Cadillac Unveils Escalade-V; ‘Industry’s Most Powerful Full-size SUV’

The Cadillac brand of Detroit’s General Motors Co. has revealed the full details surrounding the 2023 Escalade-V, what the automaker is calling “the industry’s most powerful full-size SUV.”
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The 2023 Escalade-V, which Cadillac is calling the industry’s most powerful full-size SUV, goes on sale late this summer. // Courtesy of Cadillac
The 2023 Escalade-V, which Cadillac is calling the industry’s most powerful full-size SUV, goes on sale late this summer. // Courtesy of Cadillac

The Cadillac brand of Detroit’s General Motors Co. has revealed the full details surrounding the 2023 Escalade-V, what the automaker is calling “the industry’s most powerful full-size SUV.”

As the first Cadillac V-Series SUV, the automaker sought to elevate the design, performance, and technology of the vehicle while delivering “the purest expression of the passion that exists at the core of Cadillac.”

To that end, the SUV boasts a blend of refinement, power, and technology and offers performance-inspired styling engine sound. With these attributes, Escalade-V expands the V-Series lineup, now in its fourth generation, which offers more levels of performance while preserving the lineage of the original lineup introduced in 2004.

“Customers and enthusiasts have asked for an Escalade-V, and we’re thrilled to bring this high-performance SUV to market in the year of Cadillac’s 120th anniversary,” says Rory Harvey, vice president of global Cadillac. “We do not deploy the V-Series designation lightly. The arrival of the 2023 Escalade-V is the result of a rigorous development program that allows this highly anticipated model to meet the criteria and capability thresholds established by nearly two decades of inspired V-Series performance.”

Escalade-V is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine rated at 682 horsepower (508 kilowatts) and 653 lb.-ft. of torque (885 Nm). Standard performance elements include a 10-speed automatic transmission calibrated for Escalade-V, full-time active all-wheel-drive system, and exclusive suspension hardware and software calibrations. An Escalade-V ESV version is also available.

The Escalade-V exterior features V-Series V-Series front and rear fascias and 22-inch aluminum wheels, quad exhaust outlets, and V-Series badging on the driver and front passenger doors and liftgate.

Interior features include V-Series badging throughout, platinum trim with Zebra Wood decor and semi-aniline leather on all three rows, heated/ventilated and massaging front seats, curved OLED with 38 inches of total diagonal display, AKG Studio Reference 36-speaker audio system, and available Super Cruise hands-free driver-assistance technology, including trailering and automatic lane change capabilities (late availability).

The vehicle’s performance features include:

  • Exclusive six-piston Brembo front brakes.
  • Edge Red brake calipers.
  • Standard Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 and Air Ride Adaptive Suspension, with uniquely tuned rear air springs and damper hardware, as well as V-Series specific software calibrations.
  • Selectable V-Mode with driver-customizable performance driving settings, lowered suspension, and active exhaust valves that control the V-8 engine sound.

With the full-time active all-wheel drive system to enhance traction, along with the supercharged engine, Cadillac expects the Escalade-V to be capable of 0-60 mph sprints in less than 4.4 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 12.74 seconds at 110 mph based on initial GM testing.

Drivers can personalize their experience behind the wheel through the V-Mode, which drivers access via a button on the center console ahead of the transmission shifter. It lets drivers tailor their preferred performance-driving mode and it also automatically lowers the ride height by nearly 0.8 inches (20 mm). Adjustments available with V-Mode include:

  • Suspension settings: Tour or Sport.
  • Steering: Tour or Sport, which feature unique steering calibrations.
  • Brake pedal feel: Tour or Sport.
  • Engine sound: Stealth, Tour or Sport.
  • AWD: Tour, Sport or Snow/Ice.
  • Engine performance: Tour, Sport or Snow/Ice.

Additionally, a launch control function is available via V-Mode that lets the Escalade-V perform optimal acceleration runs from a stop. Drivers access this feature when in V-Mode by holding down the brake pedal and then applying the accelerator pedal fully, and when the Traction Control Lamp begins to flash, releasing the brake pedal.

“With a power-to-weight ratio among the top in its class and advanced driving technologies to put that power to the pavement, the Escalade-V offers an engaging and energetic driving experience like no other full-size luxury SUV,” said Jaclyn McQuaid, executive chief engineer for full-size trucks at GM. “More important, it lives up to the vigorous requirements of the V-Series Mondrian insignia.”

The 2023 Escalade-V goes on sale late this summer, with a starting MSRP of $149,990 (including destination charge).