Luxury SUV Fails to Impress This Mama

2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid 4WD

model as tested $74,185

Test Drove 4/13/09 – 4/20/09
reviewed by Lori Hindman

I see a lot of Cadillac Escalades on the road where I live in Los Angeles. I don’t know if it’s Tony Soprano or what, but these big ol’ things are popular around here. When I got a chance to drive the 2009 Escalade Hybrid I was pretty excited to see what all the, er, excitement was about, and now I’m just confused. Are people really that influenced by trends and good looks? Because as far as I can tell that’s just about all the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid has to offer.

The Escalade Hybrid is cumbersome, plasticky and overpriced, and it gets truly awful gas mileage. While it’s rated by the EPA to get 20/21 mpg city/highway, in my hilly area this monster could barely crack 13 mpg, even with my attempts to keep the needle in the “green” area. So, don’t let the ginormous hybrid decals fool you; this behemoth is no planet-saver. I really can’t see what makes the Escalade Hybrid so popular.

I have to admit that the Escalade Hybrid drives nicely, for an SUV. The V-8 is coupled with a Two-Mode hybrid system that assists the engine during acceleration. The ride is smooth over rough roads and minor bumps, but turning requires caution because of its squishy ride.

I had no trouble remembering that I was driving a massive truck; from the giant steering wheel to the giant side mirrors, everything about the Escalade Hybrid is huge. Except interior space. Oddly, for such a large vehicle, the interior felt cramped. This SUV feels wider than it is long, with a third row that is fit only for children, and virtually no cargo space when the third row is in place.

I got lots of looks and comments during my week in the Escalade Hybrid, and I spent a lot of time shaking my head and trying to see the appeal. There is a bunch of technology in the Escalade, but none of it seems to integrate well. It’s like Caddy just tossed in a long list of options without thinking how they would be used. There are two different buttons to open and close the sunroof. There is a great remote-start function, but the Escalade Hybrid still uses an old-school key. Even though you can start the car from your living room via the key fob, you still need to insert a key and turn it to drive off in the Escalade Hybrid. You get OnStar with Turn-by-Turn Navigation in the Escalade Hybrid, but there’s also a DVD-based navigation system. Cadillac was clearly swinging for the fences with this Escalade, but, wow, did they miss with me. This is one trend I’m happy to avoid.

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