Best Car Models & All About Cars: Cadillac Escalade EXT

Cadillac Escalade EXT

What's New for 2012

The 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT returns unchanged nonetheless an updated navigation system.

Introduction

There are masses of luxury-lined pickups out there. Each of America's Massive 3 automakers produces one, boasting abundant options, loads of leather and special trim names like King Ranch, Laramie and Denali. Yet none of these names carries the burden of Cadillac, neither is a "luxury-lined" pickup the identical as an honest-to-goodness luxury pickup. If you're trying for one of those, you have solely one alternative: the 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT.

One in every of three different Escalade models, the full-size EXT combines a five-passenger SUV-like interior with a rugged covered cargo bed. The key to making these 2 disparate elements work along is an innovative "midgate" behind the rear seats that extends the truck bed into the cabin. You won't want to be hauling around hundreds of manure, of course, but large things that wouldn't normally match suddenly can with the midgate lowered.

Compared to its mechanically similar and considerably additional affordable cousin, the Chevrolet Avalanche, the Escalade EXT comes fitted with all-wheel drive and a a lot of robust (and thirstier) V8 engine. Of course, you furthermore may get flashier styling and a unique-to-Cadillac passenger cabin done up in higher-quality materials and stuffed with fascinating normal features.

Unfortunately, the 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT shares both the Escalade and Avalanche's shortcomings. Like the regular Escalade, it has one amongst the best theft rates in the country. And like the Avalanche, it has a large footprint and restricted rearward visibility that adversely affect maneuverability in close quarters. Those aren't specifically foreign complaints among truck consumers, but the EXT conjointly falls short in terms of maximum towing and hauling capability.

As such, if you plan to use your pickup truck as, well, a pickup truck, then the Ram 1500 Laramie, Ford F-one hundred fifty King Ranch or GMC Sierra Denali can likely be better selections. They can all be pretty luxurious when loaded with amenities. Even so, if a cross between a full-size luxury SUV and a pickup truck is what you would like, then there is literally only one choice available.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT may be a full-size luxury pickup offered in three trim levels: Base, Luxury and Premium.

Commonplace features on the entry-level Base model embrace eighteen-in. alloy wheels, an adaptive air suspension, automatic xenon headlights, foglamps, heated power-folding outside mirrors with driver-side auto-dimming, rear privacy glass, a roof rack, facet steps, a fold-down midgate, lockable three-piece cargo cover, rear parking sensors, remote ignition and keyless ignition/entry. Inside there's tri-zone automatic climate management, leather upholstery, ten-approach power front seats (with heating, cooling, driver memory settings and four-way lumbar adjustment), heated rear seats, power-adjustable pedals, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a tilt-solely steering wheel and remote ignition. Electronic options include OnStar, Bluetooth, a navigation system, real-time traffic, a rearview camera and an eight-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system with a CD/DVD/MP3 changer, satellite radio, rear seat audio controls, rear seat headphone jacks and an iPod/USB interface.

The Luxury model adds 22-inch chrome alloy wheels, Magnetic Ride Management adjustable suspension (optional on Base), automatic high beams, a sunroof and a heated steering wheel. Springing for the high-of-the-line EXT Premium trim gets you completely different wheels, a body-coloured grille and different exterior trim items, power-retracting assist steps and a rear-seat DVD/MP3 entertainment system (the latter 2 items are optional on the Luxury). LED headlamps are optional on the Premium.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT is powered by a half-dozen.a pair of-liter V8 that puts out 403 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission, full-time all-wheel drive and a heavy-duty locking rear differential are all customary. The automatic transmission options a tow/haul mode and manual-shift capability, but gearchanges can be awkward using the controls on the column-mounted shifter.

In Edmunds performance testing, the EXT went from zero to sixty mph in 7 seconds, that is very fast for a truck. Despite cylinder-deactivation technology, EPA fuel economy estimates are a dismal 13 mpg town/eighteen mpg highway and 14 mpg combined. When properly equipped, the EXT will tow seven,600 pounds, some thousand pounds less than a ancient crew cab pickup.

Safety

The 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT comes normal with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front aspect airbags and full-length aspect curtain airbags. Other standard safety options embrace rear parking sensors, a rearview camera and OnStar emergency communications.

In Edmunds brake testing, the EXT came to a stop from 60 mph in a very lengthy one hundred forty feet.

Interior Design and Special Features

The Escalade EXT sets itself aside from the opposite luxury-lined pickups with a genuinely upscale cabin in terms of style, materials and features. Leather upholstery set out by tasteful wood and metal trim offers the passenger cabin a particular wealthy feel, though low-cost plastic trim in a very few spots detracts from the impact. The cabin's biggest downside -- restricted visibility to the rear and sides -- is offset somewhat by the standard rearview camera and rear parking sensors.

Each rows of seats provide smart head- and legroom, with the front buckets' heating/cooling making it especially easy for occupants to induce comfortable. We tend to do would like the steering wheel telescoped, but. Folding the rear seats forward and gap the lower 0.5 of the midgate expands the five-foot bed into a large enclosed cargo space that stretches eight feet from simply behind the front seats to the lockable tailgate. For larger cargo, removing and stowing the rear window and also the three-piece tonneau cover creates a ancient pickup bed giant enough for the largest antique store finds.

Driving Impressions

From behind the wheel, the 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT may be a bit sort of a gilded sledgehammer -- sparkly and powerful however with a distinct lack of finesse. For starters, the sheer size of this colossus, combined with the restricted visibility out the rear and sides, makes it a sensible plan to wield it with a truthful quantity of restraint. Creating that task simply a very little tougher is that the surprisingly quick acceleration created by the half-dozen.a pair of-liter V8 beneath the hood. The adaptive suspension manages to deliver a tight balance between a smooth ride and confident handling, though there's solely so a lot of you'll expect in either department from a 6,00zero-pound truck rolling on 22-in. wheels.

Cadillac Escalade EXT