The Cadillac Escalade Is Once Again America's Favorite Flagship SUV

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Conspicuous_Ruse@reddit

The proportions of the new ones are so goofy lookin. They're like one of those Japanese luxury vans. Really tall and narrow looking.

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FMJoey325@reddit

I always thought the 4th gen looked more respectable.

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OnionThick8108@reddit

As a 3rd gen owner the best looking ones are 2nd and after that 4th

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vargemp@reddit

Even funnier when you think, the engine probably sits somewhere in the middle of it's hood height.

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ls7eveen@reddit

The heights of the hoods make them look so dumb

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Monster_Dumps_2026@reddit

There really isn't a true competitor in this segment. Outside of Lincoln.

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mini4x@reddit

I haven't seen a Lincoln in ages, outside of a few aging MKZ sedans.

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Monster_Dumps_2026@reddit

Im in a city so we get aviators and navigators running uber blacks. But no where near the level of the GMC denalis and Escalades

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Dunaii4@reddit

I've never seen an Escalade (European yadda yadda), is it that much bigger than something like a Range Rover / Defemder Octa ?

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Monster_Dumps_2026@reddit

It's a bit over a ft longer than the land rover

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walnut100@reddit

I bet a GW is great for the first 10k miles.

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thatgymdude@reddit

You mean 1k miles, I know someone who blew their engine in 800 miles. Look up used ones and the maintenance history, its terrifying.

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JimmyGodoppolo@reddit

Hey our batteries went out at 15k thanks

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count_nuggula@reddit

Someone tried to convince us on this very subreddit that it was a better buy. Imagine thinking a Wagoneer is better than any of its competitors

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It is. It has the best crash rating of any truck based SUV. it does 0-60 in sub-5 in the regular configuration while being 40+% less than an Escalade ESV. It rivals our old Maybach GLS in initial build quality. It’s just unreliable as shit 😂

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hertzsae@reddit

Reliability is one of the most important luxury in my book.

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mbaran@reddit

yeah but you should also be safe if it gets rear ended while it's on the side of the road.

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foldedlikeaasiansir@reddit

It’s a really good one for a Rental! But the plasticky feel of it inside, would have to have a gun pointed at me to buy it.

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JimmyGodoppolo@reddit

how DARE you

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bobcharliedave@reddit

Well now I'm curious, how is the Wagoneer and what led you to that over an Escalade, X7, etc. Reddit loves to just shit on Stellantis stuff but I know most people have barely even seen them on the road, let alone drove one or even sat in one.

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JimmyGodoppolo@reddit

When my dad died, I had to pack up my wife, 2 kids and 3 dogs and had to rent a car to go support my mom. Told myself I’d never have a car that didn’t fit our family in the event of an emergency again. GW has significantly better crash ratings than every other truck-based SUV (which people somehow miss). Does 0-60 in under 5 seconds for under $100k. ESV is like another 40-50k and isn’t much faster. I’d have preferred a Lexus minivan, but since those aren’t sold stateside I was kind of stuck with the truck based SUVs. I’ve had numerous electrical problems, but the interior quality (imo) is as nice or better than every competitor. Handling and acceleration are as good or better. I do find the exterior a bit ugly but I don’t particularly care. Its depreciation has pretty much offset all of my GT3 appreciation, though 😭

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greg-maddux@reddit

Daughters friends parents have a grand Wagoneer and a model x and I just can’t fathom spending money that way.

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SecretPantyWorshiper@reddit

I dont even think the Lincoln compares. The Escalade is objectively better than the Navigator. Ford dropped the ball and has been neglecting Lincoln for years

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Fit_Equivalent3610@reddit

The Lincoln is imo comfier and (while definitely subjective) better looking. Which isn’t much, but it’s something.

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Splenda@reddit

Up to $31,000 in taxpayer subsidies on these, plus bonus depreciation as a business expense. All so the rest of us can worry about being mowed down by some idiot in an oversized, gas-guzzling tank?

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Motohvayshun@reddit

live in the DC suburbs and these things are everywhere. This, the G Wagon and Range Rover. But the Caddy sales dawrf those two, especially if the owner has kids. What the next V should be is stuff the ZR1 engine into one. Itll sell like Hotcakes.

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guy_incognito784@reddit

Also in the DMV, they're a lot no doubt but also a lot of them are limo services driven by professional drivers.

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Motohvayshun@reddit

Very true around DC. But take a drive around Potomac or McLean, every other huge mansion has one parked outside.

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-M83@reddit

Yup… can confirm… they’re everywhere. Dang why do I feel like everyone on Reddit is from NOVA lol!

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MembershipNo2077@reddit

If you drive into the wealthier areas around the ATL metro you'll see so many escalades you start to question how the dealer even keep them in stock.

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SmokinTires@reddit

Also in the DMV, and Tahoe/Suburban High Country, Yukon/XL Denali/Ultimate, and Escalades are everywhere; I’m not complaining bc I want one too

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aerostatic9000@reddit

I swear like 80% of these sales are for limo services. Like every TC&L or OL plate in NY/NJ is a new Escalade.

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jawknee530i@reddit

Here in Chicago I've seen a thousand Escalades and I'd be amazed if a single one of them wasn't a limo or car service.

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Training-Expert5598@reddit

I'm surprised nobody has stiffed an LT7 into one yet. That'd be a cool project.

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medicmatt@reddit

Ewww. The marketing department is working hard in the comments.

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thatgymdude@reddit

I am so tempted to get one of these to replace my truck. It has such a substantial feeling the way that it drives that is hard to put into words. It is one of the very few American luxury products that can stand up to the Germans in its segment and honestly I liked it more than the X7.

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Furryyyy@reddit

It also blinds the absolute shit out of everyone in a car. New Yukons and Escalades are the cars I hate seeing most at night, GM has got to fix the headlights for people that drive normal vehicles

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DiscoLives4ever@reddit

They actually had the right idea with the Hummer. Put the cool looking light bar up high, but the actual headlights are relatively low

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thatgymdude@reddit

Is my Sierra on the list, someone in hatchback almost hit me trying to turn into my lane wirhoit signalimg and I clicked my high beams to give him a "hey I right am behind you dont hit me" and the guy immediately swerved out of the lane.

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Furryyyy@reddit

Unfortunately yes. I have the opposite situation happen a lot, they're super bright so it's hard to judge how close they are and I end up waiting 20 seconds for them to actually pass through the intersection. It's pretty much impossible to see anything beyond the headlights because they're so bright from so far away, so it's nearly impossible to judge distance.

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thatgymdude@reddit

I try to be courteous of people in smaller cars because I ride a motorcycle as well, but I think it is ultimately the issue that vehicles normal consumers drive like me have gotten taller based on preference and have left shorter cars at a disadvantage. Some of the modern Toyotas and especially Teslas have quasars for headlights that put my truck and SUV to shame and I don't see as many people complaining about them.

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Furryyyy@reddit

It's height and brightness. I'm not blaming you for them, when I was looking at my 86 the last thing I was concerned about was the headlights, but the massive hoods and high headlights (combined with the brightness) make it especially bad.

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thatgymdude@reddit

I see your point, it put the headlights right at eyeball range if you are tailgated. This is how I feel about semi rigs behind me and I try to avoid them. You need bright headlights in the more rural areas especially at night on freeways going through forests. My old 5th gen 4Runner with halogens was a death wish at 80+ at night especially during Oct-Dec with all the deer. I think manufacturers increased the brightness because people complained because until recently not many vehicles used LEDs and now they are commonplace.

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Furryyyy@reddit

I feel like headlight brightness and ride height did the same thing. When you're driving at night with no one else on the road (or just older halogens) it's actually really easy to see at night, even if your headlights are dim. The brighter the headlights of oncoming traffic, the harder it is for you to see and the brighter headlights you want. That just compounds the problem for everyone, but it makes sense why people choose that.

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No-Pipe4332@reddit

Just wish it was affordable, $100k plus is steep for something you know is gunna tank in depreciation.

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Porto_Roma_812@reddit

The CT5s sales are up too!

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maxdps_@reddit

I'm in the middle of a move and will soon be going from full remote to in-office. I need a car now and the CT5 is at the top of my list.

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Falloutvictim@reddit

I've had mine for a year and it's become my favorite vehicle I've personally owned. Are you looking at the Sport/Premium trims, or V, or the V Blackwing version?

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maxdps_@reddit

Can't afford the V Blackwing, but currently looking at the V's or AWD Sports.

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Falloutvictim@reddit

You can also get the non-BW V in AWD. The non-BW V is the sweet spot IMO. The Blackwings are $110K+ or $130K+ with the carbon fiber packages, and the trims under V don't get magnaride and are 4cyl only (a de-tuned 3.0L TTV6 had been an option on the Premium Luxury trim, but I read they dropped it for 2026), and they don't get the V & Track modes, valved exhaust, Brembos, and other goodies. While the price leap is huge from a V to a Blackwing, it's not as crazy from a Sport to a V. You can get a new V for ~$65-68K which is damn near half what a well-equipped Blackwing cost.

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Educational_Fox6899@reddit

I just wish you could get a manual in the non BW.

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Spiritual_galaxy@reddit

Not true about the 26 ct5, I have a 26 ct5 premium luxury with the v6

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DodgerBlueRobert1@reddit

>and the trims under V don't get magnaride and are 4cyl only (a de-tuned 3.0L TTV6 had been an option on the Premium Luxury trim, but I read they dropped it for 2026) [You can absolutely get a 3.0L TTV6 on the Premium Luxury trim for 2026.](https://www.cadillac.com/shopping/configurator/sedan/2026/ct5/ct5/model?radius=280&zipCode=91350) It starts at $53,500.

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Falloutvictim@reddit

That's good news then. I thought I had read on GM Authority, or something somewhere, saying it was being dropped for 2026, but I never followed up on it.

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DodgerBlueRobert1@reddit

Yeah, it's good that they offer it on the lower trim. I would never get that car with a 4 cylinder. And it's a only $5,500 bump to step up to the V Trim, which is worth it imo.

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maxdps_@reddit

Yeah, that's pretty much what I'd like to find right now, a non-BW V in AWD.

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thatgymdude@reddit

I am curious how the CT5 V non Blackwing stands up to a typical 5 series or E Class. Since the Germans now pretty much use 4 bangers in their midsize sedans unless you get the way more expensive model a loaded CT5 V with Supercruise is a screaming deal.

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WarCrimeGaming@reddit

Would you take it over an M340i?

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Falloutvictim@reddit

I shopped the CT5-V and m340i. Everyone's priorities differ, but for me, with the CT5 being in-between the 3 & 5 Series size-wise, and I really needed a bigger backseat than what the 3 Series has (family/kids, so I use the backseat daily), and the 5 Series choices that interested me were basically down to the 550 or M5, and if I was going to spend M5 money I'd buy a Blackwing without a pico-second's hesitation. So it was a m340i and deal with the smaller size, the 550 was unappealing, and the M5 didn't enter my mind with the Blackwing existing, so I found the CT5-V the perfect balance of size, fun/sporty, comfortable, and priced where I wanted it. I also preferred the Cadillac's styling and how it felt to drive. All good cars, and a different person with different priorities might choose different.

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cthompson07@reddit

I love mine. Been daily driving since I got mine in Feb of last year, 16k miles and counting.

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Opening_Low_923@reddit

Not surprised at all it’s huge, flashy, and kinda screams luxury — people love that.

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cubs223425@reddit

Just in time for the cancellation coming with a promise it will return "in a future year," as the CT4 goes away entirely.

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PantherClaw1@reddit

Unceremoniously boring, unnecessary and overpriced. Got it.

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Windows-XP-Home-NEW@reddit

What in fucks name happened to the front end? I haven’t paid attention to these for a while now and in that time they ruin it? This shit looks atrocious. Guess I don’t like these anymore either

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Shower__Farts@reddit

The K-Shaped economy strikes again!

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trickedx5@reddit

my dad held onto a 2007 ext version…..loved that car. Unfortunately they stopped making them. So he went with a tundra

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Fenrirsulfur@reddit

I sincerely hope that they bring back the EXT version, at least for one year.

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Secksualinnuendo@reddit

If I needed a giant luxury suv I think I would go G wagon over escalade

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thatgymdude@reddit

The G Class is hilariously tiny inside, it is barely larger than an average hatchback inside it.

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agnaddthddude@reddit

thats where your mistaken. the G wagon is not giant at all.

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TGUKF@reddit

I feel like because G's are so tall and boxy, people have this perception of them being a full size SUV. But they actually have the footprint of a mid-sized SUV. They're pretty much similar length to something like a Jeep Wrangler, Honda Passport, BMW X5 class of vehicle.

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BigCountry40@reddit

Lot of people spending 6 figures on a people carrier made by GM. What could go wrong?

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granolaraisin@reddit

Nothing that hasn’t (or has already) gone wrong given that these things have owned the US market for the past 30 years. The last two generations of this platform have been very nice in all GM flavors but they’ve been good about creating more separation between the Cadillac version and the GMC/Chevy iterations. And the Escalade V is just downright lunacy. If you can’t appreciate and laugh with that vehicle I’m not sure you have any business calling yourself a car person.

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BigConscience728@reddit

The person you’re responding to drives a rav4 or Camry and sees no reason to buy anything better than the POS they drive

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Hnry_Dvd_Thr_Awy@reddit

It confuses me why those kind of people are even here.

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guy_incognito784@reddit

They like cars, just scoff at the notion of actually buying one.

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ohwell_______@reddit

I don't think that's even true anymore in this subreddit. It feel like a ton of people just sorta stumble in to this forum by accident from r/all or whatever and post opinions despite have no interest in cars. I can't think of any other reason why this place glazes Camrys and minivans so hard now. It wasn't always this bad here!

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TGUKF@reddit

>I can't think of any other reason why this place glazes Camrys and minivans so hard now The core demographic of reddit in the US, the largest user base, is still mostly millenials, and even the youngest of the millenials are now at the age where a lot of them have kids. So now things like fuel economy and practicality are more real world considerations than when we were 14 and looking at supercars on posters.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

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AutoModerator@reddit

No rage bait, memes, trolling, copypasta, or low-quality joke posts or comments. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/cars) if you have any questions or concerns.*

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srcorvettez06@reddit

I got to ride in an Escalade V on track. I’ve done a lot of things in cars and I that was the most absurd and hilarious experience I’ve had.

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MajesticBread9147@reddit

I'd trust gm to make a better product than pretty much any non-japanese brand. The Escalade has always shared a powertrain with the Chevy Suburban, Silverado, and their GMC counterparts. Buyers of trucks and suburbans generally don't accept the same nonsense maintenance that German luxury cars have, the more difficult repairs, or the importing of parts from another country that really make most European luxury cars difficult to maintain after 15 or 20 years.

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RAMBIGHORNY@reddit

Labor alone for Germans in coastal areas is $300+/hr

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mzspd@reddit

A few years ago I would agree with that but the Escalade is riddled with engine problems with the 6.2L and the connector rod/crankshaft issues. And gm recalled the 21-24 and has chosen to not recall the 25 models (yet) because it would have caused a stop sale notice. The issue has not been fixed yet.

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ApsleyHouse@reddit

Is it more reliable than a Range Rover though?

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CayenneHybridSE@reddit

The Range Rover full size uses a 4.4 V8 from BMW, so they’re actually far more reliable than before. The engine is only one component though, so I’m sure they’re prone to electrical issues

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mzspd@reddit

Probably not. I'd argue that a BMW x7 is more reliable than a modern Escalade though. I mean in the end, the people buying these vehicles new are probably only keeping them within warranty period and then trading them in for new ones.

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opeth10657@reddit

And the 5.3s have had lifter issues forever

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biggsteve81@reddit

At least they aren't buying the Wagoneer.

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BigCountry40@reddit

People who buy new Jeeps deserve what they get

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SecretPantyWorshiper@reddit

Imagine spending $100k and buying the Wagoner over this 🤭

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joepierson123@reddit

They don't care about long-term reliability they are probably leasing them every 3 years

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MN-Car-Guy@reddit

Lease penetration for Escalade is well below industry average.

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Kryptus@reddit

There are quite a lot of well off families in the US. More than you would think.

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KingKontinuum@reddit

Is this including the EV version? Cadillac sells one IQ for every gas Escalade

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PrivateMarkets@reddit

I still can’t get over the weight of the iQ. Talk about lazy engineering and bloat.

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walnut100@reddit

Nobody buying this car cares about this.

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PrivateMarkets@reddit

Sure they do. I cross shopped the iQ with a Lucid Gravity. The iQ was so big dimensionally but somehow smaller inside (and slow, heavy, poor handling)

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walnut100@reddit

No you didn’t. The only weight that matters is 6000lbs. The IQ is wider and the Gravity has some extra headroom. Escalade has always been pure excess. Nobody buying this vehicle cares about weight.

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PrivateMarkets@reddit

Okay buddy. I absolutely test drove and contemplated an iQ given its range. Do you hold any other opinions as my proxy?

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walnut100@reddit

Brother, you did not drive the IQ, read the spec sheet, and go "Oh 9000lbs just won't do." The Gravity is a MUCH nicer drive but the IQ does not feel "slow" by any stretch. Heavy, poor handling I can agree with.

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PrivateMarkets@reddit

I provided a number of cogent reasons why I didn’t end up purchasing the iQ. The weight was a real concern - most garage floors aren’t made for that pork (we park inside a 4 car garage that is attached to our home). That weight is also obscene and just shows a blatant disregard for efficient engineering. Definitely not the lede for not purchasing (sloppy handling and less interior space were the drivers)

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ls7eveen@reddit

Just look at how stupidly tall the hoods are

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Slideways@reddit

What?! Where are you getting those numbers? The gas Escalade outsold the IQ 6:1.

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KingKontinuum@reddit

I’m looking at Escalade IQ sales versus standard Escalade sales excluding ESV since I’m not including the IQL. Anyways my entire point was that if they included all Escalades sold that number stretches from “49k” to 57k including the EV versions.

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Slideways@reddit

That’s 6:1 in favor of the gas Escalade and nowhere near the 1:1 you claimed.

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KingKontinuum@reddit

Hahaha I just realized I made a typo and left out the 1 for every 4 part 😂😂 That explains the confusion

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jeffh19@reddit

I wonder how the quality and reliability is. Someone from a forum I’ve been on for years has a Escalade V and he hates it and wants something different. Seems like it’s in a class by itself though. I thought he was being picky and then he listed all the issues he’s had with it and it was jaw dropping. I think the engine was replaced but I think the rest was all kinds of interior/tech/feature related that I would be PISSED about on what a Escalade V cost…

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Colors_678@reddit

TLC plates all over New York and New Jersey

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

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AutoModerator@reddit

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mayorLarry71@reddit

It is the defacto obnoxious, too large and boisterous SUV that comes to mind whenever such things are discussed. Clogging up roadways and parking lots everywhere. Awesome! 😆

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SecretPantyWorshiper@reddit

Yeah I agree. Everytime I see one of these dump trucks in the parking lot I just crack up laughing because whenever the owner is pulling out or trying to park it they struggle and don't know what to do 😂

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walnut100@reddit

Was the last time this happened about 5 years ago? All these cars have rear steer now.

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IS-2-OP@reddit

Big trucks honestly aren’t that hard to park. I used to drive a water tank quipped RAM 5500 for work and it was no problem. Unless I was in like downtown downtown none of the roads within my area are very restrictive. It’s only hard if you’re a bad driver which many people are.

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guy_incognito784@reddit

Cars that size are easiest to park backing in, wider turning radius. I mean generally speaking it's better to back into a space regardless of car but it's really noticeable in larger trucks and SUVs

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BigConscience728@reddit

Look at you call others “poor” Mr Honda civic driver. lol

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doggy-dad@reddit

I wonder what the average payment is on one of those is. Anyone here buy one? What's your monthly?

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walnut100@reddit

With the weight on these things they are mostly purchased by businesses paying cash but leases are probably bottoming out at $1300.

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DriveFast___EatAss@reddit

Don't be a coward. Everything is affordable with a 96mo loan

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Cranjesmcbasketball1@reddit

Think they can go any thinner on the "headlights" for the next refresh? I think they took it too far, the last version looked more balanced to me.

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DriveFast___EatAss@reddit

Not sure why it ever dropped. Escalade is the only full size luxury SUV that's actually cohesive. Expedition and Navigator received horrible facelifts, horrible body styling. The only saving grace is the engine, and even then we don't know how reliable they are. Wagoneer was the closest thing to a true competitor, but they were sold overpriced. The adjusted MSRPs are competitive but ... why get a wagoneer when you can have an Escalade at that price range. Add on Stellantis build quality and reliability.

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Ashamed-Efficiency96@reddit

Starting at $1470908767656321 only

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Apical-Meristem@reddit

I think if a Stellantis product can unseat the long term best seller, the best seller better try harder. Unless this is just a blingy bauble product and their buyers don’t consider reliability, then continue on. I would take it as a warning shot.

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Excellent-Pitch-7579@reddit

I hate it

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DoublePostedBroski@reddit

I’d imagine this is heavily skewed by limo services.

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Scazitar@reddit

Doesn't suprise me in Chicago, it's popular with rich people especially ones with personal drivers. Atleast around here rich people go nuts for that "its luxury but I'm still a hot blooded American.

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