NOTE: Pricing based on data collected April 2011. Costs of hybridization and forced features are UCS estimates based on information available on manufacturer websites.
See full Hybrid Scorecard methodology
Vehicle Summary
Cadillac introduced the Escalade Hybrid in model year 2009 as a two-wheel-drive (2WD) luxury hybrid. The model year 2011 version of this full-size SUV seats eight people and gets a combined EPA estimated fuel economy of 21 miles per gallon (mpg). The Escalade Hybrid uses General Motors’ (GM’s) two-mode hybrid system and has a slightly downsized engine compared with the conventional Escalade. The Escalade Hybrid is a full hybrid, offering electric-only operation under certain conditions, idle stop/start, power assist, and regenerative braking.
Environmental Improvement Score
The 2011 Escalade Hybrid 2WD achieves a 24 percent reduction in global warming emissions and a 21 mpg fuel economy rating compared with the conventional Escalade 2WD’s 16 mpg. For comparison, two conventional seven-passenger SUVs—the Toyota Highlander and the Mitsubishi Outlander both with 4-cylinder engines—are more fuel-efficient than the Escalade Hybrid. In addition, the smog-forming emissions performance of the Escalade Hybrid is among the worst of all hybrids on the market, earning it an EPA air pollution score of 6. In comparison, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid rates an 8 on the EPA’s scale. These two factors give the Escalade Hybrid an Environmental Score of 5. Hybrid technology and modern emissions-control systems offer the unique quality of providing a “no compromise” vehicle that does not trade smog-forming emissions for global warming emissions, and vice versa. The Environmental Score of the Escalade Hybrid could be improved if GM focused two-mode hybrid technology on maximizing fuel economy, and made an effort toward reducing smog-forming emissions.
Scorecard Environmental Improvement Score methodology
Hybrid Value
A bright spot for the Escalade Hybrid is that Cadillac is charging a modest $3,170 for the hybrid system, which is significantly less than those in many other hybrid SUVs. Despite its poor smog-forming emissions performance (which significantly lowered its Environmental Improvement Score), the 24 percent reduction in global warming emissions puts the Escalade Hybrid 2WD in the “Very Good” range for Hybrid Value, the only SUV to achieve that ranking. The reason this differs from its twin non-luxury models, the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe Hybrids, is that the conventional Escalade comes standard with a thirsty 6.2-liter V8 engine while the Escalade Hybrid comes with a more efficient 6.0-liter engine. In contrast, the Yukon and Tahoe hybrids have upsized engines (6.0-liter) compared with their conventional counterparts (5.3-liter V8). Unfortunately, Cadillac undermines this value by adding thousands of dollars’ worth of forced features to the hybrid (see below).
Scorecard Hybrid Value methodology
Forced Features
Luxury vehicles are defined by their features, but the Escalade Hybrid takes it to another level. Cadillac piles on $7,510 worth of extra features to the Escalade Hybrid 2WD compared with the base model Escalade 2WD—already a luxury vehicle in itself—giving the Escalade Hybrid a Forced Features rating of “$$$$$,” the worst rating in this category. Sample forced features include a magnetic ride-control suspension, a power tilt/sliding sunroof, an entertainment system with in-dash DVD player and roof-mounted flip-down eight-inch (diagonal) screen, performance tires, and seven-spoke chrome aluminum wheels. While luxury SUV buyers may be able to afford all of these features, the fact they are standard in the price of the hybrid lends to the artificial impression that hybrid technology is prohibitively expensive. Click to see full list of forced features. Click to see full list of forced features.
Scorecard Forced Features methodology
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Additional Info
Visit the Who’s Got Hybrids section to read comments and stories from actual hybrid owners.
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