Cadillac Escalade 6.2 V8 Sport Luxury 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The large and imposing left-hand drive Escalade is a rare sight on British roads and it is not hard to see why. For a car with a 6.2-litre V8, the limited top speed of only 106mph seems laughable, although the Escalade reaches 62 mph in a respectable 6.7 seconds. The engine produces 409 bhp at 5700 rpm and a torque figure of 415 lb-ft at 4300.

The soft suspension affords a comfortable ride but the car has the tendency to pitch and roll on irregular surfaces. The steering is inaccurate and driving the Escalade is like being at the wheel of a tank.

The Escalade 6.2 V8 Sport Luxury 5dr is vast. There is no easy way to navigate and park this car on narrow streets. A plus point is that the engine is quiet at cruising speed. Road noise is inaudible but wind noise is expected. Over-the shoulder visibility is an issue.

This is a large 4x4 that sits 8-people. The Escalade affords the driver and the front passenger a great view of the road. However, it is only avaiable in left-hand-drive which can make overtaking a heart-stopping moment, especially given the Escalade's size. The Escalade looks huge on the outside but inside, it is no bigger than a saloon. The seats are comfortable and the cabin is quite plush but the quality of some of the interior plastics leaves a lot to be desired.

Standard features include a retractable luggage cover, front/rear folding armrests, 4-load securing hooks in the luggage area, leather upholstery, electrically adjustable pedals, rear air conditioning and automatic tri-zone climate control, cruise control, rear park assist, auto self leveling rear suspension, power adjustable lumbar front seats, 14 way electric adjustable front seats and driver's seat memory. The sat nav is a very expensive option at £2,447.

The Escalade 6.2 V8 Sport Luxury 5dr's seats are laid out in 2-3-3 arrangement but the third row is quite tight. Although arguably an improvement over the previous generation Escalade, the new car still appears to be poorly designed.

The boot space when the seats are up is a miserly 98 litres but when the third rear seats are removed, the boot space is extended to a voluminous 1707 litres.

The Escalade has not been tested by Euro NCAP and big American vehicles such as the Escalade 6.2 V8 Sport Luxury 5dr tend not to do as well as their European counterparts in crash tests. However, the Escalade offers plenty of safety equipment.

Buyers get a 3 year/60,000 mile warranty with 10,000 mile service intervals, however the low number of Cadillac dealerships in the UK could prove to be an annoyance.

Priced at £69,422, the Escalade 6.2 V8 Sport Luxury 5dr is expensive. Its BMW and Land Rover rivals are better designed and equipped and cost almost half the price. It falls under insurance group 50 and Road Tax Band M. With economy of 19.5mpg, the Escalade is definitely not a cheap proposition.

The Escalade is not a match for its European for value and depreciation will be very steep.