2010 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - Styling Review

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Shopping for a 2010 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid? MSRP: $73,425 - $87,725

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The Cadillac Escalade is the model that made GM's luxury brand relevant-even hip-among less-than-geriatric buyers, thanks to its brash styling and over-the-top luxury features. All Escalades offer crisp, imposing exterior lines that command attention and feature plenty of chrome bling. But it's difficult to distinguish the 2010 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid from the standard model at a distance, unless you notice the fist-sized chrome Hybrid badge in the chest-level front fender vents. Inside, the look is more luxe than its truck origins would indicate, with color-keyed leather upholstery and detailing, and lots of elegant ash and burled walnut trim on high-line models. Translucent instrument needles glow with blue light.

Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com indicate that if you want to make a serious statement with your hybrid vehicle, the 2010 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid might be your weapon of choice. Automobile Magazine reviewers note that, "from the front or rear, the look is unmistakably Cadillac." Unlike the rest of the Escalade lineup, which features several body styles, the Hybrid Escalade "will be available only as a regular-length model," points out J.D. Power. This full-size luxury SUV comes wrapped in an unmistakable skin; Automobile Magazine says the "crisp exterior style" is one that "commands attention, with plenty of chrome" glistening on the outside.

Although reviewers at MyRide.com report that, "superficially, the Escalade Hybrid is almost identical to the regular Escalade," some reviewers gripe at the number of extra labels on this greenest of Escalades. ConsumerGuide, in particular, says that the Hybrid Escalades "have a ridiculous amount of special badging, including front and rear window appliqué and absurd lower door decals."

Once you move inside the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, you'll be treated to a well-styled interior that appeals on nearly every level. Compared to regular Escalade models, "the 2010 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid will have its own gauge cluster with a special tachometer and an 'economy gauge,'" which provides drivers with a digital display of their fuel efficiency, as reported by J.D. Power. Many reviewers suggest that this will prompt Cadillac Escalade Hybrid drivers to operate their vehicles more conservatively than they might otherwise. Edmunds appreciates that the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid's "controls are thoughtfully placed and within easy reach," while Automobile Magazine remarks that they "work competently without requiring extensive training or frequent trips to the owner's manual."