2017 Cadillac Escalade ESV Review

The base trim, as you probably expected, is generously appointed both inside and out. Standard gear includes the 6.2-liter V8 engine (420 horsepower, 460 pound-feet), an eight-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive (four-wheel drive is optional on every trim), 20-inch wheels, an adaptive suspension, LED headlights, automatic wipers, front and rear parking sensors, automatic parallel and perpendicular parking assist, a hands-free power liftgate, remote start, tri-zone automatic climate control, a heated, power-adjustable tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, power-adjustable pedals, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated power front seats, driver-seat memory settings, heated rear seats and split power-folding third-row seats. Standard electronic features include the CUE infotainment interface (with an 8-inch touchscreen), OnStar (with 4G in-vehicle Wi-Fi), a surround-view camera system, a customizable instrument panel, a navigation system, and a Bose 16-speaker audio system with satellite radio, five USB ports and an auxiliary audio jack.

For a few more driver aids and a bit more plush equipment, you can step up to the Luxury trim, which adds 22-inch wheels, a sunroof, automatic high beams, power-folding second-row seats, a head-up display, a camera-based rearview mirror system (the rearview mirror is actually a screen displaying what the camera sees behind the vehicle), a blind-spot monitoring system, lane departure warning and intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning and mitigation (with automatic braking), and a safety-alert driver seat that buzzes to warn of potential hazards.

Our recommended trim, the Premium Luxury, hits the sweet spot with the above features plus adaptive cruise control, a rear entertainment system with a Blu-ray player and two overhead-mounted displays, adaptive cruise control, and a more advanced collision mitigation system with both forward and reverse automatic braking.

The most expensive (and most lavishly appointed) Escalade ESV is the Platinum trim level. It certainly has 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, a cooled front-seat center console and two more rear entertainment screens (mounted in the front headrests) with individual display capacity for viewing multiple videos when your passengers just can't decide on one.