2012 Cadillac Escalade

Remote Vehicle Start
This is one of those standard 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 touch of the key-fob button from afar can start the engine and begin cooling or heating the cabin before you're even inside.

Power Fold-and-Tumble Second-row Seat
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 interior door pillar.

The 2012 Escalade's interior takes Cadillac luxury to its extreme end. The interior is so solidly wrapped in sound-deadening materials one can almost hear a pin drop. Comfort levels rise to new heights on Escalade SUV Platinum trims with such items as heated and cooled cup holders, a heated steering wheel and Tehama aniline leather seating surfaces for all rows. Even the base 8-passenger SUV models and 5-passenger EXT variant are lavish beyond reason, with leather trim blanketing the seats, doors, steering wheel and center console, and with the interior pillars wearing rich-looking fabric.

From its massive signature Cadillac grille to its chrome-clad fender vents to its enormous available 22-inch chromed-aluminum wheels, there is nothing subtle about the 2012 Cadillac Escalade. Its road presence is made all the more apparent by the sharp-edged lines, flush-mounted headlights and long, tinted side-glass panels. Stepping into the Escalade requires a hike up, but thankfully, every Escalade model offers standard assist steps for suitable ingress and egress from the vehicle. The Hybrid model boasts a distinctive front end featuring unique upper and lower grilles accompanied by a slew of Hybrid badges.

The 2012 Cadillac Escalade features a potent 403 horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 with Active Fuel Management, which deactivates half of the cylinders under light loads for increased fuel economy. The Escalade's 6.2-liter engine is also E85 (ethanol/gasoline fuel blend) compatible. The Hybrid model boasts a more-efficient 6.0-liter V8 combined with a 300-volt battery pack as well as the conventional engine's gas-saving Active Fuel Management technology.


6.2-liter V8
403 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm
417 lb-ft of torque @ 4,300 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/18 mpg (rear-wheel drive, gasoline), 13/18 mpg (AWD, gasoline), 9/13 mpg (EXT/ESV model with AWD, E85), 10/15 mpg (Standard Escalade model with rear-wheel drive, E85), 10/14 mpg (Standard Escalade model with AWD, E85)

6.0-liter V8 hybrid
332 horsepower @ 5,100 rpm
367 lb-ft @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/23 mpg

The 2012 Cadillac Escalade SUVs have a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) ranging from around $64,000 for the base model to nearly $90,000 for a fully-loaded AWD Hybrid model in Premium trim. The EXT truck also starts around $64,000 and tops out just under $74,000 for the fully-optioned Premium version. To get a better idea of what people in your area are paying for their Escalades, check out Kelley Blue Book's Fair Purchase Price in the "What should I pay for my new car?" section on our homepage. While the sticker prices of Escalade SUV models remain considerably higher than those of the Lincoln Navigator, they are not far off from comparably equipped versions of the Land Rover Range Rover HSE and the Lexus LX 570. The Escalade EXT's closest competitor, the Ford F-150 SuperCrew Platinum Edition with 4-wheel drive, is priced in the mid-$40,000 range but can't match the EXT in terms of luxury or horsepower. The 2012 Escalade SUV lineup equals the Lincoln Navigator and Land Rover Range Rover when it comes to resale values, but unfortunately falls behind those of the LX 570. As for the EXT truck, we project it will retain a resale value lower than the F-150 Platinum Edition and its corporate stablemate, the Chevrolet Avalanche.

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