The 2021 Cadillac Escalade made its big debut earlier this month in Hollywood, California, ushering in a brand-new generation for the premium full-size SUV. In addition to new styling, fresh tech, and a new diesel engine option, the 2021 Escalade also sports new dimensions inside and out. Now, we’re lining up the important numbers to see how they compare against those of one of the Escalade’s chief rivals – the Lincoln Navigator.
For this particular comparison, we’re looking at the standard wheelbase body variants for both the Escalade and the Navigator, as opposed to the extended-wheelbase Escalade ESV and Navigator L.
With that covered, let’s dive right into the Exterior Dimensions, Interior Dimensions, and Cargo Dimensions to see how these two SUVs compare.
Exterior Dimensions
Right off the bat, we find the exterior dimensions for both the 2021 Escalade and current-generation Lincoln Navigator are within a few inches of one another, with the Escalade measuring in on the slightly larger side in almost every single way. The Escalade is nearly two inches longer in terms of overall length, a little over one inch wider in terms of overall width, and 0.2 inches taller in terms of overall height. Note that the overall width dimensions listed here do not include the width added by the sideview mirrors.
The Escalade is also wider in terms of the track, with roughly an inch of extra width front and back.
That said, the Lincoln Navigator is longer in terms of the wheelbase, with an extra 1.6 inches compared to the 2021 Cadillac Escalade.
| Dimension | Cadillac Escalade | Lincoln Navigator | +/- Cadillac Escalade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase (in.) | 120.9 | 122.5 | -1.6 |
| Overall Length (in.) | 211.9 | 210 | +1.9 |
| Overall Width (in.) | 81 | 79.9 | +1.1 |
| Overall Height (in.) | 76.6 | 76.4 | +0.2 |
| Front Track (in.) | 68.5 | 67.6 | +0.9 |
| Rear Track (in.) | 68.3 | 67.2 | +1.1 |
2021 Cadillac Escalade vs. Lincoln Navigator: Exterior Dimensions (Metric)
| Dimension | Cadillac Escalade | Lincoln Navigator | +/- Cadillac Escalade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3071 | 3112 | -40.6 |
| Overall Length (mm) | 5382 | 5334 | +48.3 |
| Overall Width (mm) | 2057 | 2029 | +27.9 |
| Overall Height (mm) | 1946 | 1941 | +5.1 |
| Front Track (mm) | 1740 | 1717 | +22.9 |
| Rear Track (mm) | 1735 | 1707 | +27.9 |
Interior Dimensions
Moving into the cabin, we find the passenger room to be more or less a wash between the two SUVs, with just a few tenths of an inch between them for most measurements.
That said, there are a few noteworthy exceptions, the biggest of which is third-row legroom, with the Lincoln Navigator besting the 2021 Escalade by an eye-raising 7.4 inches. That number is particularly surprising when considering the 2021 Escalade offers more than 10 inches of extra third-row legroom over the previous-generation Escalade.
Compared to the Navigator, the new Escalade is also down with regard to second-row headroom, third-row shoulder room, and third-row hip room, posting figures that are 1.1 inches, 1.5 inches, and two inches under its rival, respectively.
| Dimension | Cadillac Escalade | Lincoln Navigator | +/- Cadillac Escalade |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Row Headroom (in.) | 42.3 | 41.8 | +0.5 |
| First Row Legroom (in.) | 44.5 | 43.9 | +0.6 |
| First Row Shoulder Room (in.) | 65.5 | 65.2 | +0.3 |
| First Row Hip Room (in.) | 61.7 | 61.9 | -0.2 |
| Second Row Headroom (in.) | 38.9 | 40 | -1.1 |
| Second Row Legroom (in.) | 41.7 | 41.1 | +0.6 |
| Second Row Shoulder Room (in.) | 64.6 | 65.1 | -0.5 |
| Second Row Hip Room (in.) | 61.2 | 61.6 | -0.4 |
| Third Row Headroom (in.) | 38.2 | 37.3 | +0.9 |
| Third Row Legroom (in.) | 34.9 | 42.3 | -7.4 |
| Third Row Shoulder Room (in.) | 62.7 | 64.2 | -1.5 |
| Third Row Hip Room (in.) | 49.4 | 51.4 | -2 |
2021 Cadillac Escalade vs. Lincoln Navigator: Interior Dimensions (Metric)
| Dimension | Cadillac Escalade | Lincoln Navigator | +/- Cadillac Escalade |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Row Headroom (mm) | 1074 | 1062 | +12.7 |
| First Row Legroom (mm) | 1130 | 1115 | +15.2 |
| First Row Shoulder Room (mm) | 1664 | 1656 | +7.6 |
| First Row Hip Room (mm) | 1567 | 1572 | -5.1 |
| Second Row Headroom (mm) | 988 | 1016 | -27.9 |
| Second Row Legroom (mm) | 1059 | 1044 | +15.2 |
| Second Row Shoulder Room (mm) | 1641 | 1654 | -12.7 |
| Second Row Hip Room (mm) | 1554 | 1565 | -10.2 |
| Third Row Headroom (mm) | 970 | 947 | +22.9 |
| Third Row Legroom (mm) | 886 | 1074 | -188 |
| Third Row Shoulder Room (mm) | 1593 | 1631 | -38.1 |
| Third Row Hip Room (mm) | 1255 | 1306 | -50.8 |
Cargo Dimensions
Although the Lincoln Navigator bests the 2021 Escalade in a few critical interior dimensions, the Escalade fights back with regard to cargo room, posting larger numbers across the board. This includes an extra eight cubic-feet behind the third row, an extra 15.4 cubic-feet behind the second row, and a sizable 17.7 cubic-feet behind the first row.
| Dimension | Cadillac Escalade | Lincoln Navigator | +/- Cadillac Escalade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo Volume Behind First Row (cu. ft.) | 121 | 103.3 | +18 |
| Cargo Volume Behind Second Row (cu. ft.) | 72.9 | 57.5 | +15 |
| Cargo Volume Behind Third Row (cu. ft.) | 27.3 | 19.3 | +8 |
2021 Cadillac Escalade vs. Lincoln Navigator: Cargo Dimensions (Metric)
| Dimension | Cadillac Escalade | Lincoln Navigator | +/- Cadillac Escalade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo Volume Behind First Row (L) | 3426 | 2925 | +501 |
| Cargo Volume Behind Second Row (L) | 2064 | 1628 | +436 |
| Cargo Colume Behind Third Row (L) | 773 | 547 | +227 |
The all-new 2021 Escalade is slated to go on sale in North America later this year. Highlights include a new 38-inch OLED infotainment display, available Super Cruise driver assist technology, and an available six-cylinder turbodiesel engine.
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Duke Morgan
A brand new Caddy ATS in 2014 drew me away from BMW. Yeah it was that close to a the German car in terms of performance, a little off, but for the price difference it was a good buy and the car was a great driver… had it for 6 years but, reliability issues began to sour me on Caddy. Then I read in an excerpt from a Forbes publication that Caddy placed 30- at the bottom of reliability. After 3 BMW’s – 3 series hard top convertible and two 553s and the Caddy,, I bought a loaded Mazda 6 signature series and I am astounded at the quality and ride of this car. Yep, the least money I have spent in decades on a car and I have to say one of the best in terms of comfort, quality build, reliability and the audio system is awesome, bests my Bose in the ATS by a long shot. According to Forbes, Mazda is now second behind Lexus in quality. Suddenly these guys decided to really get in the game. Still like the look of the Caddies, and the power, but the issues… I may just stick with Mazda from now on. Never even thought about Mazda till I saw some of the reviews.
Greg
Again ! ?
Another reply that has nothing to do with the posted article!
Paul
We were going to consider the Navigator but decided to wait and see what the new Escalade is like. When you look at the interior pics, the Escalade is light years ahead of the new Navigator. The Nav looks like a truck interior comparatively. And I’m not a fan of the “opps, we forgot part of the infotainment system so let’s just stick a tablet in the middle of the dash” look.
Concerning Forbes and Cadillac reliability: I’ll use our personal experience. We’ve owned over 140 vehicles (yes, it’s a disease) including 6-7 Caddilacs. Driven them tons of miles and they’ve all been stellar. Mazda? One and done for that brand for us.
Mark
Mazda?