The 2021 Escalade is stuffed head to toe with new features and updates, bringing the luxury icon into a brand-new fifth generation. There’s plenty to say about the new Cadillac Escalade, and now, we’re picking out the SUV’s top five new features with the following GM Authority list.
Mechanical Upgrades
Thanks to a complete ground-up overhaul, the 2021 Escalade rocks a number of important mechanical upgrades, including the addition of a new independent rear suspension. This sophisticated setup offers myriad benefits to the ride quality and vehicle handling, but also provides more space inside the cabin (more on that shortly).
What’s more, the 2021 Escalade now offers the turbodiesel 3.0L I-6 LM2 Duramax powerplant, which joins the lineup as a no-cost option with improved fuel mileage over the standard naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87.
More Space Inside
Luxury SUVs like the 2021 Escalade are all about cabin room, and Caddy’s newest utility is no different. As we’ve covered in our previous Dimensional Comparison pieces, the standard-length Escalade offers an extra 2.7 inches of second-row legroom and 10.1 inches of third-row legroom when compared to the previous generation. Cargo room is also up, with an extra 14.9 cubic-feet behind the first row, an extra 11.4 cubic-feet behind the second row, and an extra 10.3 cubic-feet behind the third row.
Meanwhile, the extended-length Cadillac ESV boasts an extra 2.1 inches of third-row legroom and an extra 2 inches of second-row legroom compared to the previous generation. Cargo room increases by 21.9 cubic-feet behind the first row, 17.4 cubic-feet behind the second row, and 2.2 cubic-feet behind the third row.
Massive Digital Display
The 2021 Escalade comes with a fresh cabin design that’s dominated by a massive high-resolution curved digital display on top of the dash. The display measures in at an eye-popping 38 inches, and features organic LED technology with twice the pixel density of a 4K television.
The display is actually comprised of three individual screens, including a 14.2-inch diagonal gauge cluster, a 7.2-inch touch control driver information display, and a 16.9-inch diagonal infotainment screen. It also gets a cool little Cadillac crest that lights up when the owner approaches the vehicle with the key fob at night.
Revised Trim Level Structure
The 2021 Escalade conforms to Cadillac’s Y trim level strategy, starting with the base-level Luxury, and branching off into the cushier Premium Luxury and performance-flavored Sport, thus giving buyers a chance to get the look they want without mucking about with packages.
Speaking of which, the high-end Platinum trim level from the previous-gen Escalade is now offered as a package, which means customers can pair the high-end Platinum features with either the Premium Luxury or the Sport, as desired.
Super Cruise
GM’s Super Cruise driver assist technology is now offered on the 2021 Escalade, adding yet another level of convenience with semi-autonomous hands-free highway driving. To note, Super Cruise will see late availability with the new Escalade.
What’s your favorite feature of the 2021 Escalade? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac Escalade news, Cadillac news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Road and Track magazine of concept cars they should have built; Buick’s Avista 2-door luxury coupe was one of them and the odd thing is that General Motors could still build the Avista given that it shares the same chassis used by the Chevrolet Camaro and Cadillac CT4.
The exterior is nice, but the interior certainly puts X7, Benz GLS, Lexus LX570 and all others to shame.
Interior is the best GM hi-tech knowledge (Chevy and GMC interiors are very conservative with almost zero inovations vs Caddy/Hyundai/Kia) but the exterior is just crappy Chevy style. Even Lincoln, Hyundai/Kia new models use more coherent and elegant design language. Last generation of GM SUVs looks more elegant than this new one.
What concerns me is the extreme that auto manufacturers across the board are doing to make the inside of automobiles so luxurious and so expensive. The market and today society is driving it in that direction but really do I need all of this in a vehicle? Yes, the safety, absolutely! But what I like about my 2010 Escalade is the HEATED/COOLED seats, the steering wheel controls, the A/C, the stereo system, the automatic lights, the auto mirrors, the auto start and I could go on but getting to luxury features like Volvo, Mercedes and some of these vehicles are going to seem a little extreme. Even General Motors, I like luxury features and convenience but paying more for my vehicle than I paid for my home, I have to question? For something that I am going to run errands in and go to work in, 100 k plus? I love my 2010 Escalade and I would absolutely love to upgrade to a Tahoe, because they are my favorite, but now a Tahoe well equipped cost more than my home! The fact that General motors does not put cooling seats on the vehicles except the very top of the line, that is insane! I live in the SOUTH! I rarely use my HEATED seats but use the heck out of the cooling seats! Why don’t they make a option for people in the South? Why don’t they put cooling seats on both the back and seat part of the seats! You have to buy the very top of the line just to get that feature! I want a Tahoe with that and with the extra lights, leather, but I don’t need the DVD in the back because I am single! It is just so hard to find what you want! In other words to get what you want! As I have said, I love General Motors vehicles but it is getting to the point that there are too many other options that you have to buy to get the options that you want on a vehicle and the price is still outrageous! Love you but can’t afford you!
Everything! Except the price.
I am ok with the interior. What I am not okay with is the price!
The Kia Telluride is an ugly SUV, inside an out, I’m not impress by it at all. I want people to stop comparing that ugly little s..t with GM’s wonderful new behemoths.
Just look at GM
It’s totally sad
They’re stuck in neutral
Not making cars and models that people really want
Corvette can’t save them
EVs won’t save them either – because they will end up making them with lackluster performance that no one will want
Plus given all the stuff going on with China they really need to pull out of China too
We don’t need to be funding China’s standard of living
I like the interior and increases in critical dimensions plus the diesel engine is a plus that Lincoln lacks in the Navigator. The exterior is less impressive to me a bit too dull and similar to the Chevy/GMC variants for my liking. Then their is the price. Yikes!
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