2019 Cadillac Escalade

Cadillac's premium luxury SUV goes for premium prices and sits close to the likes of Land Rover's Range Rover when you opt for a Platinum model. The standard features list, performance, and overall space of the 2019 Escalade add greatly to its overall value proposition, but at the price Cadillac's asking, you'd expect to see better interior materials as well as fit and finish. The base model starts at $75,195 and rises to $78,195 for the AWD car. Luxury models jump to $80,795 for RWD models, with an increase of $3,000 for the AWD. Premium Luxury models will set you back $85,195 in RWD guise and $88,195 for AWD. The Platinum trim gets close to the $100k mark with the RWD starting at $94,295 and ending with AWD models at $97,295.

Driving the 2019 Escalade was a mixed experience that confirmed its strong points, but highlighted some issues that are difficult to ignore, especially in this price range. The Escalade comes fitted with adaptive dampers as standard, and over smooth road surfaces and highway surfaces, it glides beautifully but falls on its face at the first sign of a road imperfection. The Escalade gets completely unnerved over bumpy terrain, which is directly transferred to the cabin, and resembles the scuttle shake you get in more traditional convertible cars. The big SUV feels planted around sweeping corners but shows pronounced understeer when pushed too hard, even in RWD spec. The electronically assisted power steering offers effortless steering, which is great for navigating the streets of Hollywood but becomes a nuisance on the open road where the Escalade starts to wander out of its lane if you're not concentrating. The braking system does a good job of stopping the big Caddy and doesn't display any signs of brake fade during demanding driving situations.

The Cadillac Escalade has become a surprisingly successful status symbol, and takes up a position next to much more expensive and accomplished cars, purely based on its place in popular culture. That's not to say that the 2019 Escalade doesn't provide a luxurious experience. Even in base trim, the Escalade offers a lot of creature comforts, and while the 6.2-liter V8 might not be the most advanced or efficient power plant out there, it moves the Escalade around with convincing verve. With an asking price starting in the high $70,000s, the Escalade could do with some improvement on the inside, especially with material choices and finish, as well as the low-speed ride quality that can get choppy; but, it's overall presence and the cool-factor make up for these issues. In the wise words of 2Pac and Dr. Dre, California knows how to party, and so does the Escalade.

Cadillac has certainly scored some points by offering its base model luxury SUV with a number of premium features as standard. Details such as a power rear liftgate, rain-sensing window wipers, and a 16-speaker Bose sound system are all welcomed additions, but the base model is let down by its lack of active safety systems. Step up to the Luxury model, and for a price increase of $5,600, when opting for the RWD model, you not only get niceties such as second-row power-release and fold seats, but more importantly you get the Driver Awareness Package which adds forward collision avoidance, forward emergency braking, lane keep and lane change assistance as well as rear cross-traffic alert and auto headlights. The Luxury then represents the most value for money, even though it misses out on some nice-to-haves such as a rear-seat infotainment system.

The Chevy Tahoe isn't considered a luxury SUV, at least not in base to midrange configuration, but the Premier trim model may start to look appealing to those looking for a large premium SUV. The Tahoe is powered by a smaller 5.3-liter V8 producing 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. Fuel consumption figures read 15/22/18, which is comparable to the Escalade. Interior dimensions and cargo space capacities are shared between the two cars; however, the Tahoe is classified as an eight-seater, as opposed to the seven-seater status of the Escalade. The Tahoe provides a similar driving experience but doesn't match the Escalade in terms of outright luxury. Both cars have a spotted safety record, but the Tahoe has been proven to be a more reliable car. If luxury is more important than utility, go for the Escalade.

The Navigator is a close competitor for the Escalade, and they are priced very similarly. Unlike the Escalade, which is powered by an all-American N/A V8, the Navigator is motivated by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, which produces a mighty 450 hp and around 500 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear or all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. Despite being more powerful, the Lincoln gets better gas mileage, returning 16/23/19 mpg, which is a few miles per gallon better than the Escalade. Where the Escalade has more passenger room in the front, the Navigator dominates in the back and also offers more trunk and cargo space to boot. The Lincoln scores an impressive 91 on the J.D. Power rating scale. The Navigator might not have the flashy name which the Escalade hangs on to, but it offers the same experience, but with a better engine and more interior and overall cargo space.