The 2024 Cadillac Escalade is set to receive a mid-cycle refresh for the new model year, bringing about updates to the exterior, interior and powertrain. While details regarding this upcoming revision have been few and far between, spy photographs have spotted an interesting feature in 2024 Escalade prototypes, a column-mounted shift lever.
Currently, the Escalade features the Electronic Precision Shift console-mounted lever setup. However, General Motors is gradually moving towards column-mounted shift levels to free up space on the center console for storage, cupholders, or buttons/controls. In this spy shot, the chrome button on the tip of the level is the Park button.
The Escalade won’t be the only GM full-size SUV to receive this small, but notable update. The 2024 Chevy Tahoe and 2024 Chevy Suburban, as well as the 2024 GMC Yukon, are also expected to receive this feature.
In regard to upcoming electric vehicles, most GM EVs will get a column-mounted shift levels, including the Chevy Equinox EV, Chevy Blazer EV, Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV and Cadillac Lyriq. However, the GMC Hummer EV Pickup and GMC Hummer EV SUV will feature the console-mounted shifter.
2024 Cadillac Escalade prototype
In regard to the mid-cycle refresh of the 2024 Cadillac Escalade, the front and rear fascias will feature revisions, along with a redesigned dashboard. Notably, the refreshed Caddy full-size SUV will be available with 24-inch rollers.
2024 Cadillac Escalade prototype
As far as powertrain specifications go, two of the three engines are expected to move forward from the 2023 model to the 2024 Cadillac Escalade with no changes. This includes the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engine, rated at 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, and the supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4, rated at 682 horsepower and 653 pound-feet of torque and used in the Escalade-V.
Meanwhile, the optional 3.0L I6 LM2 turbodiesel Duramax – rated at 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque – is expected to be replaced by the updated 3.0L I6 LZ0 Duramax engine, rated at 305 horses and 495 pound-feet of torque. The GM 10-speed automatic transmission will be equipped regardless of engine option.
2024 Cadillac Escalade prototype
Under the skin, the Escalade rides on the same GM T1 platform that underpins all GM full-size SUVs. Production of the 2024 Escalade is expected to kick off in November 2023 at the GM Arlington plant in Texas.
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Comments
This is welcome news. Apparently GM is listening to real customers, who use trucks and utility vehicles as they were intended, instead of fanboys on the internet that think everything should have a console mounted shifter so they can play race car driver. Now I can only hope that GM gets rid of the console shifter in the Sierra Denali before I’m ready to by my next one in a year or two.
You do realize it’s a shift stalk…
What is a “shift level”
when it is level it is in go mode 🙂
Which saying fits better? Back to the future, The more things change the more they stay the same, Been there done that.
So the wiper controls would go back to the other side then?
Thank goodness…console shifters take up too much storage space…all GM products should be column mounted except for “sports” cars….
Shifters, whether full mechanical or electronic stalk, belong on the column. I never understood the reasoning for taking up space on a console for a shifter in anything but a manual transmission vehicle. I wouldn’t even be opposed to a column mounted manual shifter, but I know that’s a bit to archaic for today’s consumers. When my father, a GM Saginaw Steering engineer, bought his Buick Lucerne, he did so for two reasons: the 3800 Series III and a column shifter. I’ve since inherited the vehicle, and actually sold my 2019 Volkswagen to daily drive the Lucerne. The bench-style bucket seating offers enormous amounts of leg room and comfort due to the shifter being column mounted. All of my current vehicles have a column (or dash mounted in the Corvair’s instance) shifter, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Excellent news. Now if it can trickle down to the pick up trucks and the midsize trucks (which desperately need this) it would be fantastic. No reason to have a console shifter taking up space. It doesn’t look good, it is useless in its execution. Bring on the shifter stalk and keep it that way across the board.
It should be an option! The column looks dated in a vehicle such as this! How much space do you need?
This isn’t a column, it is a stalk. Look at Mercedes, look at Tesla or many other luxury car makers and even big rig trucks, it is a small stalk you push up or down that you can’t tell the difference at a quick glance from a turn signal or wiper stalk.
While yes a big column shift looks a little out of place in a luxury car (hence the attractive and useful stalk), they are fantastic is a full size truck and suv.
You can never have enough room/storage. Those console shifters take up so much space around it. Now you have space for two mid size cups, a wireless phone charger and a little nic nak trey when you have a console shifter. Remove that and you can fit four cups (I am not big on that but the wife likes her coffee and water and I have a water so we have 3 drinks in the car many of times if not 4 and I grab a tea), tons more storage for anything from pens to cables, tissues and so on. When you pick up some grub you have a place to set it and hold it or eat it if on a road trip as opposed to your lap or sitting on the floor hoping it doesn’t spill over.
This should be the way all vehicles go especially those that are smaller. There is really no downside. More are doing it and becoming intuitive to use, it is already second nature from the decade of a column shift, it is the shortest distance to the computer hub and it frees up a lot of space.
You can always get a cup holder shifter if you feel the need but no one shifts manually any more, so why waste it with three movements a drive?
Now I know I’m not buying one now! They going backwards once again! Bye
Dumb idea. The shifter belongs in the center console. Just how much space does one need in the center console. Seems pretty generous in my 2021 Escalade now. Much easier to control in the center console.
What is easier to control? You touch the gear shifter 3 times a drive. P to R, R to D and D to P. They have active grade braking for steep hills and the still have manual controls for if you want to manually select a gear which 98% don’t do. Console shifters are ugly and you can’t have enough space. The buttons in our Denali are great, took all of two drives to get used to it and it is second nature now. I could do a J turn with it if needed. Dial, buttons, stalk or column, anything is preferred over a console shifter.
Bring back LED cornering lights on the Escalade too!
GM just redesigned this interior for the fifth generation Cadillac Escalade and did an outstanding job. I always wanted an Escalade but could never get myself to spend an extra $20000 plus to get the same interior as a Denali or a Tahoe, but now I’m am glad I waited for this generation. I have a 2022 premium luxury platinum and love the console shifter which they just moved to the console for this generation, why would they move it back to an outdated column shifter, this vehicle is enormous inside needing more room in a vehicle of this magnitude is bull$hit! Obviously looking to cut costs but will not cut the price in the process, IMHO!
But will they make the seats wider and the console narrower for our wider bodies and manspreading, or even comfortable three abreast seating in such a wide vehicle?
My first two cars had column shifters… I liked them and never had a problem with them. My 1997 Chevy lumina had a nice 60/40 front seats… I wish cars would offer that again instead of BMW hug your back seats and everything has to be a sports car even trucks.
Yes absolutely.. I have a 2023 XT6 & I wrote GM and put it in my 45 minute JD Power survey on how both the Escalade (my friends) & my XT6 are setup wrong for as much as they cost.. the park button on the shifter in the XT6 should 100% not be there.. I have throw myself into park so many time with my hand on the shifter.. its just odd
Tesla Y works great, go try it.
I am just glad that “gated”. Shifters are a thing of the past imagine being in the wrong gear the whole time not to mention they broke all the time. My 2010 equinox shifter is fine straight up and down PRND.. that’s it nothing fancy except manual mode which I never use. Oh least I forgot Cadillac with que and the other luxury brands with the attri knob no yhanks. But this new shifter looks promising .
Column-mounted shifters also have a place in cop cars too, so shut the hell up already!