Exterior (Overall Design)
The overall exterior designs are similar, and both of these vehicles have roof rails, power sunroof, illuminating door handles, front LED cornering lamps, and more. They both feature the iconic Cadillac grille with a sweeping yet aggressive design that signals class and power at the same time.
There are a few differences to note, and these are mainly to do with the bigger size of the ESV. The ESV is actually 10 mm shorter than the Escalade’s 1,890 mm height, but the Escalade has a smaller wheelbase of 2,946 mm to the ESV’s 3,302. Both also offer key security features once you’re out of the vehicle, to keep it safe. They both come with wheel-locks, for example, and an engine immobilizer you can control remotely as needed.
Interior Features
Some interior features are shared by both vehicles, like 18-way front seats that have a massage function, premium semi-aniline leather, and a gorgeous, leather-wrapped console and instrument panel that’s matched by the leather upper trim on the doors. They both also have heated and cooled front seeats, and the rear outboard seats also come heated for cold-weather comfort. Both models have multi-zone climate control and a heated steering wheel
The first major difference comes in cargo space. With the Escalade, you get 203.9 inches of length, allowing for 94.2 cu-ft of interior cargo space. The ESV is more expansive inside and out at 224.3-inches long with 120.9 cu-ft of cargo space, though you have lower both rows of rear seats to get that. Both vehicles also feature 4G LTE Wi-fi, the Cadillac user experience with onboard navigation through a 12-inch color infotainment screen, wireless charging capability, and the freedom to connect via Bluetooth and connection to Apple and Android devices.
Engines
The engines are the same, but you will see a minor difference in the towing capacity. With the Escalade ESV, you have 8,100 pounds of towing capacity, which is nothing to sneeze at! With the Cadillac Escalade, that capacity goes up to 8,300 pounds. Both of these were made to allow you to tow boats or medium-weight campers without issue, and the minor difference comes down to their size: the bigger ESV is carrying around more of its own weight.
Both engines are a 6.2L generating 420 hp and 46- lb-ft of torque. Both come in all-wheel drive and are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. That tranmission comes with overdrive, a tow/haul mode, and the ability to tap up or down to shift on your terms, for better control when hauling, passing, or going off-road.
Safety Features
These vehicles share the same advanced safety features, including:
Driver, passenger, front-side, front-head, and rear-head air bags
- ABS brakes
- Traction control
- Stability control
- Driver restriction features (for teens)
- Automatic headlights
- Head up display
- Front and rear parking assist
- Forward-collision alert