2023 Cadillac Escalade

The Cadillac Escalade was an all-new model for 2021 and enters 2023 with just one significant change, but it’s a biggie … the addition of the Escalade-V model, touted by GM’s longstanding luxury brand as “the industry’s most powerful full-size SUV,” leveraging the high-performance technology and lineage of Caddy’s V-Series line of sport sedans, which has been ongoing since 2004.

Performance

All “basic” Escalades, offered in five trim levels, continue with a choice of two engines. There’s a 6.2L gasoline V8, making 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, or a 3.0L Duramax inline-six turbodiesel with 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Both use a 10-speed automatic, and all models come standard with four-wheel drive.

As for the Escalade-V, it thunders out of the gate packing a hand-built supercharged and intercooled 6.2L V8 pumping out 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. Standard performance elements include a 10-speed automatic transmission calibrated for the V-Series engine, full-time active all-wheel-drive system and exclusive suspension hardware and software calibrations. Drivers can personalize their experience behind the wheel through V-Mode, which drivers access via a button on the centre console ahead of the transmission shifter. It lets drivers tailor their preferred performance-driving mode and it also automatically lowers the ride height by nearly 20 mm.

Practicality

The three-row Escalade seats seven but can be optioned with a middle bench seat for eight-passenger usage. It provides 722 litres of cargo space with the third row up, and as much as 3,426 litres with all rows folded. If that isn’t enough, you can opt for the longer Escalade ESV. The Escalade can tow up to 8,000 lbs.

Canadian Pricing

The 2023 Escalade-V goes on sale late this summer, with a starting MSRP of $179,998 (including destination charge). The even longer ESV, powered by the same engine, will set you back another $3,500. Cadillac hasn’t released 2023 pricing on the rest of the Escalade lineup; 2022 pricing for regular-wheelbase 6.2L-powered models ranges from $90,498 for the Luxury trim to $120,498 for the Sport Platinum. For the ESV, pricing starts at $93,998 for the Sport and goes up to $123,998 for the Sport Platinum. Opting for the Duramax diesel adds another $150.