STYLING | 9 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
downright opulent
Motor Trend
the audacious Escalade continues to get you noticed
Kelley Blue Book
“an even bolder look than its predecessor”
FamilyCar.com
chrome applications emphasize vehicle's luxury status
Cars.com
According to reviewers from across the Web, the plush interior of the 2010 Cadillac Escalade is matched to a macho, flashy exterior that turns heads and makes for a winning combination.
The 2010 Cadillac Escalade is available in either standard or extended-length variants; the latter provides a 21-inch increase in length and has seating capacity for up to eight adults. The Escalade shares its platform and mechanical layout with the GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs.
Despite sharing the same platform and mechanicals, the 2010 Cadillac Escalade is substantially different from either the Tahoe or the Yukon thanks to its unique style. 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." 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," and 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."
Car and Driver, meanwhile, 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."
A reviewer at the Kansas City Star finds that Cadillac applies "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,” is less than ideal.
Conclusion
This is not the vehicle for those on the low-down; the 2010 Cadillac Escalade is still one of the flashiest SUVs on the road.
