After months (or years) of anticipation for some, the all-new, 2021 Cadillac Escalade is now available to order in the United States. Dealer order banks opened starting today – Thursday, April 23rd, 2020, and customers can either contact their local dealership directly or go on Cadillac.com and hit “Reserve Yours” to be put in touch with a dealer to place their order.
Dealers can place orders for either the regular-length Escalade or the extended-length Escalade ESV.
The Cadillac Escalade has been completely overhauled for the 2021 model year, offering up a complete redesign and re-engineering, delivering a new exterior, interior, chassis and more.
Model Range
The 2021 Escalade follows Cadillac’s new Y trim level strategy, and will be offered in the following trim levels:
- Luxury (base)
- Premium Luxury
- Premium Luxury Platinum
- Sport
- Sport Platinum
- Premium Luxury
As first reported by Cadillac Society, pricing starts at $77,490 for the regular-length model and $80,490 for the extended-length Escalade ESV.
Exterior
The all-new exterior design features Cadillac’s latest design language. At the front, a set of horizontal primary headlamps joins the vertical signature accent lights. Out back, the Escalade’s signature vertical tail lamps (with no horizontal elements) are completely redesigned for a new, next-gen appearance.
Luxury and Premium Luxury models get bright exterior accents, while Sport models finish those features in black. 22-inch wheels are standard, with a total of seven designs and finishes available.
A total of eight exterior colors will be offered, seven of which will be extra-cost hues.
Interior
Inside, the 2021 Escalade features the industry’s first curved OLED display that measures 38 inches diagonally and has twice the pixel density of a 4K TV. An enhanced navigation system includes augmented reality and street view features, while the HD Surround Vision Camera provides drivers with an overhead bird’s eye view of the environment around the vehicle. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are standard, as is an AKG Studio sound system with 19 high performance studio speakers and a rear subwoofer. The system includes Conversation Enhancement, making communication between the first and third rows easier.
One of the biggest improvements of the all-new model is significant increases in interior passenger and cargo space, with the regular-length Escalade gaining 68 percent more cargo space behind the third row as well as 41 percent more rear legroom than the last-gen model. Another major update is the addition of an independent rear suspension (IRS), which delivers improved ride and handling characteristics, while also enabling the aforementioned gains in passenger and cargo room.
Rear seat occupants can be entertained via an optional Rear Seat Entertainment System with 12.6-inch HD displays and various connectivity options, including Android mirroring, streaming, HDMI, gaming, and Miracast. Passengers can also interact with the vehicle’s navigation function and select destinations using the rear seat entertainment screens.
Those looking to get even better sound fidelity can opt for the optional AKG Studio Reference sound system. Designed exclusively for Cadillac, the system features 36 speakers at many different height levels and locations, delivering 360-degree sound immersion. Conversation Enhancement with the Studio Reference system features front to back and back to front communication enhancement. The system also features Front Passenger Volume control, which allows the front passengers to individually control volume.
Powertrain
The 2021 Cadillac Escalade offers two engine choices: the naturally-aspirated 6.2L V8 (production code L87) gasoline engine is standard while the 3.0L I6 turbo-diesel (production code LM2) is a no-cost option. Both route power through Caddy’s new 10-speed automatic transmission, either in rear-wheel-drive or 4WD form.
| Engine | Aspiration | Fuel Type | Valvetrain | Horsepower @ RPM | Lb-Ft Torque @ RPM | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2L V8 L87 | Atmospheric | Gasoline | OHV | 420 @ 5600 | 460 @ 4100 | 10-speed auto |
| 3.0L I6 LM2 | Turbo-charged | Diesel | DOHC | 277 @ 3750 | 460 @ 1500 | 10-speed auto |
Chassis
As mentioned previously, the 2021 Cadillac Escalade gets a completely-revised independent rear suspension (IRS) that delivers improved ride and handling characteristics, along with gains in interior room.
Available Magnetic Ride Control and an Electronic Limited Slip Differential provide increased driving performance and traction. The similarly-optional Air Ride Adaptive Suspension with Drive Modes offers premium ride comfort with height adjustment of up to four inches: two inches lower at entry/exit and two inches higher for off-road ground clearance and self-leveling during towing and hauling.
Super Cruise
Cadillac’s Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance technology for compatible highways with lane change on demand, is optional. However, the system will not be available immediately.
Availability
As of this writing, Cadillac tells us that the all-new 2021 Escalade is scheduled to begin arriving in U.S. dealerships this fall.
Ordering in markets outside the U.S. is expected to begin in the next few months.
We’ll have more on the all-new Escalade soon and invite you to subscribe to Cadillac Society for more Cadillac Escalade news and around-the-clock Cadillac news coverage.
