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2011 Cadillac Escalade

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

Overview

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2011 Cadillac Escalade Review

By KBB Editors

In recent times Cadillac's biggest cars have suffered from slumping economies and spiking fuel prices. Yet, Cadillac's biggest players seem to have emerged relatively unscathed. That the Escalade family hasn't been put out to pasture in an era of plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars is something of a mystery. Yet, despite the misfortune heaped upon the automotive industry over the last few years, the Escalade remains as popular as ever. Call it tenacity or karma or just plain luck, but Americans seem reluctant to give up the Escalade.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you need room for eight people and more luxury trappings than an 18th-century French estate, there is no better luxury SUV than the 2011 Cadillac Escalade.

You May Not Like This Car If...

Fuel economy is not the Escalade's strong suit (nor is being inconspicuous). There is an Escalade Hybrid for the fuel-conscious and a host of less-flashy but equally-comfortable competitors for those who prefer something less ostentatious.

What's New for 2011

Changes for 2011 are relatively minor and include the addition of Cadillac's Premium Care Maintenance program, improved sound insulating techniques and the ninth-generation OnStar upgrade that includes flexible speech-recognition software.

Driving the Escalade

Driving Impressions Largely due to its tremendous bulk, the 2011 Cadillac Escalade isn't exactly the most agile vehicle to toss about. Its not that the Escalade's handling is truck-like (this is, after...

all, a truck). In curves, it certainly can't be expected to feel like a sports car, although the steering feel is more pleasing and precise than with previous Escalades. Expect a smooth ride on good surfaces, but don't be surprised when minor bumps get through, especially with the larger-diameter tires and wheels. Despite the 400-plus horsepower lurking under the hood, acceleration is best described as energetic, but not thrilling, and hitting the gas at lower speeds doesn't always produce vigorous response. Engine noise, on the other hand, is plentiful when the throttle is wide open, a very un-Cadillac like attribute. On the upside, the six-speed automatic's shifts are impressively smooth, though on upgrades it sometimes seems uncertain what to do next.

Favorite Features

Manual-mode Transmission Operation
Placing the + and - (upshift/downshift) buttons on the column gearshift might not seem like a good idea at first, as most vehicles with a manual-shift provision have a floor lever or paddle shifters. Even so, these buttons are easy to find and use, and the transmission responds with satisfying promptness.

Power Fold-and-Tumble Second-row Seating
Third-row access is a serious issue in big SUVs and an easy-folding second-row seat can save a lot of irritation. This feature operates with buttons on the console and door pillar.

2011 Cadillac Escalade Details

Dashboard, center console, gear shifter view photo

Interior

With seating for up to eight passengers, the Escalade is in no danger of feeling cramped. Attention to detail reveals itself, with no exposed fasteners visible and close-out panels concealing all the seat hardware. Fabric covers the ceiling and pillars, with leather covering just about every other exposed surface. Space-saving details, such as the sculpted seat backs, abound throughout the Escalade's cabin. Access to the third-row seat is made easy thanks to the power-assisted fold-and-tumble second-row seats. From the driver's seat, gauges are large and clearly visible, but we did find the blue indicator needles somewhat impair readability. We also couldn't understand why the driver is left without a grab handle while the passenger side handle is such a long reach.

Exterior

The Escalade's huge chrome grille wears the now familiar face of Cadillac and is flanked by flashy triple-stack headlamps. Ventiports adorn the front fenders and the windshield is steeply raked for both style and aerodynamic efficiency. Cadillac's renewed emphasis on craftsmanship can be seen in the clean, proportional exterior that places an emphasis on precision. A unique D-pillar treatment and doors that wrap over the rocker panels further define this as a Cadillac, and the glossy paint and tight fitting body panels complete the look. The Escalade's wide track is complemented by a coil-over-shock suspension and a boxed frame for greater torsional stiffness. The standard 18-inch wheels and tires are handsome as is, but adherents of bigger-is-better can choose chrome-clad 22-inchers.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

A power rear liftgate heads the list of standard features in the amply-equipped 2011 Cadillac Escalade. Audiophiles can enjoy Bose 5.1 Digital Surround Sound, while everyone benefits from Cadillac's Auto Ride suspension. A tap-up/tap-down manual mode for the transmission works easily and promptly, using buttons on the column-mounted gearshift lever. DVD navigation with rear backup camera is also standard equipment. Compatibility brackets, built into the front frame, are intended to reduce damage to other vehicles in certain collisions. Side-curtain airbags include tethers for enhanced rollover protection, front seatbelt pretensioners activate in rear impacts – said to be an "industry-exclusive" feature – and the StabiliTrak stability control system incorporates rollover-mitigation technology. Integrated tow hooks are standard.

Optional Equipment

Among the Escalade's many options are power-deployable running boards, power fold-and-tumble second-row seats and heated and cooled seats (part of the Ultra Luxury Collection package). Also available is Cadillac's IntelliBeam automatic high/low beam adjuster and the Side Blind Zone Alert warning system. When properly equipped, an all-wheel-drive Escalade can tow up to 7,700 pounds; good news for boaters and RVers.

Under the Hood

Cadillac's 6.2-liter V8 engine features Active Fuel Management, which deactivates four of the eight cylinders when the engine is not under heavy load. Despite the temporary loss of four cylinders, the 6.2-liter generates significant horsepower and torque as soon as the driver steps on the gas pedal. With its two overdrive ratios and wide gear-ratio spread, the Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission is said to be nearly equivalent to a seven-speed. The manual-shift mode uses column-lever buttons.

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

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2011 Cadillac Escalade 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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