Cars Service

2007 Cadillac Escalade ESV Review Road Test

Very impressive feature and greatest design of the Cadillac. i love that car. Compartative price must be more flexible.

Favorite Features: The drivetrain and all the comfort and convenience features are fantastic. The Intellibeam headlamp system is great on those dark roads switching your high beams on and off.




Interior Design and Special Features

The ESVs two-tone dash has graceful lines that easily accommodate a large, colorful navigation screen and faux walnut inlays (although at this price, they should be real wood). The nav screen has a user-friendly touchscreen interface, and all controls are easy to find and use. Soft-touch surfaces are everywhere, as they should be in this class, but there are still a few cheap plastics thrown into the mix. The Escalade can be equipped to accommodate six, seven or eight occupants. To improve third-row access, there is a power fold-and-flip option for the second-row seats. Unfortunately, the third-row seat still doesnt fold into the floor as in the ESVs competitors and the 50/50 sections are cumbersome to remove. Maximum cargo capacity is 137 cubic feet, with a generous 46 cubes available behind the third row. A roof rack is standard.

Safety

All Escalades come standard with four-wheel antilock disc brakes, the StabiliTrak stability control system and full-length side curtain airbags. Not only will these airbags inflate in a side-impact collision or rollover, but also in serious frontal-impact collisions in which occupants need all the help they can get. In addition, theres another sensor that identifies rear impacts and activates the seatbelt pre-tensioners to help front-seat occupants avoid whiplash. Rear parking sensors are standard on every Escalade ESV, and vehicles equipped with the navigation system incorporate a rear camera system as well. The ESV also comes with a tire-pressure monitor and the OnStar communications system.

Powertrains and Performance

The Escalade ESV comes in all-wheel-drive configuration only. Its sole power plant is a torque-rich 6.2-liter V8 that develops 403 hp and 417 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard, and it includes both a tow/haul and a manual shift mode. Manual shifting is a tad awkward with the Escalades old-fashioned column shifter. Trailering preparation is standard, and the ESV can tow a maximum of 7,800 pounds.


Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options

A full-size luxury SUV, the 2007 Cadillac Escalade ESV is available in a single trim level. Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, HID headlights, 14-way power-adjustable front seats with multilevel heating, memory settings for the driver, leather upholstery and faux wood trim. Tri-zone automatic climate control, a 10-speaker 5.1 surround-sound Bose audio system with an in-dash CD/DVD changer, a remote start feature, a power rear liftgate and power-folding exterior mirrors are also standard. The ESV has heated bucket seats in the second row, and a bench seat is also available. Options include 22-inch chrome wheels, multilevel cooling for the front seats, a heated steering wheel, a navigation system with a rearview camera, a rear DVD entertainment system, power-folding second-row seats and a sunroof.

Driving Impressions

On the road, the nimbleness of the Cadillac Escalade is a pleasant surprise. The steering is light and reasonably precise, a nice compromise between the weight of the BMW X5 or Audi Q7 and the vagueness of the Lincoln Navigator. In spite of having a live-axle suspension (as opposed to an independent suspension design, as found on some of the newest SUVs), the Escalade manages bumps beautifully, thanks to the road-sensing Autoride suspension.

The interior is also remarkably quiet, enhancing the ability to hold hushed conversation as well as hear the surround sound system without extraneous noise. Even more remarkable is the plush ride. The Escalade models weve driven were shod with the optional 22-inch wheels and low-profile tires, and wed expected them to transfer more road vibration and harshness than they did. We havent driven any of these vehicles with the 18-inch wheels, but expect them to offer even softer ride characteristics. Handling crispness and body control are also impressive, considering the Escalades formidable mass.

All Escalades are powered by a monster of an engine: a huge 6.2-liter V8 that produces a whopping 403 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque. Acceleration is astonishing for such a tall, heavy vehicle. A pleasing growl is emitted when accelerating briskly; otherwise, the engine is virtually silent.

Certainly, there is plenty of power to pull a trailer with ease. The Escalade is rated to tow a 7500-pound trailer, a rating that is curiously lower than that of the Infiniti QX56 and Lincoln Navigator in spite of Escalades significantly more powerful engine. Then again, tow ratings are not an exact science. Installing a trailer is made easier by the Escalades rearview camera, which incorporates a camera in the liftgate to provide a view behind the vehicle when backing up projected onto the navigation screen. Its a very useful feature when parallel parking or whenever backing up close to another object.

All Escalades come with a six-speed automatic transmission that shifts imperceptibly except during full-throttle acceleration. A Tow/Haul mode holds gears longer, or the driver can select gears manually via a button on the shift lever. The multi-information display in the instrument cluster clearly displays the selected gear.

The Escalade comes with either rear-wheel drive or full-time all-wheel drive; EXT and ESV come only with AWD. The all-wheel drive system is on-road biased, with no low range for creeping through boulder fields.

As indicated, the Escalades four-wheel disc brakes come standard with ABS and electronic brake force distribution (EBD). The powerful brakes proved to be quite responsive and more than up to the task of bringing the big truck to a halt with little drama and surprisingly little brake dive. The pedal feel was good, if not as pleasingly firm as its German competitors.
The Stabilitrak electronic stability control system manages wheel slip by applying the brakes at the slipping wheel without interrupting power deliver to the wheels with grip. Stabilitrak also helps maintain stability in corners by braking individual wheels when the vehicles path doesnt match the drivers intentions.

Fuel economy for the Escalade is estimated at 13 miles per gallon city and 19 highway, which isnt exactly miserly but not as bad as it could be, considering the power and weight of the vehicle. And its right in line with competitors such as the Infiniti QX56 (13/18 mpg) and the Mercedes-Benz ML500 (15/19 mpg).

Whats New for 2007

The Cadillac Escalade ESV is completely redesigned for 2007. Its about the same size as last years model but features an all-new fully boxed frame, a 403-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 and a significantly upgraded interior.

Pricing for the 2007 Cadillac Escalade ESV

2007 Cadillac Escalade ESV $54,736 $59,175