The 2021 Cadillac Escalade has managed to turn its fair share of heads since it made its debut in Los Angeles earlier this year. Boasting impressive amounts of style, luxury, and capability this Slade has it all covered. However, the bigger ESV variant has remained camera shy, with the only indicator of its existence being when it was unceremoniously revealed via the brand’s online configurator. Cadillac has remedied this, by unveiling one lone image of the upcoming ESV variant in an announcement earlier today.
The exterior styling is a virtual mirror image of the standard Escalade, with all the details being identical forward of the B-Pilar. But move behind the B-pillar, and you will see that length is the name of the game with this latest iteration of ESV. An extended wheelbase is carried over from its cousin the Chevrolet Suburban, and Cadillac designers have made several changes to help the bodywork look better with the added length. The rear doors are longer and squarer, while the brightwork around the rear doors has been reworked to help it accent the added length more. We actually like this latter change considering that the garnishes on the standard Escalade can look rather misshapen from some angles. Our lone gripe centers on the massive swath of black plastic that adorns an area just behind the rear door openings. Like in the CT5, it is an attempt to make the rear windows look longer than they really are. But here it looks completely odd, and it does clash with some of the chiseled lines that are prevalent through out the Escalade’s flanks.
When it debuts, the Cadillac Escalade ESV will be 15.9 inches longer than the standard Escalade, with roughly 13.2 inches of that extra length coming from the wheelbase. The overall length will measure in at 226.9 inches with the extra real estate being a welcome gain for third row passengers as well as cargo space, with occupants back there being rewarded with a cavernous 36.6 inches of legroom. Meanwhile, storage space goes up to 42.9 cubic feet of space with the seats folded. As you can imagine, folding them down further enhances things, and transforms the ESV into a very potent cargo hauler. Further enhancing things is the independent rear suspension which made its first ever appearance on all Escalade models for the 2021 model year. It saves space, and it actually lowers the floor slightly for a more natural seating position in the third row.
As is the case with other ESV variants, the 2021 version will command a slight price premium over the standard Escalade, with base ESV models starting at $80,490. Look for the bulk of these models to be created in higher trims, with the extra equipment and other amenities pushing the sticker past $90,000. The ESV’s official on sale date is still up in the air, but Cadillac has said in the past that it intends to formally launch the ESV before the end of 2020. This was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, so it will be interesting to see if Cadillac is forced to alter its launch plans for this particular model.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.