Cadillac Escalade vs Dodge Durango

The standard-wheelbase Escalade seats up to eight passengers across three rows, rides on a body-on-frame platform shared with the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon XL, and is powered exclusively by a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8. For 2026, the Escalade lineup receives a new base trim and some revised naming (Premium Luxury Platinum becomes Platinum Luxury, Sport Platinum is now Platinum Sport). The mechanicals carry over unchanged from the thoroughly refreshed 2025-model-year version. It competes with the Lincoln Navigator, the BMW X7, the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, the Infiniti QX80, and the Lexus LX.

Verdict: The 2026 Cadillac Escalade remains the default choice in full-size American luxury SUVs with good reason. Its platform limitations are real, but a well-optioned example is genuinely difficult to fault on comfort, technology, or presence. Buyers should budget accordingly for fuel.

The oldest new vehicle on sale in 2026 is the Dodge Durango. While a 15-year age statement is a positive attribute for Scotch whisky, on a car it is a repellant. Save for minor alterations, the Durango has been sold exactly as it is since 2010, and its Mercedes ML-Class chassis is older still. Yet this three-row SUV has all the power, most of the technology, and a lot of the practicality that buyers expect in a modern midsize SUV for not a lot of money.

Verdict: For buyers who like V8s and analog controls, the Durango is the next and only stop.