Caddy’s all-new 2105 escalade takes exterior visual cues from classic tail-fin models in a witty attempt to court a younger audience

Crossover Caddys have largely had a difficult time of it in the brand’s 113-year history. First came the visually and mechanically insulting chopped bodies in the years following the fossil fuel crisis of 1973, then the weird, bustle-back 1980 Seville, which almost single-handedly destroyed a great line. Embarrassments were added in an attempt to take on the Mercedes roadster concept in the form of a stubby, dull 1987 Allante coupe, followed by, of course, one of the worst cars of all time—the 1981-1988 Cimarron compact (essentially a Chevrolet Cavalier with a Caddy crest stuck on the hood). It stood to reason, then, that the old-fella buying public still faithful to the marque was nervous when Caddy decided to take on an entirely new market sector when it rolled out the Escalade in 1998. At first, it had reason to be, because the first models were essentially duplicates of the GMC Denali (with requisite Caddy tufting and badging)…but over time, the ultra-luxury SUV developed real personality, and a loyal following. Sales hit a high of 62,206 in 2006 and 60,900 the next year, but then the recession hit, resulting in an Escalade sales plunge of a stunning 56% between 2007 and 2009.

Efforts have been made since in the third-generation design model to inject some excitement into the concept, but sales continue to waver, and revenues are still solidly less than half of peak days. The time was nigh to attempt boldness, and in the fourth-generation model, that’s exactly what we have.

There are interior refinements, to be sure, including an increase in headroom and a general streamlining approach that seems more carthan SUV-conscious, but it is in exterior design where this year marks a true turning point. A total of 142 LEDs now make up the light arrays, including a nearly three-foot-foot long tail section that looks for all the world like the mighty fins of the classic deVille models. Exterior Lighting Design Manager Martin Davis added in a press statement that “…the light signature draws inspiration from a variety of sources, beginning with Cadillac’s heritage of vertical exterior lamps and extending into architecture… Now we have the ability to style the look with LEDs, and are only limited by our imagination.”

Inside, leather unites with wood in a treatment fit for a designer bag or boot. Front seats are cooled, and both front and second row seats are heated. The power-folding third row is convenient, while the dashboard centerpiece is Caddy’s own tablet-esque CUE touchscreen system (a 12.3-inch display that can be activated by voice, touch, and swiping gesture). An optional head-up display that projects selected info over the hood is offered, along with a 16-speaker Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound System.

GM’s 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V8, good for 420 horsepower, is able and smooth, and the Escalade corners better than the previous generation, but again, it’s design here that will either win or lose the day for the king of SUVs. In exuberance of approach and willingness to take risks, there’s reason to think Caddy now has a winner around the corner.

Malouf Cadillac
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