The Escalade has charisma? Every time I see one all I can think is that it’s the kind of vehicle “white trash” buys when they win the lottery.

Escalade is a box on large rims with lots of chrome on it. Charisma of Escalade? Should we say the “ghetto factor”? I don’t like either vehicles but saying Escalade has charisma that the MB doesn’t is just plain wrong.

This car is amazing for what it is. First of all, 60k on a mercedes is money spent wisely unlike 60k on a POS Escalade which is a Tahoe with chrome. The escalade has no character at all. The last one did, this one does not. On the other hand the Range Rover will continue to outsell both of these vehicles because it has the greatest interior, gorgeous exterior, and a classy attitude, similar to the GL. The GL drives like a dream. I test drove one and it is has more than enough power for what it is, and it outhandles the Escalade which is more important to me anyways. Honestly, whats the purpose of a large suv with 400hp, you’re just gonna tip over faster.I’d rather have the safety, quality, and prestige of a Mercedes over a 400hp escalade anyday. The only thing about this car I can say is too bad mercedes didn’t build it earlier.

i hate both.

the escalade may be more flashy and more powerful than the GL450, but as the article says, the GL550 will help that issue. the thing is, even though the escalade is improved in quality over the last generation, the GL is far superior in terms of refinement and quality. and i’d take one over an escalade, and it could be jazzed up pretty easily. just check out http://www.asantiwheels.com

oh and once you click the link, look at custom finishes: that stuff is the ****

How come reviewers like the new Tahoe but hate the new Escalade? Read Fargo’s report on the Tahoe (glowing) and compare with the review of the Escalade (scathing). It demonstrates a physiological bias. If the Tahoe is great and the Escalade is just a rebadged Tahoe, then it should be great too. Maybe not better but just as good. And don’t bother pointing out the value factor ‘cause no one buying an Escalade cares.

Oh and I prefer the GL.

Why even bother. Those cars are for people who buy cars without thinking anyway. I would be wondering: Which one has the best resale value? That’s the only thing that matters in the end: How much you’ll actually pay between buying and selling the vehicle.

I agree with Dav.. both suck. The GL is the answer to a question nobody asked.

I’d choose the GL over the Escalade….. if only to avoid the second year rattles and squeeks of the Caddalade. And I don’t have the stomach for smakin’ the ho’s.

Range Rover yous gots it right. EXCEPT a Range Rover is NOT classy. Classy is used sarcastically in a kinda ‘Las Vegas’ big haired chick with long finger nails and choping on gum. Classy is bad.

Class dismissed.

jon: did you mean PSYCHOLOGICAL bias? i.e. prejudiced brain. Or does his body actually have a bad response to the Escalade. An Anaphalactic reaction to the Caddy would put me off too. Asuming someone had an epi pen?

Just ribbing you.
xoxo

A Mercedes should never be like an Escalade. Escalades are trashy cars that get dressed up with the worst wheels ever made. Blinged out crap.

?? Probably the reviewer was drunk or stoned. I’ve read many articles on the new G Class, and they all celebrate it!! It handles better than an Escalade and interiors are much more refined. The GL is the real answer to the Range Rover.

“The Escalade has charisma? Every time I see one all I can think is that it’s the kind of vehicle ‘white trash’ buys when they win the lottery.”

White people buy Escalades?

While the GL may be an option to a range rover, albeit a bland one at that, wouldnt any one of you prefer to drive the ML? It has sharper looks, crisper lines, faster engines, im sure better fuel economy, and all the off road prowess the average user would need. Screw the GL, and screw the R-class on top of it. if you need the space buy something else.

Oh yes white people buy Escalades. Here in Atlanta you see just as many soccer moms driving Escalades with 24″ chrome rims as rappers and “pro” athletes.
This is what happens when someone gets their hands on money too easily and their sense of taste can’t keep up (or doesn’t exist at all, for that matter).

What do I think of the GL? Sure, I’d take it over an Escalade (or any other GM POS) in a heartbeat, but overall, it’s just another big stupid school bus.

These enormous SUV’s and huge chrome wheels are the mullet of cars. In 20 years we’ll all look back on them and say “Wow. THAT was stupid.” and the drivers of aforementioned vehicles will laugh nervously and firmly deny that they at any time drove one of these things.

-david

So which is it? White trash? Soccer moms? Ghetto folk? It isnt you bashers, so you use the old “I’m too good to be seen in a Cadillac so it must suck” excuse. Thats fine. They will still sell.

Range Rover has a point. I, personally look for uniqueness to find a vehicle “charismatic”. And the Escalade is just a rebadged Tahoe. Doesn’t really fit into the “charisma” categorie.

Fine, let them continue to sell the Escalades to the rich white trash, soccer moms, and ghetto rappers. Besides not knowing what POSs GM heritage product they are buying, do you see what they all have in common? They ALL LACK COLLEGE EDUCATION! Yes, even you soccer moms who are content with being trophy wives and breeders.

Folks, the Escalade shares many basic components with the Tahoe and Yukon, but it has a unique (for now) engine + transmission combo, sheetmetal, interior bits, etc. Just because an SUV shares the same basic architecture (including beneath the skin subsystems) does not mean it behaves or performs the same way – compare a Civic DX to a Civic Si and you’ll see what I mean about character.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not pro-Escalade (or even pro-SUV for that matter) – and I won’t argue opinions with anyone – to each his own – but if you’re going to comment, please try to be as accurate as possible with your remarks – provides greater credibility to you and this site.

I reserve the right to rebadge and repost this rant in future comments… and no, wouldn’t buy either one of the SUVs mentioned either – don’t need ‘em, don’t want ‘em.

I thought the Mercedes ML was a minivan!

ML=minivan leicht similar to the Merc SL=Sport Leicht (I accept no responsibility for absolutely minimal German language skills)

I seems if you took the Tahoe out of an Escalade. You’d have a pimpin aftermaket bolt on store, but nothing driveable.

The ML is more of the same. The escalade is better.

This is something new to me…..an Escalade has charisma?? The only, and real SUV is the Range Rover, every type from past to present. saying an Escalade is a charismatic car is an outrage. And, not only white trash loves it….al trash loves it, and as we all know, there isn’t much of charisma in trashy people. The Benz is just a good car, nothing more nothing less, but it is though much of the things we have seen before.

Both are too big and too heavy. It´s a shame car makers don´t care at all about weight, especially on SUVs. Their solution is simple: more weight, more horse power. Anyway, the GL is better.

I’m over big SUVs. …and there’s No Way I ever want to look like a jive pimp who’s family history is a series of major prisons vs. major colleges. It reminds me when rednecks were kickin ass of anyone with long hair – then went and let their hair grow?!

I have an ML. it’s really pretty average. It could have been made by GM for the rental market. If I didn’t get such a good buy going to Canada with USD$’s..then I would have rather had a MDX.

j i m

RangeRoverBoy is right – Range’s are often confused as classy because they are quality: Well built, good looking etc… but classy? No, they’re still a mean beast of a car… God bless Land Rovers, God bless Range Rovers and God bless Ford for actually investing in such a quality marque.

I spent last weekend riding around in a friend’s Escalade. It was comfortable, great A/C and the ride wasn’t bad. The workmanship inside, on the other hand, was atrocious. The plastic panels did not line up properly, one of the rear A/C vents fell off after leaving the car parked in the sun all day. Rattles and squeaks everywhere. For the kind of money they’re asking for these things, all of this is unacceptable. Oh yeah, it only had about 14K miles on the clock.

Well, there is nothing really Leicht (light) about the SL, since it weighs 4220 lbs! Actually, I don’t think Mercedes applies actual words to their letter monikers. I think an ML is simply an ML. I mean an SLK is not always a ‘Sport Leicht Kompressor’, since not all of its engines are supercharged.

Jon.

I have been in too many Piss Poor Range Rovers since their return to the US market in the late 1980s to just sit here and let people heap all of this fake praise on what is a POS poser vehicle if there ever was one. Range Rover is ONLY a fancy name, I have found the actual cars to be plauged with; bad electronics, prone to engine bay fires, poor fit and finish, horrid reliabilty, etc. The same trashy, ghetto folks that buy Escalades also buy up a great deal of the Range Rovers imported to the USA. I persoanlly know 5 individuals (wannabe players and chicks)that have owned either a RR or a Discovery and not a single one will purchasre another Range Rover.
As a matter of fact the Escalade, 05 or 06 is a significantly better vehicle to own. It might not have as fancy a name but it is definately a better SUV.

Jon,
Although there are some that won’t make sense Mercedes does use actual names for the models. Who said SLK stands for Sport Leicht Kompressor? It stands for Sportlich, Leicht, Kompakt.

Range Rovers don’t like NYC.

I looked over a GL at the dealer a few days ago. Dull Dull Dull. The Escalade (which I’m no great fan of) actually does have more charisma than the GL, which looks like a bland and bloated ML. At least Cadillac tried to provide some style. The original G-class and Range Rover are both far more interesting and charismatic choices. The GL was a waste of engineering resources, the answer to a question no one was asking, launched just as the large SUV boom starts to collapse.

Anyone bashing or complaning the Range Rover obviously has not driven a Mark III Range Rover. The 2006 in particular is a huge advancment over just the last three model years not even thinking about what a huge advancment the 2003 MY Range Rover was over the 2002 MY.

Like I said, Ford have worked wonders…

The Range’s are brilliant, simple as… And Land Rovers? Awesome beyond any SUV America can chuck out.

Why do you think they use the Range Rover for the awesome Tomcat and the Land Rover for the Bowler Wildcat? In the words of a true Brit: ” ‘ave it!!! “

Why all the bashing on the Cadillac? So they made mistakes who doesn’t? Has anyone driven the new cadillacs? The cts has been chosen over the BMW M in countless reviews. And what about the 2006 STS that car is beautiful! The escalade has been through a lot of upgrades and GM didn’t raise the price sticker. What other manufacture does that? Everyone has the right to their own opinion but Cadillac is on a roll whether you realize it or not and I’m sure the next generation of cadillacs will turn heads.

I just test drove the taho and then the GL. The taho felt larger . it accelarated slower and stoped longer and tilted on corners. the dash was all plastic and the buttons for AC and 4WD were dated and felt cheap.
The GL450 was faster, quiter and cornered more like a car with little tilt. the stoping was short, but with a forword tilt. over all the GL was what one expects from a german car, good solid feel and quick response. the taho had more room in trunk and felt like driving a work truck with all the handeling you’d expect.