2000 Cadillac Escalade Road Test - Consumer Guide Automotive

Our road test for the 2000 Cadillac Escalade includes a full evaluation of the 2000 Cadillac Escalade from the inside out. We evaluate not only engine and handling performance for the 2000 Cadillac Escalade, but also interior cabin and cargo space. Let our comprehensive road test ratings for the 2000 Cadillac Escalade help you decide if a 2000 Cadillac Escalade is right for you.

2000 Cadillac Escalade Road Test

Pros	Cons

Passenger and cargo room	Ride/handling

Trailer towing capability	Fuel economy

	Entry/exit

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

Base	Class Average
3	4.3

GM claims Escalade and Denali do 0-60 mph in 10.5 seconds, which would put their acceleration about mid-pack among luxury SUVs. They feel sluggish, however, especially in highway passing situations.

Fuel Economy

Base	Class Average
2	1.8

Weight hurts fuel economy, and these wagons tip the scales at a hefty 5500 pounds. We averaged just 13.6 mpg in a test Denali and 11.2 in an Escalade, but at least they use regular fuel.

Ride Quality

Base	Class Average
4	5.3

Ride is subpar by any measure, with a jittery feel over small bumps and mediocre suppression of harsh impacts.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Base	Class Average
3	3.3

Steering is light, but the tall build and hefty weight result in a ponderous feel in turns.

Quietness

Base	Class Average
4	5.3

Neither Escalade nor Denali is as quiet or as comfortable as a luxury sedan--or even as refined as the 2000 Tahoe and Yukon.

Controls

Base	Class Average
6	4.7

An abundance of hard plastic gives these luxury SUVs more of a truck ambiance. Radio and climate controls are mounted high, just a bit out of easy reach, but automatic climate control isn't offered.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Base	Class Average
8	7.6

The front cabin is spacious, with plenty of head and leg room, along with vast elbow room.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Base	Class Average
8	6.9

There's enough room in back for three adults, but a high interior step-up and surprisingly narrow rear-door bottoms make getting in and out of the back seat more trouble than it should be.

Cargo Room

Base	Class Average
9	8.1

Cargo room is generous even with the rear seatback up. We feel the cargo doors make loading and unloading easier than the liftgate/tailgate arrangement.

Value within Class

Base	Class Average
2	2.7

They're packed with standard goodies, but Escalade and Denali feel more like rushed-together collections of "luxury" SUV cues than intelligent, cohesive designs. Cadillac does promise superior customer service, but neither Escalade nor its GMC cousin warrants a place on our shopping list.

Total Score