SUV sales may be dropping like the proverbial lead balloon, but General Motors is trying to ballast the ship by offering hybrid drivetrains in some of its thirstiest vehicle. The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is the latest hybrid in GM’s line of GMT 900-based hybrid vehicles, and GM officially announced pricing for the luxury hybrid on Friday.
Prices for the Escalade Hybrid will start at $71,685, which represents a $3,600 premium over a comparably equipped gasoline only model. Although not the cheapest hybrid on the block, the Escalade Hybrid does come stuffed to the gills with the latest luxury features, with the only two options being all-wheel drive and a power running board.
The Escalade Hybrid uses the same two-mode system used in the GMC Yukon Hybrid and Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, which includes a 6.0L V8, resulting in a combined output of 332 horsepower. Despite the V8 underhood, the hybrid Escalade returns 50 percent better city fuel economy than the gas only model, with an EPA rating of 20 mpg. However, because the Escalade Hybrid doesn’t use the same aerodynamic front fascia and low rolling resistance tires found on the Yukon and Tahoe Hybrids, it only achieves 21 mpg on the highway – one mpg less than GM’s other full-size hybrid SUVs.
Two-wheel drive Escalade Hybrid models are capable of towing 5,800 pounds, while the added heft of the optional all-wheel drive system brings down towing capacity to 5,600 pounds.
The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is expected to hit dealer showrooms later this month.
08/08, 2:48 PM
posted by:
HemiRoadRunner
WTF??? This is something to be proud of?
08/08, 2:53 PM
posted by:
Spingood Tanoya
The typical Escalade Hybrid customer: “I’ll have the double bacon cheeseburger with extra cheese, super-sized fries, apple pie…and a Diet Coke.”
08/08, 3:03 PM
posted by:
ktulu
thats 2 much $ 4 just a suburban
08/08, 3:08 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
well… 20/21 is a decent rating for something so monstrous. I still think it’s a case of too little too late.
08/08, 3:18 PM
posted by:
bigp
nice but at 80,000 i dont think so
08/08, 3:30 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
How much? This has to be a joke.
08/08, 3:34 PM
posted by:
anti-believer
Each release of another version of GM’s SUV just seems like a waste.
Starts at 71K???
I could buy me a Honda Fit to communte in and a Honda S2K to drive on weekends and still have change left over for gas.
08/08, 3:50 PM
posted by:
Htay9500
LMAO. anyone want a glorified tahoe with an extra battery pack? PASS.
08/08, 4:14 PM
posted by:
brassmonkey
$72k ain’t the cheapest hybrid? Hmm, that’s news. Thanks LLN. Why hasn’t anyone made a DIESEL-HYBRID? I would think that would boost MPG even more than a gas-hybrid.
08/08, 4:21 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Even in its hybrid iteration, Escalade is still a schmuckmobile.
08/08, 4:37 PM
posted by:
bcjohnso99
Anti-believer,
… yes but this ‘lade could drive clean over either of your Hondas with zero emissions…
… and with little damage as it doesn’t have the ‘hoe’s low skirt.
08/08, 4:41 PM
posted by:
jumpoffit
and what’s there to be proud of? just for zero emissions? ooooooooooooo that justifies this retarded cost- you could be driving other economical hybrids, but just because it’s an Escalade? will there be a CTS-V hybrid? and how much will that be? 100k?
08/08, 5:18 PM
posted by:
anti-believer
bcjohnso99, i think u have to catch my S2K first (doubt if u do) and my Fit can make U turns sharper than that big school bus, wagon’lade.
08/08, 5:39 PM
posted by:
CarResearcher
Comes with a free Meaty Meaty Burger drive thru club card.
08/08, 6:00 PM
posted by:
nitinsharma1000
anti-believer, damn right. then hes gonna have to stop to get gas cuz his engine will definately be running if hes trying to catch up to someone.
08/08, 6:23 PM
posted by:
qpt_dude
It looks great, and 20/21 doesn’t sound too harsh of a MPG.
For you people out there making fun of it with your fast food restaurant humor, the whole large SUV segment is full of fuel-inefficient drivetrains. Thats the whole point of this hybrid attempt. Its exactly like this: 5 fat men sit at a restaurant. One gets up and denies to eat. You people make fun of him.
08/08, 6:25 PM
posted by:
fuk-u-asshole
what a ****in joke to even use the word hybrid. ****in lazy POS
08/08, 7:08 PM
posted by:
A4
long islanders will love this monstrosity
08/08, 8:39 PM
posted by:
DrFill
The number of Escalade shoppers who give two spits about fuel economy?
This isn’t an oxymoron.
It’s an oxynimrod!
DrFill
08/08, 9:05 PM
posted by:
ohiocooper
it needs to say “hybrid” in more places…I only count 8 badges and stickers.
08/08, 11:17 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
Stupid. 80k is Benz territory.
08/09, 12:15 AM
posted by:
jdasch1
Isn’t it just cheaper to buy 3 hybrid emblems and a few stickers to a regular Escalade?? The people who drive them want opinions to be in their favor, not gas mileage. Stickers and emblems do the job.
08/10, 6:50 AM
posted by:
global_lightning
What’s funny is that with its hybrid status, this ‘Lade will be able to use HOV lanes in some metropolitan areas. Suckas!
08/11, 10:34 AM
posted by:
rodeo40
Shudda been a diesel…and those EPA ratings are for a 2WD model…who the hell buys a 2WD Escalade? Can you imagine getting stuck in the snow in a 70K SUV?
08/11, 10:41 AM
posted by:
SickofGarbageMotors
I can just imagine all the gangstas and rap artists who buy these ridiculous pigs rollin around on 28″ rims with 28″ tall H-Y-B-R-I-D emblems. That’ll look real cool.
08/11, 10:43 AM
posted by:
SickofGarbageMotors
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/09/press-release-cadillac-announces-escalade-hybrid/