2007 Cadillac Escalade
Lincoln Navigator being their arch-rival, Escalade is a luxury version of the Yukon Denali & was a bit of a rush job as GM’s answer to Ford

When it comes to choosing a ride, some guys feel that torque trumps all. They take more pride in curb weight than in fancy options they may never use. But, hey—is there any reason you can’t have both? You can, and you already know the name: Cadillac Escalade.

This likeable land-blimp came onto the scene in 1999, right on the heels of its arch-rival the Lincoln Navigator. Every minute counted as American bulk-seekers stalked those Lincoln lots with their credit limit burning a hole in their checkbooks. So the Escalade’s development (as an extra-pimped Yukon Denali) was a bit of a rush job as GM jumped in to grab market share.

Before long the Cadillac product would earn the upper hand, with a reputation for better-quality materials, tighter fit and finish, and overall better refinement. And more than ever GM has worked to make its leviathan as import-like as possible.

It’s too bad a lot of people have a knee-jerk revulsion at the Escalade’s huge high-octane appetite. Yeah, it’s a beast and a half, but it was built with something of a conscience. Don’t laugh me off the page yet: the new transmission with its two overdrives works with some exterior changes (more aerodynamic mirrors, for instance) to eke out an extra couple of highway mpg above the ’06 incarnation. It’s a start, but I’m still not surprised that no shade of Gore green appears in its palette of exterior colors.

I will tell you that I rolled my eyes when I heard Cadillac describe its SUV’s outward appearance as “athletic.” Really—a target market does not an image make. But then I heard the Escalade does 0 to 60 with change due from 7 seconds. Hmm, that sure makes it athletic, doesn’t it? Not bad. Not bad at all.

Now, back to its looks: how about that grille? Framed by those huge halogens, the kisser on this thing sure is imposing. It dominates the rest of the rig’s shining surface area of chrome, including that quartet of 22-inch wheels. Just don’t be tempted to bust a bottle of bubbly over it when the dealer hands you the keys.

Cadillac’s move toward serious refinement is the big buzz with this 2007 redesign. It’s now based on the Chevy Tahoe, but with more power and more buttons, switches, and dials. Santa Claus even brought it a new engine, a 6.2-liter V8 (with 403 horses in the stable) that those crafty Cadillac elves hammered out of aluminum for this vehicle and no other.

They also banged out a 6-speed automatic, which had been on the Escalade’s wish-list from the start. This astute tranny does all the thinking for you, choosing the right gear ratio for every driving situation. But for those times when you want to recall the control of your stick-in-hand past, just go with the Driver Shift mode and let your fingertips execute the switches. Surrounding all this is a newly shored-up frame on a coil-over-shock suspension, and the result is one sweet ride.

Not wanting to mess around with the tunage, Caddy stuck with Bose for the audio system. With some Cadillac engineering input, the sound mavens designed the 5.1 Digital Surround expressly for the cavernous Escalade. Are you impressed yet? Well, did you know that Bose got the contract to outfit the freakin’ Space Shuttle? I mean, for Pete’s sake they’re almost the same size!

And, since this is a 21st-century vehicle, you can connect just about anything in your electronic arsenal somewhere in the vast interior. Naturally there’s an available navigation system as well as a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with a center-mounted 8-inch, flip-down screen. But you’d better pop plenty of corn, because the front-row passengers can watch flicks too on the nav system’s screen – provided the transmission reads P, as in park.

And when it comes to standard features, the Escalade is not Cadil-lacking anything. Get ready for a cushy commute, complete with heated and cooled front seats to keep your duff happy in every season. Your lady will like the remote power liftgate if you let her take it shopping, and every occupant will appreciate the power-articulating running boards. That concept was lifted from the enemy Navigator (after Lincoln lifted it from the RV realm), previously the only passenger vehicle to offer it.

So, have you ordered your Escalade yet? It still may not match the Lexus offering bell for bell and whistle for whistle, but if you can’t wait a few months (and spare the extra $15K) for the ‘08 LX 570, or you’re American all the way, then the Escalade has your number. It’s your chance to ride the domestic tide that GM’s giant represents. Besides, you’ll look great driving it – and that may be all you need to know.

…if you want attention-getting style and the ultimate in eight-passenger pampering.

…if you can’t handle sneers from Prius drivers and a super-sized high-octane appetite.