2023 Cadillac Escalade, take GM’s full-size SUV platform, add some eye-catching styling cues and give the interior a Neiman Marcus-level makeover. It works brilliantly. The latest version, launched last year, brings the formula successfully into the high-tech era. Cadillac has outfitted Escalade’s luxurious cabin with an array of digital displays and tech features so impressive it’s almost like piloting a spaceship.
The redesign also fixed one of the weak points of the previous version by reconfiguring the rear suspension to provide more interior space. Now even the standard-length model offers adult-sized seats in the third row, while the longer ESV version (which stands for Escalade Stretch Vehicle) is truly gargantuan. The Escalade also impresses with its standard 6.2-liter V8 engine, which offers enough thrust to make the large, rear-drive rig feel surprisingly lively on the road, but at the cost of fuel economy instead.