The 2010 Cadillac Escalade is again one of the top full-size luxury SUV choices available due to its stylish looks, classy cabin, powerful V8 engine, long list of upscale features and impressive handling for such a large, truck-based SUV.
The Escalade's distinctive design somehow enables it to look both tough and stylish at the same time. And the cavernous interior also demonstrates a well-balanced blend of refinement and sturdiness. Its appealingly cabin, with particularly attractive double-stitched leather upholstery and faux wood trim, is also home to an impressive assortment of both luxurious and high-tech features.
And among its new features for the 2010 model year, the Cadillac Escalade gets a gas-saving cylinder-deactivation technology for its 6.2-liter V8 engine, a revised door construction for improved occupant protection, new front side-impact airbags, a new USB connection for portable audio devices and new clock graphics. Discontinued, however, are the rear indicator lights for the rear park assist system and rain-sensing wipers.
Trims, Standard Features And Options:
The 2010 Cadillac Escalade is a full-size SUV available in four trims: Base, Luxury, Premium and Platinum Edition.
The base Escalade is already very well-equipped with standard features including leather upholstery, 14-way power front seats, remote start, power-adjustable pedals, heated front seats, heated second-row Captain's chairs, triple-zone automatic climate control, xenon headlamps, 18 inch alloy wheels, an adaptive suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers, a power liftgate, an auto-dimming driver-side mirror, running boards, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity, a navigation system with a rearview camera, OnStar and a Bose surround-sound audio system with a 6-disc CD/DVD changer.
Moving up to the Escalade Luxury model adds an upgraded adaptive suspension (Magnetic Ride Control), a sunroof, 22 inch chrome alloy wheels, a heated steering wheel, a blind-spot warning system, heated and ventilated front seats, power-release for second-row seats and auto-dimming high-beam headlights.
The Premium model then adds a rear DVD entertainment system with a ceiling-mounted screen and power-retractable running boards, while the Platinum Edition adds heated and cooled cupholders, LED headlights and a rear DVD entertainment system with dual screens mounted in the front seat headrests.
With so many available standard features, the few options include several different styles of 22 inch wheels, a 60/40 split-folding second-row bench seat and the rear entertainment system with the overhead screen for the Luxury model.
Engines, Powertrain And Gas Mileage:
Powering the 2010 Escalade is a hefty 6.2-liter V8 engine that's good for a robust 403 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque. It's paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift control.
Rear-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available on all models. However, the Escalade wasn't designed primarily as an off-road vehicle, so the all-wheel-drive system lacks a low-range transfer case. The default 40/60 front-to-rear power split is primarily aimed for better grip in poor road conditions. (There's also a hybrid model which will be covered separately).
The all-wheel-drive version has been timed from a standstill to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, an impressive number for a vehicle this size. And when properly equipped, two-wheel-drive Escalades have a very useful towing capacity of 8,300 pounds.
The EPA-estimated gas mileage for the 2010 Cadillac Escalade has improved slightly, thanks mostly to a new cylinder-deactivation technology that uses just half the engine's cylinders when highway-cruising and also the new 6-speed transmission, and comes in at 14 mpg city and 20 mpg on the highway for 2WD Escalades and a very similar 13 city and 20 highway for AWD models.
Safety:
Standard safety features on all Escalade models include antilock disc brakes (ABS), traction control, electronic stability control, OnStar telematics, front side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags covering all three rows.
While government crash testing have not yet been completed at the time of this writing, the 2009 Escalade earned perfect five-star ratings for crash protection in all frontal and side-impact categories.
Interior:
The new Escalade's luxurious and roomy cabin is attractive, well-built with high quality materials and user-friendly. Its standard 7-passenger layout features second-row captain's chairs and a 50/50-split third-row bench seat that accommodates three. Seating capacity can be increased to eight with the optional second-row bench seat.
While the seating is comfortable and supportive, it should be noted that legroom is quite tight in the third-row and it also doesn't fold neatly into the floor. Larger items must be loaded by either fitting them with the third-row folded and tilting the whole assembly forward, or by removing one or both sides of the seats, a fairly heavy moving job.
That said, if the third-row seat is removed, there is a huge 60.3 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second-row seats. And by folding the second-row seats down, storage capacity grows to cavernous 108.9 cubic feet.
Drive:
Thanks to its big 403 horsepower V8, the 2010 Cadillac Escalade provides solid acceleration at all speeds, particularly impressive for such a large SUV. Its overall handling is also smooth and confident, especially those equipped with the Magnetic Ride Control suspension.
While obviously not intended as a sporty-performance vehicle, the steering is light and responsive and a relatively tight 39-foot turning radius helps with maneuverability. It should be remembered, however, that this is a large vehicle and moving around in tight spaces is a challenge, even with the rearview camera (standard).
How To Get The Lowest Price:
Best Negotiating Tactic: Well, there's definitely a 'best way' when it comes to new car buying. If you want to get the best bottomline, out-the-door price you need to know exactly who to talk to at the dealership, how to make the contact and how to make this person eager to quickly drop prices as low as possible to get your sale.
Those of you in the market for a used car may want to check out this article about how to buy a used car at the lowest price. It details a super effective buying method, one that often beats down prices to wholesale levels.
And somewhat related to this, here's another excellent method that identifies Price-Distressed Cars Right On Dealer Lots. These are vehicles they are so desperate to unload they would welcome your wholesale offer.
In addition, you can also try an Open-To-The-Public Car Auction in your own geographic area. While there can be a lot of junk vehicles at these auctions, there are often absolute gems sprinkled in as well. This article reviews what to expect at open-to-the-public car auctions and how to locate them in your own area.
Prices:
2010 Cadillac Escalade:
Base, RWD: list price: $62,495, invoice price: $58,433
Base, AWD: list price: $65,045, invoice price: $60,817
Luxury, RWD: list price: $68,610, invoice price: $64,150
Luxury, AWD: list price: $71,160, invoice price: $66,535
Premium, RWD: list price: $71,000, invoice price: $66,385
Premium, AWD: list price: $73,550, invoice price: $68,769
Platinum Edition, RWD: list price: $81,625, invoice price: $76,319
Platinum Edition, AWD: list price: $84,125, invoice price: $78,657
