Photo: Cadillac
Following the Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, and Yukon XL, the Escalade has been redesigned from the ground up for the 2021 model year. Two wheelbase options are available just like before, but Cadillac has certainly stepped up its game when it comes to online configurations.
“Interact with the 2021 Escalade” is how the automaker tries to convince you into exploring and customizing the full-sized SUV. The button that gets you to the configuration page says “launch experience” instead of “build.” Indeed, marketing works in mysterious ways…
Firing up the visualizer presents you with a three-dimensional animation of the ‘Lade and three words: Premium, Luxury, and Platinum. On the other hand, the official list of trim levels from Cadillac contains five options, ranging from the Luxury to the Platinum Sport.
Clicking on Premium, Luxury, and Platinum gets you to a landing page for the Escalade, where you can opt to configure your luxobarge once again. Ignoring the somewhat sloppy web design, the 360-degree visualizer allows you to pick between four wheel options, eight colors for the exterior, and three color combinations for the interior. Curiously, that’s all!
Cadillac hasn’t implemented the functionalities to add an equipment package or choose the engine you prefer, which goes to show that General Motors could do better with such an important launch next time around. On the suck-squeeze-bang-blow front, the small-block V8 with 6.2 liters of displacement is standard across the range. Customers who prefer fueling with diesel can get the Duramax inline-six, rated at 460 pound-feet of torque.
Independent rear suspension may be standard too, but Magnetic Ride Control and air-ride adaptive suspension aren’t in the case of the entry-level Luxury trim. As a matter of fact, you can’t even get those two unless you level up to the Premium Luxury and higher-priced grades.
Regardless of engine, the ‘Lade comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission that General Motors co-developed with Ford a few years ago. The final drive ratio for both powerplants is 3.23, gearing that’s better suited for highway cruising. There’s no 3.42 option for improved performance, but then again, the Escalade has never been about straight-line acceleration.
Firing up the visualizer presents you with a three-dimensional animation of the ‘Lade and three words: Premium, Luxury, and Platinum. On the other hand, the official list of trim levels from Cadillac contains five options, ranging from the Luxury to the Platinum Sport.
Clicking on Premium, Luxury, and Platinum gets you to a landing page for the Escalade, where you can opt to configure your luxobarge once again. Ignoring the somewhat sloppy web design, the 360-degree visualizer allows you to pick between four wheel options, eight colors for the exterior, and three color combinations for the interior. Curiously, that’s all!
Cadillac hasn’t implemented the functionalities to add an equipment package or choose the engine you prefer, which goes to show that General Motors could do better with such an important launch next time around. On the suck-squeeze-bang-blow front, the small-block V8 with 6.2 liters of displacement is standard across the range. Customers who prefer fueling with diesel can get the Duramax inline-six, rated at 460 pound-feet of torque.
Independent rear suspension may be standard too, but Magnetic Ride Control and air-ride adaptive suspension aren’t in the case of the entry-level Luxury trim. As a matter of fact, you can’t even get those two unless you level up to the Premium Luxury and higher-priced grades.
Regardless of engine, the ‘Lade comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission that General Motors co-developed with Ford a few years ago. The final drive ratio for both powerplants is 3.23, gearing that’s better suited for highway cruising. There’s no 3.42 option for improved performance, but then again, the Escalade has never been about straight-line acceleration.
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