2021 Cadillac Escalade

Everything apart from the Escalade's 420-hp 6.2-liter V8 engine is new for 2021. Underpinning the Escalade is a new ladder frame that sports independent rear suspension for improved ride characteristics. The new rear suspension also allowed the rear section of the new Escalade to be reconfigured for dramatically better legroom in each of the back rows. The 277-hp diesel engine -- a no-cost option available on every 2021 Cadillac Escalade -- is also new. Both engines, interestingly, put out 460 lb-ft of torque, but the diesel's peak torque arrives at only 1,500 rpm, versus 4,600 rpm for the gasoline V8. Like the 6.2-liter gasoline V8, the turbodiesel inline-six is matched with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Everything inside the 2021 Escalade is new as well, highlighted by the huge OLED information screen, which boasts more than 38 diagonal inches of display area. In its three digital panels, the curved OLED display has a driver information center, an instrument cluster and a much larger screen to the right for audio, navigation and phone info.

Thanks to its all-new chassis with an independent rear suspension, the Cadillac Escalade has been significantly improved for 2021. It's much roomier in back, it's now available with an efficient diesel engine, it's more luxurious and it abounds with neat technology such as the huge OLED information screen and the optional Super Cruise feature, the next step toward an autonomous future. If you can opt for the AKG sound system. With either the 6.2-liter V8 or the 3.0-liter turbodiesel 6-cylinder, the Escalade has become an even better version of itself: a luxurious and safe family hauler that blends the stigma-free people-carrying utility of a minivan with a truck's ability to work. Find a Cadillac Escalade for sale

There's nothing basic about the base Escalade, now called the Escalade Luxury. The Luxury has 12-way power-adjustable leatherette seats, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, 3-zone climate control, a power lift gate, the OLED information panel and a 19-speaker audio system. What's more, it has seven USB ports, wireless smartphone charging, a standard trailering package and a good safety suite that includes automatic emergency braking. You can order it with the 6.2-liter gasoline V8 engine or the no-added-cost turbodiesel 3.0-liter inline-six. The Escalade Premium Luxury model ups the luxury quotient with a genuine leather interior, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display and a rear camera mirror. This model also features lane-keeping assist and a blind spot monitoring system. The Escalade Platinum Luxury is even more opulent. In addition to a rich semi-aniline interior leather and massaging seats, this model has a 36-speaker sound system, soft-close doors, adaptive cruise control, automatic reverse braking and a package that makes hooking up a trailer a lot easier. The Escalade Platinum Luxury and Escalade Platinum Sport are the only two models that come standard with Magnetic Ride Control and Air Suspension. Both of those highly desirable systems are optional on the Escalade Sport, which is distinguished by a different type of interior leather and a black mesh grille. The diesel engine, again, is available as a no-cost option on the 2021 Escalade. 4WD, available on all new Escalades, adds an extra $3,000, as does ordering the Suburban-length Escalade ESV model. The Escalade Luxury, the Platinum Luxury and the Platinum Sport trims are available with a power second-row bench seat, and the latter two can be ordered with Night Vision, which provides drivers with an infrared image of the area beyond the range of the Escalade's headlights. Pedestrians and large animals show up clearly with Night Vision. A 36-speaker AKG audio system is optional on the Escalade Premium Luxury, as are soft-close doors and an electronic limited-slip differential. Other options on the Premium Luxury include Magnetic Ride Control, Air Suspension, Night Vision, reverse automatic braking and a more advanced level of adaptive cruise control. A few packages are available on the 2021 Cadillac Escalade -- such as a Driver Assist and Tech Package, a Z66 Performance Package and a Heavy-Duty Trailering Package -- but many options are available as standalone extras. Notable among them: Super Cruise ($2,500), power-assist side steps ($1,750), the 36-speaker AKG stereo ($4,300), Night Vision ($2,000), a console cooler ($2,000), a rear-seat entertainment system ($1,995) and 22-in multispoke alloy wheels ($1,995).