Jay Leno Drives the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V, Can't Stop Smiling

Of course, the fact that the Escalade-V is not your regular soccer mom hauler also helps. First unveiled in 2022, the Escalade-V is not only a mean-looking SUV, but it also shares the mighty supercharged LT4 V8 with the CT5-V Blackwing. Rated at 682 horsepower and 653 pound-feet (885 Nm) of torque, the Escalade-V is the most powerful full-size SUV out there as of April 2023.

In addition to that, it's also the most powerful Cadillac ever produced and it has enough oomph to give the cool Dodge Durango Hellcat (710 horsepower) a run for its money. Did I mention that it needs less than 4.4 seconds to hit 60 mph (97 kph)? Or that it can cover the quarter-mile in 12.7 seconds at 110 mph (177 kph)? Granted, it's nowhere near as quick as an all-electric hauler, but these figures are quite impressive for a rig that tips the scales at more than 5,600 pounds (2,540 kg).

And according to Jay Leno, it's a hoot to drive. He's so excited about Cadillac's latest hauler that he can't stop smiling during his stint behind the wheel. And he even goes as far as to say that the Escalade-V is the result of the golden age of muscle cars we are experiencing right now. And he actually has a point.

Back in the 1960s, muscle cars were mostly about brute horsepower. Sure, Detroit was offering all sorts of packages that made them a bit more agile at high speed, but they were still rather difficult to drive. Nowadays, American muscle cars are not only ridiculously fast, but they also handle much better than before. And while it's not a muscle car, the Escalade-V is probably more agile than a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner.

The SUV dropped by his garage with Brandon Vivian, Cadillac's Executive Chief Engineer, behind the steering wheel. And he used the opportunity to talk about how the Escalade-V evolved from a crazy idea to a production model.

Finally, before he jumps into the SUV to give it a good rev, Jay talks about his love for classic Cadillacs and how his 1918 Type 57 is powered by one of the greatest V8 engines ever produced. As a brief reminder, Cadillac pioneered the first mass-produced V8 engine in 1914. But Leno shares that he also loves his second-generation CTS-V. Find out more about that and watch him enjoy the Escalade-V in the video below.