2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The Cadillac Escalade proves you don’t have to choose between quality and quantity. If you need a bit more of the latter, the Escalade ESV...

The Cadillac Escalade proves you don’t have to choose between quality and quantity. If you need a bit more of the latter, the Escalade ESV has you covered. It is a stretched out version of the Escalade, but delivers the same combination of truck-based capability and upscale interior.

The ESV stretches the length of the Escalade from 203.9 inches to 224.3 inches. The extra 20.9 inches of length provides more space for cargo and passengers. Visually, the added length creates an imposing presence.

Behind the third row, the Escalade ESV provides 39.3 cubic feet of cargo space—24 more cubic feet than the standard-length Escalade. With the third row folded, the ESV offers 76.7 cubic feet of cargo space. With the second and third rows folded, the Escalade ESV has a total of 120.9 cubic feet. That’s more than the new Lincoln Navigator L -- and only the Ford Expedition Max, Chevrolet Suburban, and GMC Yukon XL have more cargo space than the ESV.

The ESV features a spacious interior for passengers as well, with standard seven passenger seating, featuring comfortable second-row captains chairs. Buyers with the need for even more seating can opt for a second-row bench, which brings seating up to eight.

Trims for the Escalade ESV include Standard, Luxury, Premium Luxury, and Platinum. All four trims come well equipped, including the base Standard trim, which features leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, heated second-row seats, Bluetooth connectivity, a Bose 16-speaker surround sound system, and three USB ports.

It also features a standard 8-inch touchscreen that runs Cadillac User Experience (CUE). This infotainment system provides some customization, including the ability to drag icons, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Luxury trim adds a power sunroof, head-up display, automatic headlights, automatic high beams, and a rear camera mirror. This mirror is a rear-view monitor integrated into the rear view. When activated, it can expand the driver’s field of vision by up to 300%.

Moving up to the Premium Luxury trim adds features like illuminated door handles and a rear-seat entertainment system with 9-inch fold-down screen. Going for the range-topping Platinum trim upgrades the rear entertainment system with dual seat-back screens. Other additions to the Platinum include a center console cooler, leather-wrapped instrument panel headliner, and 18-way power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats with massaging systems.

The Escalade ESV is powered by a standard 6.2-liter V8 engine, which features active fuel management that can shut off cylinders to conserve fuel. This engine makes 420 horsepower and 460 pound feet of torque, sent through a 10-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels or available four wheel drive (4WD).

All trims of the Escalade feature magnetic ride control, which responds to road conditions in real time. Drivers can select this while in Sport Mode, which tightens up the ESV's on-road handling. When properly equipped, the Escalade ESV can tow up to 8,100 pounds.

The Escalade ESV comes with front- and side-impact airbags, a tire-pressure monitoring system, a reversing camera, and a surround view 360-degree camera system. It also comes standard with the Teen Driver system, which allows owners to activate specific vehicle settings corresponding to a particular key fob. Parents can limit the volume of the stereo and get a report card of their teen’s driving habits with this system. Finally, the Escalade ESV comes standard with a tire-fill alert.

Moving up to the Luxury trim adds the Driver Awareness Package. It includes forward-collision alert, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic high beams. This package also includes the unique safety-alert seat. This system vibrates the portion of the seat that corresponds to the alert.

The Escalade ESV combines the capability of a truck-based SUV with Cadillac’s level of luxury appointments. The extended wheelbase of the ESV ensures it has the cargo space to handle any task.