Luxury cars are carefully crafted and are the flag bearers of a carmaker’s commitment to quality and performance. Buying a luxury car is a dream, while it is just a status symbol for others. For hard-core automobile enthusiasts, who really believe in the marvel of engineering, there can be only a handful of luxury cars that really exceed their expectations. Many automobile experts believe that categorizing a luxury car or a brand in a best or worst list is extremely difficult, as every manufacturer has a unique offering with every launch.

Keeping the above statement in perspective and several other parameters such as reliability, safety, performance, comfort and pricing, we concluded that the Cadillac Escalade is one of the worst buys for luxury cars.

The Cadillac Escalade is priced at more than INR 1.2 Cr, which is way more when compared with SUVs on offer from Audi and Mercedes. The price tag isn’t justified as the consumer reviews haven’t been very kind to this large luxury SUV. Besides this, the ownership cost exceeds INR 3 lac annually, which is again as annoying as it gets. The cost of part replacements such as lifters or transmission can exceed INR 50,000 easily, which is again a nuisance for a vehicle of such stature.

Escalade’s reliability has also raised many questions even in a short-term ownership period of 4 years. Constant complaints about lifters, transmission break down, and ride discomfort have brought down its reliability rating significantly. The ride discomfort was not just related to seats, but many technicians reported faulty struts that demanded replacement only after 70,000 km on the odometer. Similarly, the transmission failure burnt a hole in the pockets of many owners who had not even driven the vehicle much. The body role is also reportedly too unstable, which makes it a bumpy ride on rough roads.  

Performance-wise, the Cadillac Escalade delivers modest mileage and average handling too. Moreover, for a large SUV, the interior seating space is too cramped up, which fails to justify the spaciousness as advertised by the brand. Users also complain about the complicated infotainment system that is difficult to troubleshoot at times. Thus, if you’re looking for a luxurious SUV that ticks all the boxes of performance, comfort and pleasure, the Escalade can be disappointing.