Used 2020 Cadillac Escalade for sale 

For the year 2020, the Cadillac Escalade will be available in four different trims. There’s the entry-level Base variant followed by the Luxury, Premium Luxury and Platinum taking the top spot. The price for the base variant with the rear-wheel-drive starts at a little over $75,000. While the top of the range Platinum variant costs over $92,000.

All-wheel-drive variants are about $3,000 more expensive across the range. Only for the Platinum version, the price of both drivetrains remains the same. Also the same on all trims is a 6.2-liter V8 engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission.

All variants are very well equipped with features that are standard throughout. There are also a few optional packages on offer too. There’s the Sport package which wraps the grille in black, and the other Driver Awareness package for a bundle of safety features. The 2020 Cadillac offers a decent value for money as far as trims and their features are concerned.

Which trim to go for?

If premium leather is not an utmost necessity for you, the Platinum Luxury variant is the best Escalade. It gets adaptive cruise control along with several other trim exclusive bells and whistles. It is the best overall package with an able engine and basic safety and comfort features. The all-wheel-drive Premium Luxury Escalade will cost you $88,195, while the rear-wheel-drive version is a good $3,000 cheaper.

The 2020 Cadillac Escalade is powered by the same ol’ 6.2-liter V8. This engine makes 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. torque. The V8 is the only powertrain option that gets along with this Cadillac. Also, an only option on the Escalade is a ten-speed automatic transmission.

The powertrain and transmission together send power to the rear wheels of the Escalade. The rear-wheel-drive system is standard on this year’s Cadillac too. The other all-wheel-drive unit is an option that’s going to cost you $3,000 over the base. The Navigator stands out from the rest, as it packs the highest power figures out from the segment with a comparatively smaller 3.5L engine, which is actually pretty commendable on Lincoln's part.

How fast is the Cadillac Escalade?

The 10-speed automatic transmission shifts seamlessly and manages to hustle this big SUV without a fuss. Although, one would have to mash the accelerator to get the Escalade into its sweet spot. Once max power is attained, i.e., somewhere around the 4,000-5,500 rpm mark, this Cadillac moves as if it were a race car.

The Bavarians have undoubtedly the fastest cars in their lineup. The 2020 X7 holds BMW's integrity intact, with being the fastest out of the said segment. It does 0-60 in 5.2 seconds and crosses the quarter-mile barrier in 13.2 seconds. The Escalade’s weight does take a toll on its performance. Steady acceleration can be maintained only along straight lines. So the Escalade might prove pretty handy for a stint on the dragstrip, but it’s highly recommended that you steer clear of the racetrack.

What about the braking performance of the Cadillac Escalade?

Cadillac has equipped the Escalade with relatively bigger sized brake rotor discs, 13-inches in the front and 13.6-inches in the back. However, to counter the weight of such a heavy SUV the brakes ought to be strong. From whatever is known so far, the brake pedal is pretty smooth for an SUV this big.

The feel from the pedal and the response from the brakes, in general, is adequately smooth and strong at the same time. So much so that one would appreciate driving the Escalade on an everyday commute around the city or on highways. The Escalade has a competitive stopping distance of 133 ft. BMW X7, on the other hand, takes the least distance to come to a halt.

What about its driving dynamics?

Cadillac has adequately equipped the 2020 Escalade to counter its tall and long design and the heavy weight that results from it. All Escalades get 20-inch wheels and adaptive dampers as standard. The ground clearance of this SUV is also decent.

While cruising along at highway speeds, the 2020 Cadillac feels composed. The magnetic ride control shocks along with the 20-inch wheels soften blows from most bumps, and even the optional 22-inch wheels imbibes confidence in the driver.

Nevertheless, this Cadillac is not as comfortable as its price would suggest. The Escalade, due to its low-hanging front bumper, crashed into harsh undulations on roads, and their impact was very much felt inside the cabin.

So, the 2020 Cadillac Escalade tries but in general fails in trying to be an adequately comfortable SUV. On the flip side, on high speeds along straight roads, the Escalade benefits from its weight. It stays planted and the steering is responsive. But not so much that you should dive in and out of corners.

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How does the Cadillac Escalade fare in the safety tests conducted by the IIHS?

The 2020 Escalade’s V8 has to pump a lot of fuel to get this seven-seater up and running. So this Cadillac isn’t the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the road. The Escalade is best suited for cruising along on the interstates. With an MPG rating of 23 miles per gallon on the highways, the 2020 Escalade is an efficient cruiser.

However, those MPG ratings are achieved when this Cadillac rides on the rear-wheel-drive system. When paired with the all-wheel drivetrain, those ratings drop to 21 miles per gallon on highways. In general, the 2020 Escalade’s fuel-efficiency is only average. The Lincoln Navigator is the segment leader in this case.

The 2020 Escalade should have a spacious cabin as its appearance would suggest, and it does. Space in the front row is well above average. The front seats have a lot of power adjustment features too. On the more expensive trim, you can have the front seats with massage function.

Leather upholstery is standard across the range. On the Platinum variant, an even more upgraded leather takes over. Even in the last row, space, in general, is decent, which is surprising because the second row hardly has enough space. As a matter of fact, the amount of space available in the second and third row is almost similar. 

So overall comfort in this otherwise big SUV is compromised. What hasn’t been compromised is to give the Escalade a fairly premium feel on the inside. The quality of material used even on the base variant gives a rather pleasant feel.

Does it come loaded with tech inside?

Standard on the 2020 Cadillac Escalade is an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard features. The infotainment setup in the Escalade comes with a new user experience known as CUE(Cadillac User Experience), which feels sluggish and slow to respond at times. The system features:

• HD radio
• Bluetooth Connection
• Bose speakers
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• Five USB-ports
• 16-speaker sound system
• Wireless device charging

What about the utility quotient?

The 2020 Cadillac Escalade claims a towing capacity of almost 8,300 pounds. Courtesy of its massive 6.2-liter V8. The 2020 Escalade gets a 15.2 cubic feet trunk.  But looking closely, you'll notice that it’s not just the second row that is devoid of space. The Escalade’s cargo capacity is far too disappointing for a car this big.

As compared to the other mega-SUVs in this segment, this seven-seater has the third biggest trunk. It almost makes you wonder why the Escalade appears to be so big from the outside. Again, the Navigator drives to the top of this segment with the highest cargo capacity of 20.9 cubic feet.

Creature comforts on offer in the Cadillac Escalade

The 2020 Escalade justifies its $75,000 price tag with all the comfort features that it loads up this ride with. Even the Base version is well equipped with comfort features like:

• Steering wheel controls
• Power liftgate
• Power mirrors
• Automatic parking
• Three-zone automatic climate control
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated rear seats
• Adaptive suspension
• Bose speakers

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What are the different safety features on offer with the Cadillac Escalade?

The 2020 Cadillac Escalade is definitely hard to miss. After all, we’re so used to seeing them lined up as convoys. But there’s no denying that the Escalade has a presence, and it looks at its absolute best when dressed in black.

On the front is the big, bold grille that houses the swept-black headlights, and the boxy shape reminds us of a Tahoe or Suburban. It’s all that chrome which gives the Escalade its own identity.

Things on the side are rather simple. The boxy shape follows along the sides of this Cadillac. The large 20-inch wheels take center stage. But with the other 22-inch wheels, the Escalade looks as if it were ready for take-off.

Moving over to the back, the Escalade appears even bigger. The big tailgate features the Cadillac logo in the center of a chrome strip that seems to separate the rear windshield from the rest of it. At the bottom left corner is the Escalade branding also in chrome. Putting together the entire back end of this Cadillac are Eldorado-inspired tail lights.

The most attractive exterior features of the 2020 Escalade are:

• Bold grille
• Swept-black headlights
• 20-inch 7-spoke chrome alloy wheels
• Eldorado inspired tail lights
• Capless fueling system
• An acoustic windshield and Rear Privacy glass
• Active Aero Grille Shutters

Most manufacturers are trying their best, to make their car safer and safer, with every passing day. Cadillac is at the forefront of doing these changes and considering the importance of the safety of their occupants, Cadillac is adding a ton load of safety features as standard. The 2020 Cadillac Escalade has yet not been crash-tested by the IIHS, although NHTSA, has rated it pretty well enough on all parameters, except on the rollover parameter. Other than that the list of safety features on this seven-seater is rather small:

• 7 Airbags
• Automatic Parking Assist
• ESC with Traction Control
• Enhanced Auto Emergency Braking with Forward Collision Alert
• Front and Rear Park Assist
• Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone alert
• Rear Camera Mirror washer and Cross Traffic Alert
• Reverse Automatic Braking
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System with Tire Fill Alert
• Surround Vision Camera

Cadillac Escalade vs. Lincoln Navigator

The Lincoln Navigator is a very hard to beat contender. It’s not only better than the Escalade, it better than all the other SUVs in this face-off. With its best in class fuel efficiency and segment-leading cargo capacity, the Navigator justifies its price-tag and shares true to its case.

Cadillac Escalade vs. Infiniti QX80

This a face-off where the American born Cadillac shines through. The Escalade manages to overshadow the QX80 with much ease. It boasts a bigger engine, its trunk is bigger and the fuel economy is almost the same. But the Infiniti offers much of what the Escalade does. Only it offers all that at a much cheaper rate. The QX80 is a good $10,000 less expensive than the Escalade.

All things put together, the 2020 Cadillac Escalade is better than average in this lineup of seven-seater SUVs. It has been very cleverly priced. It looks good. Even the entry-level variant is very well loaded with features. However, it does have its own limits. But none of them are too big to undermine this big SUVs overall presence.