Likes
- Lavish interior
- Surprisingly nimble handling
- Top-notch powertrain
- Straightforward controls
- Authoritative exhaust note
Dislikes
- Not all switchgear feels upscale
- Fixed (removable) back window
- Delicate-looking wheels and trim
- 11-mpg fuel-economy rating
Expert Ratings
| Overall | 8.6/10
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| Overview | 8.6/10
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| Styling | 8/10
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| Performance | 8/10
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| Quality | 9/10
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| Safety | 9/10
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| Features | 9/10
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Buying Tips
Think you won't use the real-time traffic offered by XM in the Escalade? You'll reconsider after a few months. Routing around traffic jams is a snap, and with weather information, movie times, and sports scores, the XM setup is the first bridge to in-car connectivity.
Reason Why
The 2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT is without a real competitor in its class of one. The Chevrolet Avalanche shares its architecture and its Midgate, but it's half as costly and half as glitzy. The Land Rover Range Rover might fit the exclusive bill, and Land Rover probably wishes more of its owners would use it a little more thoroughly than the dainty celebrities who usually drive them. The EXT's crosstown rival, the Lincoln Navigator, doesn't quite draw the crowd that the Escalade does, but it's definitely an alternative here. There's no pickup bed, but the Navigator makes do with a more sedate, quietly elegant cabin and a cleaner overall look.
Bottom Line
The 2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT is in a class of one; other luxury SUVs may have its image or its exclusivity, but none of them has the Midgate.