2015 Cadillac Escalade-Would you buy one?

"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2014 at 16:15 • Filed to: None

I like the new Escalade. In fact, I like it a lot. It is a huge improvement over the old one, which was a blingy, flashy GMC Yukon. While I like the exterior styling and I really like the interior styling, I can't help but think that it is really expensive for what it is. A base m0del, standard-length 2WD Escalade does come with the 420hp/460 lbs/ft of torque, but if costs $72,000. A Range Rover Sport starts $10k below that, an HSE Sport sitll undercuts the Caddy by $4k, and if you add a few options to the Cadillac (options like the second-to-base-model trim and non-standard 4Wd), you're suddenly competing with the 510hp Range Rover Sport Supercharged. It's a similar story with the Mercedes M-Class and the BMW X5. A fully loaded, 402hp Mercedes ML550 with almost every option is similarly priced to the Escalade, and is barely more expensive. The base Benz is $48,000, or $24k less than the base, 2WD Caddy. The X5 starts $20,000 shy of of the Cadillac, and the base Caddy's price will get you a well-equipped X5 with a 445hp, twin turbo V8 and AWD.

Move up to the fully-loaded ESV and you're looking at a price range of $78-92k. At that price, you could save $15k and buy a 362hp Mercedes GL450, or compete directly and get a Mercedes GL550, with a 429hp twin turbo engine that competes with a loaded ESV. Also in the price bracket of the Cadillac is the full-sized Range Rover and Range Rover HSE. So, at these prices, would you ever choose an Escalade over the equivalent Mercedes or Land Rover? I know I wouldn't, as no matter which trim level or size of Caddy you pick, Mercedes, BMW, and Land Rover all offer a better value, often outdoing the Caddy simply by have All-wheel drive.

DISCUSSION (53)

jkm7680 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:16

If I were a drug dealer/many children/rich. I'd have one over a RR, but a G-Wagon threatens my decision making process.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > jkm7680
06/21/2014 at 16:17

Even over a loaded X5 or Benz? How come?

Brian Silvestro > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:17

I'd get a Cayenne.

Kinja'd!!!

Diesel.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Brian Silvestro
06/21/2014 at 16:18

You could do that too. A loaded one would still be cheaper.

heliochrome85 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:19

YES. YES I WOULD. Lets be serious, the G550 starts at another 30-40k over the escalade. The Escalade has just about as much Moxy as the G550 and blows pretty much every other large SUV out of the water in terms of Swagger.

Some of us enjoy driving loud cars. The RR is a sleeper.

heliochrome85 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:20

Can you tell the difference between a 53k X5 3.5sdrive and a 95k X5 xDrive? That in and of itself is the reason why you don't go X5 at this price point.

jkm7680 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:21

I wouldn't compare the Escalade to the X5. They are different sizes, and segments. The Infiniti QX80 would work better in that space.

I'm not a huge fan of the GL it looks a bit bloated to me. Plus Cadillac has really got their shit together recently, and stopped making the interior out of fortune cookies and cheap plastic.

Brian Silvestro > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:21

Exactly! Can I afford a GTS on this budget? Because that car makes the sound of gods.

Big Bubba Ray > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:21

I don't understand why anybody would. Why not just get the Chevy Suburban? It's the same car, but I feel like people pay more simply for the Cadillac name.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > heliochrome85
06/21/2014 at 16:28

But if you're talking about a base, $72k, 2WD Escalade, you could still get a Porsche Cayenne S, Mercedes ML550, or a 445HP BMW X5, all faster and with AWD, for less. I suppose none of them offer quite the style of the Cadillac, though.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > heliochrome85
06/21/2014 at 16:31

Wha???

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:31

I'd get the Caddy. And no not just because it's GM.

It's almost a lot bigger most -if not all- of the ones you stated. Only a few of those cars offer truly useful 3rd row seats. Most offer third rows that eliminate most cargo room in the back. Some offer third rows that remove all cargo room.

Then we get to how badass the Caddy looks. There's only two SUVs that come close to it in terms of badassery, the Mercedes G-Wagen and RR Supercharged. But even those can't match the sheer size and boldness of the Escalade.

It's unmatched in size, offers similar levels of luxury to the others, and makes plenty of power to get the truck moving (0-60 in like 6.5 seconds in a 3-ton truck)

There's a reason why GM owns the big SUV segment. And why the Escalade outsold everything you stated until the market crashed and gas went up in '08.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Brian Silvestro
06/21/2014 at 16:33

You could get a Cayenne GTS for the same dough as a mid-range Escalade ESV.

JR1 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:33

I'd take the Escalade for several reasons. Chief among which is the beauty of Cadillac interchangeability. I know GM gets a lot of flak for it but using similar parts across the board allows for cheap maintenance. Furthermore I grew up wanting an Escalade therefore it has prestige to me that the foreign competitors cannot match.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Big Bubba Ray
06/21/2014 at 16:33

I agree.

Brian Silvestro > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:34

Then that. That 100% of the time. The sound from that car is unbelieveable.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
06/21/2014 at 16:37

The Caddy is outdone in the performance area. Size I agree with. If your really need a big SUV, then this is the biggest (in ESV form). I love the styling, but not enough to pay that much more for it.

heliochrome85 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:38

No one buys these vehicles for speed. You buy them for power, swagger, and visual impact. The Cayenne is a smaller, different kind of car, as is the ML, or X5. Those are not full size SUVs. Also, it must be said, when you are a luxury car buyer, you aren't looking at value. At this level, its all about how the car makes you feel, not about the payment.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Brian Silvestro
06/21/2014 at 16:39

I drove a used one a few month back, and I couldn't believe how loud and fast it was. We got back to the dealer, and my dad was like, "You're telling me this isn't even the fastest one?"

heliochrome85 > Big Bubba Ray
06/21/2014 at 16:39

again, luxury buyers don't care about value. They care about image, prestige, quality, and sales/after-sales experience. Trust me when i tell you, the average cheverolet dealer doesn't know how to handle the standard luxury car buyer.

Brian Silvestro > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:40

Lol, it's the one I'd get though if given the choice.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > heliochrome85
06/21/2014 at 16:40

That's true. The one area where the Cadillac takes no prisoners is style. It's a gorgeous beast.

heliochrome85 > Brian Silvestro
06/21/2014 at 16:46

wrong.

heliochrome85 > Brian Silvestro
06/21/2014 at 16:46

still wrong car.

heliochrome85 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 16:47

hardly a reasonable comparable vehicle.

Brian Silvestro > heliochrome85
06/21/2014 at 16:47

X6 M would be my second choice.

heliochrome85 > Brian Silvestro
06/21/2014 at 16:48

you do too many drugs. The X6 doesn't make sense outside of Eastern Europe.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > heliochrome85
06/21/2014 at 16:49

I'm assuming that was for Brian and the X6.

Brian Silvestro > heliochrome85
06/21/2014 at 16:51

Well at least it makes sense somewhere. It's just so insane, I irrationally love it.

heliochrome85 > Brian Silvestro
06/21/2014 at 16:52

insane, ill give you that. The buyers of the Escalade and X6 are oddly similarly tanned.

Brian Silvestro > heliochrome85
06/21/2014 at 16:54

*looks at tan*

FUCK

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 17:06

It might be out performed, but there's no need for a huge SUV to do sub 6-second 0-60. That's bordering on the ridiculous side of things.

Also, fully loaded, highest trim level, I bet a lot of those SUVs actually cost more than the Caddy. It tops out a $91,925 for a Premium ESV AWD with every option, including wheel-locks, engine heater, and cargo nets, covers and all weather floor mats. Lets compare that to the other ones you listed.

RRS Supercharged: $101,525, not even top trim level, didn't add accessories

ML550 4Matic: $89,775, a lot smaller, only seats 5, less power

X5 xDrive50i: $98,225, pretty useless 3rd row, no cargo space behind it really

GL550 4Matic: $97,000, less power, less room

RR Supercharged: $103,775, before even going into anything but exterior options

So even through all of that, if you want size, power, and all the options, the Cadillac is STILL the cheapest there.

Vicente Esteve > Brian Silvestro
06/21/2014 at 17:08

You can also get that nice Cayenne in the GTS Model with a stickshift!

Brian Silvestro > Vicente Esteve
06/21/2014 at 17:13

But that's used!

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
06/21/2014 at 17:21

The GL550 actually has more power, and a lot more torque. As for the rest of these vehicles, it's true, there's nothing quite as big as the Escalade. I think $91k of Mercedes or BMW, while not as big, will certainly be as nice as a top-spec Caddy. The fact that you can make them even more expensive if you want isn't a huge deal.

Like I said, I like the Caddy a lot. But I think it is too expensive. If It started at $62-65k and topped out at $85-90K, it would be a no-brainer. But it starts at $75k if you want 4WD, and that strikes me as a little pricey. I

I'm not saying that it isn't worth it. But let me put it this way: by the end of its run, the Escalade carried the image of trophy wives, drug dealers, rappers, and limo companies. Back in 2008/09, the fancy neighborhoods near me were filled with Escalades. Now, they're mostly full of various other SUVs, including the ones I mentioned, as well as the Lexus LX and the Infiniti QX. The new Cadillac will take a while to shake that image, but if the last one, which I despised, sold well, then I have to assume that this one, which I quite like, will sell even better, price notwithstanding.

Vicente Esteve > Brian Silvestro
06/21/2014 at 17:25

I don't care!

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1
06/21/2014 at 17:26

That's the thing: part of what makes the new Escalade so great, and the only reason I like it, is because it uses very little of the Suburban on which it is based. Therefor, it is a MUCH better truck, but maintaining it won't be as cheap as it once was.

Brian Silvestro > Vicente Esteve
06/21/2014 at 17:27

#YOLO

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 17:29

But still cheaper than any German or British SUV!

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
06/21/2014 at 17:35

Likely true.

JR1 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 18:29

Maybe I'm wrong but I'd still imagine it's cheaper than a forgiven rival

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1
06/21/2014 at 18:31

I'm assuming that's "foreign rival" kinjafied, in which case yes, you are probably right.

LSXforYourSuperCar > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 21:11

Well, if you look at this from a practical point of view, a Chrysler Town&Country minivan trumps every example you have put forth. The T&C has three rows of seats, can carry eight people in-comfort and can be bought for less than half the cost of any of the SUV's you mentioned in your original post.

In most cases however, in rural America, driving a european branded vehicle means you don't give a shit about Americans and/or your neighbors, so you just buy the biggest American vehicle you can afford...