-looking fabric. And then there's the manually-folding Midgate Panel bulkhead that allows the five-passenger EXT to convert into a two-passenger pickup with an eight-foot bed. It's pretty slick, but one potential down-side is that, in that configuration, the entire interior is open to the great outdoors and all the security, weather and dirt issues that includes.

Exterior

Those who bought the original Escalade EXT will find even more to like in the 2010 model, beginning with its styling. Slightly larger and heavier due to added structure and features, it appears perhaps somewhat smaller thanks to its crisp, sleek lines. The swept-back 57-degree windshield contributes to an impressive aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.36, which helps improve fuel economy and reduce wind noise, and careful detailing shows in its large, finely-crafted Cadillac signature grille, front fender vent ports and tasteful chrome accents.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

The 2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT's comprehensive standard content begins with all-wheel drive, road-sensing suspension, automatic rear leveling, Ultrasonic Rear Park Assist, a three-piece rigid cargo cover and remote vehicle starting. Interior features include leather-covered 14-way power heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, steering wheel radio controls, rear audio controls, power adjustable pedals, DVD navigation with rear backup camera, Bose Surround Sound, XM Satellite Radio and OnStar with turn-by-turn navigation. Additional safety and convenience features include advanced front air bags with passenger sensing, head-curtain side air bags for both rows, front side thorax airbags, four-wheel antilock disc brakes (ABS), Stabilitrak stability control, rain-sensing wipers and heated washer fluid.

Optional Equipment

With so much standard equipment, the EXT's option list is not long, and includes 22-inch tires on chromed aluminum wheels, rear-seat entertainment system, power adjustable running boards, a power sliding sunroof, heated and cooled front seats a heated steering wheel, Magnetic Ride Control suspension and IntelliBeam automatic headlamps.

Under the Hood

Powering every 2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT is a 6.2-liter all-aluminum V8 with Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation, which cuts to four the number of active cylinders when 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.

6.2-liter V8
403 hp at 5700 rpm
417 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4300 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 12/19 (gasoline), 9/14 (E85)

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2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.1

Out of 10

Based on 129 Ratings for the 2007 - 2012 Cadillac Escalade models.

Review this car

Value

8.1/10

Quality

8.3/10
Reliability

8.6/10

Performance

8.7/10
Comfort

8.8/10

Styling

9.0/10

Greatest Truck/Pickup Period

By MY 2012 EXT (NY) on Sunday, April 08, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 2,400

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

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

Pros: "great ride / comfort / head turner"

Cons: "no rear heat controls / no heated rear seats"

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

"ive owned the 2002 Avalanche 2007 ext 2009 ext and now a 2012 ext. not a good truck a great truck. my new tuck with the new 4/8 v8 mode gets better mpg than any of the others ive owned. almost 18mpg highway. but when you own a 70k plus truck mpg should not be an issue."

1 person out of 4 found this review helpful

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Best over all luxury SUV - Look and comfort!

By Sparkle_Va (VA) on Monday, April 02, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 101,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

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

Pros: "very comfortable drive/ride, w/ good exceleration"

Cons: "some cheep design features (plastic door handles)"

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

"This is my 3rd Escalade. I love the look and drive... not to mention the compliments that I get. My 1st was a white 2002 lease in 2001 that was a big mistake, ONLY because I ran the miles up and had to pay for them. This started my addiction at! My 2nd, a used black 2002 in 2004 with much lower mileage than my 1st ended with... this car I had to replace the transmission at 80k, but NO other issues. I traded the 2nd in at 120k miles for my 3rd, a taupe 2007 in 2009 w/ 18k miles. Today my 07 has just over 100k and I've had no mechanical issues. I do feel though that the quality of the cosmetics of the truck have declined over the years. Examples of my 2007: The interior door handles are peeling because they have a plastic coating. The dash buttons paints are rubbing off (temperature control, etc..) 1 outside door handle has pulled away from the door on 1 side, but it still works. My mechanic says that this is a commonly replaced part on Escalades. The center hub cap comes offs and/or is too easily removed causing them to be stolen.. but it's because they fall off and need to be replaced often making them a quick resale at $50 plus. - All that said, I've loved my Escalades. I have kids/teens who play travel sports. We load up and travel very comfortably almost every weekend (thus the high mileage) . The ride is very smooth unlike most "trucks".. it trumps the Range Rover, which I owned a 2005 in 2007 for less than 1 yr, because I preferred the luxury driving and get up and go feel of my 2002 Escalade. I driven and ridden as passenger of every "luxury" SUV on the market.. the Escalade rides and handles the BEST for it's size! The first 2 sat 8, but the 3rd is a 7 seater with the walk through. I think that the kids like the walk through better as it doesn't seem like your segregated and the 2nd row has the automatic fold button. - Though gas prices are a deterrent for driving a full size SUV, I don't find the Escalade to be a gas guzzler. If you can afford the truck and the gas, it's a no-brainer. - (30 something, Mom of 2)"

6 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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