Cadillac Escalade: Japan and Germany are so cooked
Rewind to 2021, GM bean counters let engineers loose to take risks and leaps with this to deliver what customers want today and tomorrow.
Until 2030, I can't see anyone launching an SUV with comparable self driving, dynamics, in-car infotainment and sound, and interior quality.
I can't wait to drive the new EV one and try their in-house Android Automotive.
Land Rover/Genesis: The interior is at least as nice as these two with full leather down to the bottom of the door panel and even in the rear row cupholder cover, OLED screen with crisp blacks, etc.
BMW X6: I swapped into the Escalade from a Sixt 40i that had the exact same tires, the Escalade has way better body control, steering directness, and damping. GM's chassis engineers really worked their magic with the mag shocks. iDrive 9 is dope tho.
BMW X7: Escalade drives 2 sizes smaller unless you're really ripping it. B58 lags in the unpredictable Seattle traffic; the 6.2 V8 and 10 speed work way better even if they're dropping lifters in the warranty period.
Model X: The hands free highway self driving in this one actually works, instead of phantom braking twice into the Massey tunnel.
Audi Q7: The infotainment in the Escalade is actually sensical and self-parking and exiting parking spaces actually works.
MB GLE: Burmester can suck deez nuts, let alone BMW H-K that starts distorting mid-bass at mid volume - the base AKG system slaps em silly.
Hyundai: They talk about consumer focus with a new wireless charger in the Santa Fe that accounts for camera bumps. Escalades did this years ago AND holds it in place for hard cornering and braking.
Lexus: LX is puking engines, has gloss black plastic everywhere, and the cheap sounding Toyota beeper. For fucks sake, even the Chevy Equinox has Super Cruise which can be hands free while TOWING while the LX doesn't even have "Advanced Teammate Drive".
Missed Opportunities?
Small ones that they can easily fix:
- Turn signal stalk is Chevy bullshit, feels cheap; they should've spent a few more dollars here.
- Super Cruise doesn't like working in exit lanes and auto-lane change is really violent.
- The giant OLED screen needs better visualizations of what's happening with self driving.
- HUD needs Porsche Macan AR goodness.
With new Escalade, Escalade iQ, Vistiq, CT-5V Blackwing and Lyriq shipping banger interiors, chassis, sound systems, self-driving and infotainment, Cadillac's deserves every bit of praise for taking action and risks to ship real goodness.
VW was so cooked they had to buy Rivian to have a shot at surviving, MB's just cooked, and Lexus/Toyota full sizers aren't in the same conversation.