2020 Cadillac Escalade Review

Name: 2020 Cadillac Escalade Review
Brand: Cadillac
Price: 47000 USD

2020 Cadillac Escalade Platinum 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

2020 Cadillac Escalade Premium Luxury 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

+368

The Escalade used to be the benchmark of the segment. But as other manufacturers advance the art, the Escalade trots along. Its V8 engine and bold styling are strengths, and the interior isn't far behind. Improvements to ride, handling and cargo space, however, are needed to keep it in the mix.

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2020 Cadillac Escalade Review

byMark Takahashi^{Correspondent
Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the Edmunds YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.}

Pros

Strong V8 engine is never at a loss for power
Robust towing capacity
Cabin remains quiet regardless of road conditions

Cons

Less refined ride and seat comfort than other luxury SUVs
Low handling limits and heavy steering
High, uneven cargo floor makes loading objects difficult

What's new

Last year's dual-screen rear entertainment system has been discontinued
Part of the fourth Escalade generation introduced for 2015

Overview

If you're in the market for a large luxury SUV, the 2020 Cadillac Escalade is likely on your short list. Few other luxury SUVs have as much roadside presence or established history. Thanks to its truck-based origins, the Escalade combines a burly V8 engine with a towing capacity that maxes out at a stout 8,300 pounds. You also get an impressively quiet cabin, three rows of seating, and plenty of features. But this big SUV does come up short in a few areas.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Cadillac Escalade 4dr SUV (6.2L 8cyl 10A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$308/mo

$254/mo

Avg. Large SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

Much of it comes down to those truck-based origins. The Escalade's ride quality and handling capabilities aren't as refined as what you get from nearly all other luxury SUVs. We're also no fans of the Escalade's cargo space, which is small and hard to load with heavy or bulky items.

The Escalade is only five years into its current generation, but its age is definitely showing. Spy shots of a new Escalade redesign are circulating, which may help you decide whether to wait for the next-gen Escalade or shop the competition. In the meantime, we suggest checking out the Lincoln Navigator and the Mercedes-Benz GLS since both are more appealing SUVs overall.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Below Average

6.9

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.0/10

How does the Escalade drive? The big V8 is one of the Escalade's greatest assets. The 6.2-liter V8 engine is responsive and torquey and sounds good as the revs rise. It does 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds, remarkable for such a large vehicle. The brakes return expected results, stopping the Escalade from 60 mph in 140 feet, with an appropriately soft pedal and long travel.

We're less enamored with the Escalade when deviating from the straight-ahead. The steering's on-center feel is vague, and the slow ratio means you'll be sawing away at the wheel more than you might expect. Handling is understandably cumbersome, even when you switch the suspension to its Sport mode.

Comfort

7.0/10

How comfortable is the Escalade? Ride comfort was once a Cadillac strength, but it suffers noticeably here. The adjustable suspension dampers work well on smooth rolling roads. But they get overwhelmed on a quick succession of bumps and are ineffective against square-edge bumps, such as the choppy conditions found on concrete highways. You can occasionally feel the solid axle jiggling around on certain bumpy roads.

The front seats are generously padded but lack lateral support, which means you might find yourself shifting around to straighten up. For the most part, the interior is quiet and vibration-free. But road noise sneaks in when driving on coarse road surfaces.

Interior

7.0/10

How’s the interior? With large door apertures and wide, auto-retracting steps, getting in and out of the Escalade is like climbing two steps of tall stairs. The inside of the Escalade is generous, with ample leg-, headroom and shoulder room for first- and second-row passengers. Third-row passengers, however, will feel the pinch.

The Escalade is well-built, and parts-sharing of switches and touch points from the Suburban is the only real sore point. The materials used are noticeably better on the front seats versus the second and third rows. And the hard plastic used in some areas of the interior feels cheap.

Technology

7.5/10

How’s the tech? The audio system sounds crisp, but the navigation system feels a generation behind. You'll have smoother functionality via smartphone mirroring. Also, the buttons around the display are laggy and lack the haptic feedback of the lower buttons. The glossy infotainment stack shows fingerprints and glare.

The Escalade's advanced driver safety aids generally work well. But lane departure warning comes on later than expected, and auto parking requires a lot of room.

Storage

6.0/10

How’s the storage? Utility is the realm of the full-size SUV, but the Escalade is underwhelming. Behind the third row is 15.2 cubic feet of cargo space, just about the least spacious in the category. Fold down the seats for 94.2 cubic feet. The high load floor limits cargo height, and loading bulky and heavy items is difficult, requiring a deep reach-over. Got kids? Because the second row can't slide, installing a seat in that row will prevent entry to the third row from that side.

Two-wheel-drive models can tow 8,300 pounds, and four-wheel-drive models can tow 8,100 pounds. Tow mode holds gears longer and keeps revs higher for better acceleration and more engine braking. An adjustable suspension keeps the body level for steady handling. But there's no trailer brake controller.

Fuel Economy

7.0/10

How’s the fuel economy? The EPA rates the 4WD Escalade at 17 mpg combined (14 city/21 highway). We achieved an average of 17.6 mpg in our testing.

Value

6.5/10

Is the Escalade a good value? This Caddy is a costly SUV that matches its competitors in some areas and falls short in others. Its powertrain is a highlight, but the ride quality, interior quality and infotainment system leave us cold.

Wildcard

7.0/10

There's a truck under this big SUV. A polished truck, sure, but there's no hiding the solid rear-axle design, huge wheels and road-crushing mass. There's certainly something entertaining about piloting a massive SUV slathered in chrome, but it's not really fun to drive. But outrageous? You bet.

Which Escalade does Edmunds recommend?

All Escalade models benefit from a long list of standard features, so that leaves the choice to what creature comforts appeal to you most. We suggest checking out the Premium Luxury trim that comes with adaptive cruise control, forward and reverse automatic braking, and a rear-seat entertainment system.

2020 Cadillac Escalade models

The 2020 Cadillac Escalade is a full-size, body-on-frame luxury SUV available in four trim levels: base, Luxury, Premium Luxury and Platinum. The base trim comes with a dizzying array of equipment, but the Premium Luxury and the Platinum take this big, plush American machine to yet another level. All Escalade models are equipped with a 6.2-liter V8 engine (420 horsepower, 460 lb-ft of torque) and a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and four-wheel drive is optional.

The base trim is generously appointed inside and out. Standard equipment highlights include 20-inch wheels, an adaptive suspension, LED headlights, automatic parallel and perpendicular parking assist, a hands-free liftgate, three-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats, heated rear seats, and power-folding split third-row seats. Standard electronic features include an 8-inch touchscreen, a surround-view parking camera system, a navigation system, and a Bose 16-speaker audio system.

For a few more driver aids and a bit more plush equipment, you can step up to the Luxury trim. It adds a sunroof, power-folding second-row seats, a head-up display, a camera-based rearview mirror system, and the Driver Awareness package that bundles a variety of driver safety aids.

Our recommended trim, the Premium Luxury, adds adaptive cruise control, a rear entertainment system with a Blu-ray player and an overhead-mounted display, and a more advanced collision mitigation system with both forward and reverse automatic braking.

The most expensive and most lavishly appointed Escalade is the Platinum trim level. It certainly possesses all the bells and whistles, but you may not need all the extras it provides. The Platinum adds power-retracting side steps, upgraded power front seats with massaging function, upgraded leather upholstery, and a cooled front-seat center console.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3/5Average

#8 out of 20 among Luxury Fullsize SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Cadillac Escalade from 2008-2022.}

$689/yr

vs. $735/yr
for Average Luxury Fullsize SUV

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

1.31x/yr

vs. 1.83x/yr
for Average Luxury Fullsize SUV

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

24.4%

vs. 16.5%
for Average Luxury Fullsize SUV

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2020 Cadillac Escalade.

5 (61%)

4 (12%)

3 (2%)

2 (5%)

1 (20%)

3.9

41 reviews

Write a vehicle review See all 41 reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

POS

Wade Edington, 11/03/2019

2017 Cadillac Escalade Premium Luxury 4dr SUV 4WD (6.2L 8cyl 8A)

I’ve had my 2017 CPO Escalade a little over a year now and it has been in the shop numerous times for various things for a total of almost 2 months. So far the transmission completely died (on day 1 of ownership, I didn’t even make it home from the dealer), the motor mounts had to be replaced, I continue to have transmission shift problems (but according to the dealer, they are 100% …

A Roll of the Dice, Nice surprise!

SPORTOURISTA, 07/04/2017

2017 Cadillac Escalade Luxury 4dr SUV 4WD (6.2L 8cyl 8A)

After driving foreign SUVS for over 20 years (mostly German), this time I decided to try something different. I wanted more room, larger towing capacity, 4WD/AWD, and a nicer interior. After 2000 miles in an ESV 4WD Luxury, a new surprise emerges everyday. It has a beautiful interior, nice fit and finish, tons of electronic safety features and the oft-criticized CUE infotainment system. …

Transmission is horrible

Lindsey Clark, 09/25/2017

2017 Cadillac Escalade Luxury 4dr SUV 4WD (6.2L 8cyl 8A)

I feel unsafe in this car. It jerks or lunges on me at a stop or slow speed at least once a day. The dealership has had my car 7 times and has not fixed it yet. I filed a lemon law complaint.

Awesome SUV when not in the shop

Brett R, 11/05/2018

2017 Cadillac Escalade Premium Luxury 4dr SUV 4WD (6.2L 8cyl 8A)

Pros: Great looks, smooth ride, great handling (like a sedan), comfortable interior. Cons: Reliability is now a concern with two major issues in under two years. 1) Instrumentation dashboard went out completely after about 1 year so you couldn't see your speed, gas tank, or any of the vitals. Unfortunately this happened while traveling out of state. 2) At just under 2 years, Escalade …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2020 Cadillac Escalade, so we've included reviews for other years of the Escalade since its last redesign.

See all 41 reviews of the Cadillac Escalade

Write a vehicle review

2020 Escalade Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$75,195
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	17 MPG
Cost to Drive	$308/month
Seating	7 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Escalade models:

Rear Camera Mirror: Displays a camera view in the rearview mirror. You can still see out, even with a full load of cargo.
OnStar: Provides automatic crash notification, on-demand roadside assistance and remote door unlocking.
Adaptive Cruise Control: Modifies your set speed to account for the varying speed of traffic, then resumes when the road is clear.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
DriverNot Rated
PassengerNot Rated
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover3 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover21.9%

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2020 Cadillac Escalade Review

2020 Cadillac Escalade Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Cadillac Escalade 4dr SUV (6.2L 8cyl 10A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Escalade does Edmunds recommend?

2020 Cadillac Escalade models

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Most helpful consumer reviews

POS

A Roll of the Dice, Nice surprise!

Transmission is horrible

Awesome SUV when not in the shop

2020 Escalade Highlights

Safety

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Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Cadillac Escalade 4dr SUV (6.2L 8cyl 10A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}