The new 2023 Cadillac Escalade is a step up from its dated predecessor in just about every way without straying too far from its formula. The exterior design is still sharp and attention-grabbing, and the interior offers plenty of cargo space. Some of the tech features fall short of those found in some rival SUVs, but overall the new Escalade is a solid pick.
The 2023 Cadillac Escalade is one of the most recognizable vehicles today. Its massive dimensions and distinctive styling make it an imposing figure on the road. It's anything but subtle, which is likely the statement that owners are out to make. This year, the Escalade lineup adds a new version that will leave an even more outrageous impression: the Escalade-V.
Experience the commanding presence of this 2023 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum, a luxury SUV that combines power, style, and advanced technology. Wi...
If you're familiar with Cadillac, you'll know it uses the V moniker for its high-performance versions. The new Escalade-V follows suit by way of its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that produces a thumping 682 horsepower and 653 lb-ft of torque. It's enough to get this big SUV from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds, according to Cadillac.
Of course, the Escalade isn't the only large luxury SUV in the space since its competitors have a presence all their own. The Lincoln Navigator is as big as the Cadillac and its acres of chrome make it just as recognizable. The Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7 are smaller and less capable when it comes to towing but offer more luxurious interiors. The Escalade doesn't trail by much, so be sure to check out our Expert Rating below to see where it shines and what could use some improvement.
Edmunds Expert Rating
edmunds TESTED
Driven, tested, rated by automotive expert Reese Counts
Good
8.0
out of 10
We drove the 2023 Cadillac Escalade on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.
Performance
8/10
How does the Escalade drive? Cadillac has done a fine job hiding just how big and heavy the Escalade really is. The Escalade's 6.2-liter V8 might not send it to 60 mph (6.7 seconds) as quickly as some rival SUVs, but it's potent enough. On-ramps and highway passing are no issue, and the V8 sounds pretty good too. The transmission occasionally has some abrupt shifts, and we wish the shift paddles worked in Drive and not just Low, but it's mostly smooth and smart enough to be in the right gear most of the time.
We wouldn't call the Escalade sporty, but it's smooth and composed enough around turns. The steering is light and direct, so parking or driving down winding roads doesn't feel like a chore.
Comfort
7.5/10
How comfortable is the Escalade? We don't think the Escalade's ride is quite as refined as that of class leaders such as the Mercedes GLS, but it's certainly comfortable enough most of the time. The seats, too, aren't quite as relaxing as those of the class leaders, but you won't be complaining after hundreds of miles behind the wheel. It's generally pretty quiet too.
The climate control system keeps the temperature even, but overall it falls short of the best of the best. There isn't enough adjustment in the vents, and we had to adjust the automatic temperature frequently. The heated seats allow for finer control of the zones, which is great.
Interior
8/10
How’s the interior? As you might expect, the Escalade's interior is vast and spacious. All three rows are large enough for adults, and the wide doors and accessible grab handles make getting in and out simple if a bit of a climb. The seating position is high and truck-like, which is either good or bad depending on your preference. Outward visibility isn't great, but the exterior camera system makes parking relatively easy.
Most of the controls are easy to understand, but some are ill placed and hard to see. The climate control settings are difficult to see at night because the toggles that control things aren't illuminated, and we frequently hit the wrong button trying to adjust the temperature.
Technology
8/10
How’s the tech? The Escalade offers some of the latest and greatest tech General Motors has to offer. Unfortunately, a lot of it is optional. The adaptive cruise and lane-keeping assist systems make driving such a large SUV easier, but some things, such as the night vision camera, seem more like a novelty.
The Escalade features a sleek-looking digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen. There's a decent level of customization, and the Escalade's standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mean you can easily run music or podcasts straight from native apps on your phone. There's one wireless charging pad as well as USB-C ports for every row, so everyone has charging options.
Storage
8.5/10
How’s the storage? The Escalade's cargo area is massive. The space is wide and open, and while the liftover is on the high side, the adaptive air suspension can lower the Escalade when parked to help when you're loading items. Storage for small items is good, too, with plenty of pockets and bins for things such as sunglasses and hand sanitizer bottles. There's an optional chilled center console. The Escalade's tow rating is 8,200 pounds in the right configuration and when properly equipped — that's certainly sufficient for a small or medium-size trailer.
Installing a child seat in the rear should be relatively simple. The doors open wide, the anchors are reasonably accessible, and there's plenty of space for a rear-facing seat. The high seats may make getting in a bit of a climb.
Fuel Economy
7.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? EPA-estimated fuel economy stands at 16 mpg combined with the 6.2-liter V8 and 4WD. That's not so great even for a large SUV. We saw 17.5 mpg during our time testing an Escalade with the V8 and 4WD, so at least you can expect to get the EPA's numbers or a little better. Choose the diesel if you want better fuel economy — it tops out at 23 mpg combined.
Value
7.5/10
Is the Escalade a good value? The Escalade looks and feels pretty nice up front, though we don't think the interior feels quite as premium as the cabins of the best luxury SUVs, especially in the back two rows. The design is clean, and the leather feels great. The dash-spanning digital display looks impressive too. Some of the trim and buttons look a little cheap, but overall it's a fairly nice place to spend your commute if you're the one driving.
Pricing lines up right with the competition. Cadillac's four-year/50,000-mile basic and six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranties are average for the class. You also get six years of roadside assistance, but Cadillac only includes a year of scheduled maintenance.
Wildcard
8.5/10
Nothing this big and heavy can be considered fun to drive in a sporty sort of way, but there's something enjoyable about cruising around in a big, comfy V8-powered SUV. The stylish interior design makes it feel a cut above most other SUVs. The sharp exterior angles and formidable size are sure to attract attention, but that's always been part of the appeal of driving an Escalade.
2023 Cadillac Escalade trim level differences
The 2023 Escalade is a three-row luxury SUV that seats seven passengers standard and offers eight-passenger seating with an optional second-row bench seat. It's available in six trim levels: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury Platinum, Sport Platinum and V. All but the Escalade-V come standard with a 6.2-liter V8 (420 horsepower, 460 lb-ft) and rear-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive is optional. A turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel engine (277 hp, 460 lb-ft) is also available. The new Escalade-V gets a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 (682 hp, 653 lb-ft) that puts its power to the ground through a specialized all-wheel-drive system. Every Escalade has a 10-speed automatic transmission. Standard feature highlights for the Escalade include: Compare the 2023 Cadillac Escalade trim levels in-depth.
Which Escalade trim does Edmunds recommend?
For most Escalade buyers, we suggest the Premium Luxury trim. In addition to gaining a few extra driver assistance features, that trim is also eligible for the air suspension and the Super Cruise hands-free highway driving assist system. Both are worth getting.
The 2023 Cadillac Escalade has a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic warranty and 4 recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 3 out of 5, ranks it #8 out of 20 among Luxury Fullsize SUVs. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Reliability Rating by RepairPal
3 out of 5 stars3/5Average
#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
$689/yr
vs. $735/yr for Average Luxury Fullsize SUV
Frequency
1.31x/yr
vs. 1.83x/yr for Average Luxury Fullsize SUV
Severity
24.4%
vs. 16.5% for Average Luxury Fullsize SUV
powered by RepairPal
Recalls
4 recalls found
Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.
If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).
Recall Number:
25V274000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
N252494000
Number of vehicles affected:
597571
Defect Description:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
Defect Consequence:
Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:
Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install a new oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 9, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252494000.
Recall Number:
24V674000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
N242447990
Number of vehicles affected:
449671
Defect Description:
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, and Escalade ESV vehicles. The electronic brake control module software may fail to display a warning light when a loss of brake fluid occurs. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Defect Consequence:
Without a warning light, the vehicle may be driven with low brake fluid, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:
The Electronic Brake Control Module (eBCM) software will be updated through an over-the-air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2024. Owners can contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N242447990.
Recall Number:
23V642000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
N232415910
Number of vehicles affected:
189
Defect Description:
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The rear suspension outer control arm bolts may not have been properly heat-treated, which can cause the bolts to break.
Defect Consequence:
A broken suspension bolt can result in misalignment of the rear wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:
Dealers will replace both rear suspension outer control arm bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 6, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232415910.
Recall Number:
22V903000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
N222386380
Number of vehicles affected:
740108
Defect Description:
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Defect Consequence:
DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:
The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222386380. This recall expands previous recall number 22V-827.
First off the car: We ordered it from scratch, waited six months and have been rewarded with a wonderful car. We love it. Beautiful in every way, quiet, smooth, powerful, well thought out, I could go on and on. The super cruise control is just that. IT WORKS! It makes long distance driving so much more relaxing. The night vision option works very well and safely. We are delighted … with the vehicle
NOW, our review of the engine: Our first real road trip in our beautiful new Escalade ended 1,500 miles away from home with bent valve lifters and broken valves on 10/4/2021 just shy of 6,000 miles: a problem that Cadillac and its dealers knew all about with GM's 420 hp V-8 gas engines. Why didn't WE know about it? We were stuck in Bangor, Maine with a dealership with no loaners to offer and no ability to reliably estimate an ETR ("Maybe a couple of weeks"). It was the peak of this past fall's peak leaf season so no rental cars and no hotel rooms were available. And rates were out of site if they were available. So we flew home to Orlando and rented a car for over a week then flew back to Bangor when the Escalade car was ready. This was much cheaper than the over-priced hotel rooms (even if we could find one). Of course the repairs were totally covered by warranty; but now we're waiting to see if Cadillac will refund the $5,000 it all cost us out of pocket. Our return trip home was uneventful as far as the V-8 goes - the whole vehicle continues to be flawless to this day (12/28/2021)
Traded a 2021 GLS 580 I custom ordered for the Cad
5 out of 5 stars
Hornedfrog1982, 03/12/2022
2022 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum 4dr SUV 4WD (6.2L 8cyl 10A)
The Cadillac is much larger and in my opinion a better SUV. The GLS had a clicking sound the dealer could not fix in the dash. $135,000 SUV and clicked like crazy. I rented a Tahoe during a ski trip so decided to switch because I could not take the clicking. Even test drove a 2021 AMG GLE 63 and it had a click as well. I have kids and always had a Van due to it carries people and bags … but the Cadillac has more room behind the 3rd row seat than the previous model. Still not as much as a Van but close enough. The Cadillac is not as luxurious as the GLS but it has quite and very smooth ride. If it holds up over time I will consider it a much better option than the GLS. The super cruise is actually better then what the GLS offers. The fuel economy is better on the Cadillac but then again it is against a 580 not a 450. Also, you have a much higher ride height in the Cadillac. I test drove the Lincoln and the interior materials were awesome. Reminded me of the soft leather from the 70's but the SUV handled like the land yacht it is. The Cadillac has a solid drive feel and is easy to maneuver in parking lots, relatively speaking.
Incredible vehicle
4 out of 5 stars
Matthew, 01/15/2023
2023 Cadillac Escalade Sport 4dr SUV 4WD (6.2L 8cyl 10A)
I purchased a 2023 Escalade Sport and it took about 6 months to come in. My wife and I were able to test drive or even see the car in person until delivery day. My goodness were we shocked. The vehicle is stunning, drives like a dream. My 3 year old gets motion sick, however the Escalade seems to have solved that issue. The air suspension lowers the car when parked, allowing easier … access into this mammoth. It also helps when you have a stroller and two younger children. The rear entertainment is a must with kids. Reason for the 4 stars is the gas mileage. We don’t commute to work, but constantly find ourselves filling gas. We can drive to the grocery store and lose a 1/4 of our tank. Overall, great vehicle. Just get yourself a gas card!
Awful!
1 out of 5 stars
Tk, 08/06/2024
2022 Cadillac Escalade Sport 4dr SUV (6.2L 8cyl 10A)
We owned a previous Escalade and I drove for a couple of years. LOVED it and never ever once did my oil light come on. We also owned Denali and same experience. Now We paid $129,000 Sport 2022 not even platinum! My husband is now deceased but I have contract and almost puked when I saw what we paid! Such scammers! That’s just level 1!
Next which is even SO SO much worse. I just hit … 20,000 miles mark. At 13,000 my freaking oil light comes on. Says Check Oil. Then a few miles after says Oil Low! I’m panicky thinking this has to be a joke! I call Dealership. Go in and They completely passed it off, changed oil and acted as if it was a idk alert error. Fast forward. I get right near next change. 18,000 miles. Again light comes on. Low Oil! At this point my son and I checked it ourself. This oil stick was so low it was hard to even see a slight register. I was so mad! Scheduled appt went in. This guy tells me- Awww well it’s fine! By Escalades standards it can loose up to 2 quarts per 2,000 I believe he said. I’m looking at him like have you freaking lost your mind!!! I told him NEVER in the years I owned the others had this ever happened. I could even be way late changing and even still never once did my oil light ever come on. Now I’m just at 20,000 which means I’m only down 2,000 and my oil light comes on today! I’m just in complete disbelief. If I take it back there he is going to do nothing!! Have no idea what to do. Dealership is denying help waiting on warranty to expire so that they won’t be liable! I’ve had others tell me trade that crap in and never look back because that is as bad as I’m thinking it is. I’m thinking trade it in never purchase another after his. So so sad because I’ve always such a devoted Escalade Lover. This has completely changed my respect for the Company!
UPDATE!!! It happened! After last fuss w Dealership I had to fill it again between change. 2 quarts added. Drove it not a lot but the to Beach( 3 1/2 hours each way.) After we got back jumped in car to go and it seemed as if it didn’t want to pull! At first I didn’t think a ton about it/ ignored for a minute praying not horrible until the CLICK!!!! I immediately found an Oil Service Mechanic. The check-“‘I hear mam you have NO OIL in this car! Wouldn’t even register! I said well YEP and listen to its clicking! I told him whole story of how I took it in 3 x telling them this was going to happen!!! They would NOT listen! Said it was normal. He called his manager! He said I’m sending this report to your w mail. Take a pic of your mileage right now! Also print this report in sending you and get this back into Dealership. I told him the last time I heard that noise w when I was 15 years old before entire engine went out.!He said could be that or the lifts but either is not good news. This is absolutely unbelievably happened! I don’t even want this anymore! Complete Lemon! We both Aug 2022 and by March I
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Cadillac Escalade, so we've included reviews for other years of the Escalade since its last redesign.
Cadillac Escalade-V vs. Lucid Air Grand Touring: $150k Battle For American High-Performance Luxury
This ain’t your typical comparison test, folks: We’ve put the absolutely ridiculous Cadillac Escalade-V up against our long-term Lucid Air Grand Touring in a test of high-powered American luxury. While they are, of course, very different, the Escalade-V and Lucid Air Grand Touring are perhaps more similar than you might expect; they’re about the same price, produce stupid… amounts of horsepower, and are packed with oodles of luxurious accoutrements. So, which one snags the win for the best interpretation of modern American luxury? Join Edmunds’ Brian Wong in the video above to find out!
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