Used 2018 Cadillac Escalade for sale 

The 2018 Escalade is available in four trims: Standard, Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Platinum. The base trim comes with a wide array of equipment, but the Premium Luxury and Platinum models take this huge, lavish machine to another level. All the Escalade comes standard with a 6.2-liter V-8 engine mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard while you get the four-wheel drive as optional.

There is an extensive list of features that this full-size luxury boasts ranging from a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot to a 360-degree camera. Top trim Platinum priced at $95,090 (2WD) also gets premium leather upholstery, massaging front seats, power-retractable steps, a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system, and a built-in cooler.

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All the 2018 Escalade comes standard with a powerful V-8 engine so choosing between the trim basically depends upon the kind of features you want inside the vehicle. As all the Cadillac boasts an extensive list of features but to get the best interior we would suggest you go with the Premium Luxury trim. It comes with all the features of Luxury trim and adds a rear entertainment system and adaptive cruise control.

For the 2018 model year, the company has made major changes with Escalade’s powertrain. A 10-speed automatic transmission, jointly developed by General Motors and Ford replaces the previous model year’s 8-speed automatic transmission. The 6.2-liter V-8 engine is a monster of an engine and is more than enough to move this 5,500-pound SUV briskly. Quick acceleration lets you speed away from a stop easily.  While its towing capacity of 8,300 pounds is more than most other luxury SUVs.

Moreover, with 420 horses under its hood and 460 pound-feet of torque, it drives like a big, bulky truck. The V-8 feels incredibly burly and does not even slow down, even with the added heft of the extended-wheelbase ESV model. The 10-speed auto transmission feels incredibly smooth while shifting when more power is needed. You will not feel left behind on the highway as it merges into traffic easily.

The data indicates that the Cadillac Escalade SUV offers the most powerful engine in the segment with the maximum power output in comparison to its rivals. The Lincoln Navigator comes second in terms of power output and strong engine whereas, the Land Rover Range Rover despite being the most expensive model only performs moderately well. The GMC Yukon comes last in terms of performance. 

Acceleration and Handling

Despite its humongous size the 2018 Cadillac Escalade is the fastest of the lot and makes 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. It even beat others in quarter-mile as it takes only 14.6 seconds to cover the distance. Acceleration is easy and effortless.

Additionally, the ride quality and handling are adequate and feel responsive to throttle even at a low speed.  Overall, the Cadillac Escalade makes some intriguing points in terms of its acceleration. 

It is evident that the Cadillac Escalade is the fastest model in the segment o reach 0-60 MPH as well as the quarter-mile. It also offers the maximum top speed. The Land Rover Range Rover comes second in terms of acceleration and is the second-fastest model whereas, both the GMC Yukon and Lincoln Navigator offer a similar type of acceleration but the Lincoln Navigator is slightly relatively faster than the GMC Yukon. 

Braking

The Escalade’s ride quality is comfortable however you may feel the occasional bump over, particularly uneven roads. You get a stiff ride with the optional 22-inch wheel setup but the SUV holds its ground nicely thanks to its balanced steering. On the downside, the car-based SUV feels more athletic and comfy than the truck-based Escalade.

Magnetic Ride Control and rear-wheel drive come standard while four-wheel drive is optional. Brakes on the Escalade feel strong with an average stopping distance of 133-feet. The vehicle also nosedives a bit when strong brakes are applied.

In terms of braking performance, the Land Rover Range Rover offers the most responsive brakes which help to put the vehicle at a stop at the earliest. The Lincoln Navigator comes second and the Cadillac Escalade comes third in terms of its braking performance. The GMC Yukon has the least responsive brakes and takes the longest to come to a stop and hence, it ranks at last place in this segment. 

Towing and Payload Capacity

A luxury vehicle that can tow too and that to a massive 8,100 pounds with the four-wheel-drive while the rear-wheel-drive increases the capacity by 200 pounds is considered adequate. The towing and payload capacity is in tandem with the mighty engine.

The Lincoln Navigator and GMC Yukon meanwhile offer better towing capacity whereas, the Land Rover Range Rover offers the least towing capacity and comes last in the segment. One should go for the 2018 Escalade if one wants to tow a trailer while riding in upscale comfort with one's family.

Fuel economy? Who cares! Anyone who is buying this big, bulky, muscular SUV must be rich enough to spend that extra bucks on the fuel. Jokes apart, the Escalade with the V-8 engine has an EPA rating of 14 mpg city/23 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined which is not very impressive but then again, nobody buys luxury SUVs for their fuel economy.

The data indicates that the Landrover Range Rover offers the best figures in terms of fuel efficiency and therefore comes first in this segment. The Lincoln Navigator and GMC Yukon provides similar fuel economy which can be considered to be moderate but the Cadillac Escalade comes last in the segment for its poor mileage figures which is indicative of its poor cruising range. 

The interior quality has definitely improved in the 2018 Escalade with the interiors being made of expensive premium leather which makes the cabin look posh and expensive.  Apart from the premium leather, the attractiveness of the cabin comes from the occasional mesh of wooden trim and the hard plastic center console which surprisingly doesn't look cheap. Moreover, getting in and out of this SUV is easy with ample space in the first two rows but when it comes to the third row, it feels a  bit tight. All the controls are within reach and visibility is good and parking this massive SUV is immensely easy, you will never feel the need for blind-spot monitoring, parking sensor, and backup camera.

Inside the cabin of the Escalade, it feels quiet but the occasional bumpy ride quality and mediocre seats add some negative points. In terms of the third-row seats, there is not enough thigh support and it is not comfortable for long drives. Although, there is a good amount of headroom and legroom in the first and second row which you would rather expect from an SUV this size. The shoulder room in all three rows feels narrow. 

GMC Yukon which is priced much less than the Cadillac and offers plenty of space for eight people and is a better alternative. Size-wise the Yukon matches the GMC neck-to-neck but you get more rear shoulder room and value for money in the GMC.

Cargo Space

The 2018 Cadillac Escalade SUV provides a cargo of 15.2 cubic feet behind the third-row seats, 51.6 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 94.2 cubic feet overall. The cargo capacity is impressive for a full-size SUV.  Additionally, the ESV model with a long-wheelbase, however, increases the cargo capacity, with 39.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 76.7 with the second row folded and 120.9 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The data provided indicates that the Lincoln Navigator offers the maximum cargo capacity and therefore emerges as the winner in this segment. The GMC Yukon comes second and although the Cadillac Escalade offers a decent amount of cargo it takes the last spot without taking into consideration the cargo space of the Land Rover since we have incomplete details about its space.

Infotainment

Everything inside looks worthy of the Escalade’s price with an attractive 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system although it feels slow to respond to the inputs and difficult to navigate.

Even the touch-sensitive buttons on the center stack feel sluggish therefore, the infotainment system feels like a letdown in this otherwise decent model. The CUE (Cadillac User Experience) infotainment system includes:

• Bluetooth connectivity
• Satellite radio
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Navigation
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Five USB-ports
• Wireless device charging
• 16-speaker sound system

The 2018 Cadillac Escalade is the big boss of GM’s luxury line-up. It is one of the most recognizable Cadillac on the road today thanks to its slanting edges and daunting stance. There is also no denying the fact that this SUV boasts more swagger than any other vehicle that has hit the road.

Its unmistakable styling is evident from every angle and it shares much of its structure with the Chevy Tahoe, Suburban, and the GMC Yukon. Moreover, the exterior styling is handsomely brash and has sharp angular lines and edges which makes it quite a looker. It is impossible to miss the presence of the 2018 Cadillac Escalade SUV on the roads.

You get a full-led headlight with four crystals that act as a high beam, giving radiant light. Long vertical taillight also gets LEDs which makes it easy to follow the Escaladed when visibility is low. The aerodynamic rear spoiler adds a sporting flair to this SUV. It is, however, smaller than the Lincoln Navigator in size but the ESV model is about two feet longer than the standard model making it one of the largest in class. Some of the defining exteriors features of the 2018 Cadillac Escalade SUV are:

• Chrome laden taillights
• Chrome laden grills
• LED headlights
• Black molded splash guard
• Polished aluminum wheels
• Sunroof  

The NHSTA has rated the 2018 Cadillac Escalade with a four-star rating overall while the SUV scored a “Basic” rating for the front crash prevention test conducted by the IIHS. Both the organization have not conducted a full crash test on the Escalade yet and we will be updating the page as soon as the ratings arrive.

Safety features

The 2018 Escalade come equipped with an innovative airbag placed between the front seats designed to protect the passenger from colliding with each other. A new feature enables the SUV to park itself at the press of a button, which is a boon while driving in congested conditions. Cadillac has fitted the Escalade with several levels of safety that can detect if someone is trying to steal the car by breaking the glass or towing it. This system sounds the alarm and prevents the vehicle from starting or moving.

• Driver Air Bag
• Passenger Air Bag
• Front Head Air Bag
• Rear Head Air Bag
• Electronic Stability Control
• Front Side Air Bag
• 4-wheel ABS
• 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
• Child Safety Lock
• Integrated Turn Signal Mirrors
• Adjustable Pedals
• Traction Control

Land Rover Range Rover vs Cadillac Escalade

If you want a luxury SUV without three-row seating then go for the Land Rover Range Rover. It has a better fuel economy than the Escalade especially when equipped with the turbodiesel engine. The Land over also offers a luxurious ride and can take even the toughest trails.

A four-wheel drive is standard on all its models which are otherwise optional on Escalade. All these features do come at a price as the Range Rover has a higher starting price than the Cadillac.

GMC Yukon vs Cadillac Escalade

Both these vehicles are similar in many ways and the Yukon’s Denali trim feels like an Escalade under a different name. Yukon and Escalade both offer two wheelbase options, a V-8 engine, and plush interior although. GMC Yukon also comes with a soft-touch surface and high-grade material, including real woods and leather.

It’s the price that makes both the SUV part ways as the Yukon is tens of thousands of dollars cheaper than the Escalade. Even if you choose the top-trim Denali you will save thousands of dollars with similar features.

Lincoln Navigator vs Cadillac Escalade

Both the Escalade and Navigator are full-grown SUVs with truck-based, body-on-frame construction. They are available in extended-wheelbase versions with additional cargo capacity behind third-row. The key difference between the two is that Lincoln has redesigned the Navigator for 2018 while the Escalade remains the same since 2015.

The V-6 engine on the Navigator is more fuel-efficient and it is also more spacious inside. With more cargo space, towing capacity, and lower base price, Lincoln marches ahead of the Cadillac.

The 2018 Cadillac Escalade is the epitome of full-size SUVs and pairs itself with a luxurious interior along with excellent towing capacity. However,  its trucklike body-on-frame is a big disadvantage as the SUV compromises on ride quality over uneven pavements and does not feel confident over corners like other car-based SUVs. On the positive side, while other SUV manufacturers are downsizing, the Escalade ESV with a longer wheelbase proves bigger is better, providing more cargo and interior space. The Cadillac boasts one of the best interiors in the class however the infotainment system is a bit letdown. Regardless, the Escalade is the best looking and the quickest in the segment and ranks high as compared to rivals. Therefore, the 2018 Cadillac Escalade SUV is definitely here to stay and will provide satisfaction to the long-term followers of the brand.