2026 Cadillac Escalade ESV V

The 2026 Cadillac Escalade ESV remains a potent symbol of American luxury. From its bold and imposing design to its cavernous interior and cutting-edge tech, the Escalade, like its many Cadillac forebears, is anything but subtle. It backs its brash bearing with room for eight, a capacity to tow up to 8,000 pounds, and an optional V8 engine capable of nearly 700 horsepower. The Escalade ESV — 15 inches longer than the standard model, with 60% more cargo space — isn't quite as polished as its European competitors, or even its primary Lincoln rival. But if too much still isn't enough, the ESV may be for you.

The Escalade ESV is one of the longest SUVs you can buy, but it's not necessarily the best. The similarly sized Lincoln Navigator L comes in just behind the Cadillac in our rankings and shares the Escalade's choppy ride quality and middling fuel efficiency. If maximum towing is a priority, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer can pull more than 9,500 pounds and offers a lush, cushy cabin. If you can do without the Caddy's big presence, the GMC Yukon XL is nearly identical in size. While it lacks the massive dash display and some of the Caddy's plusher cabin materials, the GMC is still quite appealing and costs about $20K less.

After last year's round of updates, including a 55-inch panoramic widescreen that consumes most of the dash, the 2026 Escalade ESV changes only slightly. Power-retracting side steps now come standard on all but the base trim, all the better for scaling the gap between the ground and the floor of this elegant limo bus (further aided by an air suspension that lowers the Escalade another couple of inches). The Escalade's adaptive cruise control system is also updated with hands-on lane centering, which now works even when the hands-free Super Cruise system is not active. On regular roads (those not premapped by Super Cruise), the system now actively works to keep the Escalade centered in its lane rather than reacting after it drifts to a lane marking. Think of it as the difference between a steady hand on the tiller versus constantly tacking inside of virtual guardrails. A small but important detail in a six-figure luxury SUV.