Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Review - The Pros and the Cons

By Craig F Stevens

What comes to mind when you think about the Cadillac Escalade? Good looks? Sure. Rap stars with lots of 'bling'? Possibly. Fuel economy of 20+ miles per gallon? Doubtful, but that's exactly what GM's luxury division is hoping to change with the introduction of the Escalade Hybrid.

While shooting for 20+ MPG doesn't seem very impressive at first, you must realize it represents an increased economy of over 50% according to Cadillac. That's fairly impressive when you consider that the Escalade Hybrid hasn't sacrificed an iota of the luxury and size that make it popular amongst 6+ foot tall sports stars and their entourages.

Nor has the Escalade Hybrid eschewed much of its legendary utility; 2WD models can still tow 6000 pounds while 4WD models can tow an impressive 5700 pounds.

That's not quite the abundant 8000/7900 pound towing capacities offered by the 2WD/AWD models powered by the 6.2L Vortec engine, but both of those models eek out a mere 12 MPG in the city.

The Escalade Hybrid pairs an advanced electric-drive system with a modern 'high feature' V8 capable of running on either eight or four cylinders, whatever the situation demands. This gives the Escalade Hybrid some excellent power when called for, and reasonable economy when it comes to city driving. The net result is that Escalade Hybrid owners won't cringe every time they see a gas station.

Plenty of power, good looks, and reasonable economy in an iconic American luxury SUV? The Escalade Hybrid pulls it all off while only sacrificing some of its ample towing capacity.