2009 Cadillac Escalade - Styling Review

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According to reviewers across the Web, the 2009 Cadillac Escalade’s cozy interior and macho exterior make for a winning combination.

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade is available in either standard or extended length—a 21-inch increase with seating capacity for up to eight adults. The Escalade shares its platform and mechanical layout with the GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs.

With a style all its own, the 2009 Cadillac Escalade is substantially different from either the Tahoe or the Yukon. The Escalade has been toned down from the first-generation model, but FamilyCar.com points out the Escalade’s “bigger grille, seven layers of chrome accents and just-for-show ‘vent ports’ on the front fenders gave the vehicle an even bolder look than its predecessor." Motor Trend elaborates that the new Escalade “indeed looks fresh, yet it's still instantly recognizable…the subtle alterations and finer detailing bring about a more handsome facade in addition to aerodynamic benefits,” and Kelley Blue Book assures you that even though this particular Cadillac is "not quite as glitzy in this iteration as the last, the audacious Escalade continues to get you noticed."

Car and Driver prefers "its more refined competitors like the Mercedes GL450/550 or Audi Q7," but according to Cars.com, the "chrome applications throughout emphasize the vehicle's luxury status."

The Kansas City Star says that Cadillac has applied "so much chrome that it was hard for me not to blush while I was driving it.” And while Motor Trend pegs the new cockpit as “downright opulent,” with “soft leather” and aluminum trim merging “beautifully,” Automobile Magazine thinks the style, down to the “illegible analog clock,” fits with the new look.