Cadillac prices Escalade Hybrid from $71,685
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
If you are in the market for American excess and feeling a bit green at the same time, Cadillac has your next vehicle. It's the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, and it goes on sale this month with an MSRP of $71,685 (a mere $3,600 premium over a comparably-equipped Escalade, GM boasts). The "first-ever hybrid on a large luxury SUV" features GM's advanced Two-Mode Hybrid technology allowing it to run on just battery power during idling (do electric cars idle?) or low-speed driving conditions. Like the gas-only model, the Hybrid also incorporates Active Fuel Management meaning it can run on as few as four cylinders to save fuel. The 2009 Cadillac Escape Hybrid earns EPA fuel economy ratings of 20 city/21 highway (the non-hybrid Escalade is rated 12/19), so there is some gas to be saved here.
Gallery: 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
[Source: General Motors]
Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Launch Underway
DETROIT, Mich. – The launch of the world's first hybrid applied to a large luxury SUV, the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, begins this month. Achieving a 50-percent improvement in fuel economy in city driving, Escalade Hybrid arrives at Cadillac dealerships in the United States with an MSRP of $71,685. That represents a premium of only $3,600 over a comparably-equipped Escalade.
"In a changing marketplace emphasizing fuel economy technology, Cadillac is proud to be the only luxury brand offering a hybrid in this segment," said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager.
Escalade Hybrid features GM's advanced Two-Mode Hybrid technology, enabling EPA fuel economy ratings of 20/21 miles per gallon (city/highway). The hybrid system can operate the vehicle entirely on battery-electric power during idling or low-speed driving situations. Escalade Hybrid also incorporates Active Fuel Management technology that enables the Vortec V-8 engine to operate on only four cylinders in certain driving conditions to save fuel. Escalade Hybrid is offered as a total package, including nearly all available luxury and technical features as standard. The two extra-cost options are four-wheel drive and power running boards.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
NT 4:04PM (8/08/2008)
Absurd MSRP aside, that is a pretty good jump in city MPG.
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PaulPaul 4:34PM (8/08/2008)
you can wait 2 years and buy it for $18k
Matt 4:50PM (8/08/2008)
"The 2009 Cadillac Escape Hybrid earns EPA fuel economy ratings of 20 city/21 highway (the non-hybrid Escalade is rated 12/19), so there is some gas to be saved here."
Yeah... double.
THAT will save people some money, if you consider the average driver puts on 15,000 miles per year!
12 miles per gallon city (if you baby it, and who does that) and 15,000 miles a year is 1250 annual miles at $3.69 a gallon (here in Green Bay, WI) comes out to $4612.50 per year in gas. The hybrid comes in at 20 miles per gallon city (also when babying it, I'm sure) which equates to 750 gallons at 15k per year, and at a rate of $3.69 a gallon, that comes out to $2767.50. At near two grand per year savings, it would only take two years to make up the difference.
Of course, that's assuming mostly city driving, so your mileage would vary, but I can say that around here I see Escalades far more in town than on the highway (which would make sense, given their show-offy, rich soccer mom going shopping at the mall appeal), so I can see that being more the "norm".
Luis 6:07PM (8/08/2008)
I think they forgot to mention that MPG rating only occurs when driving downhill while being pushed by a train. Does GM not see the absurdity in a 9,000lb (exagerating) "Hybrid"? That's like putting a supercharger in a Yugo.
Randy 6:24PM (8/08/2008)
That is crazy! No way would I spend that kind of money for that little MPG. For God's sake it should be 40 MPG for that kind of money! What are ya gonna save?
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sbessette91 7:51PM (8/08/2008)
Am I the only one seeing the "Cadillac ESCAPE Hybrid" here?
Noz 2:42AM (8/09/2008)
LUIS got it right....this is just a retarded vehicle all around.
Gary Blomquist 1:47PM (8/11/2008)
Isn't the new Chrysler Aspen Hybrid SUV using the same technology with the Hemi, priced considerably less?
2007RC46SP2 4:12PM (8/08/2008)
just what GM needs.
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tanooki2003 4:12PM (8/08/2008)
HAHAH LMFAO!!
Are you serious GM?? Going green is one thing but to charge an outrageous price for this ugly beast of a vehicle that will not even come close to making up the money saved in gas is just simply retarded, or is this Bob Klutz the Nut's way of expressing his "global warming is hogwash" ignorance by exploiting the mathematically inclined crowd with this joke.
Seriously if I was going to invest that much in a vehicle it will go towards a Nissan GT-R
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Pacman 4:20PM (8/08/2008)
22 months to make up the premium vs the regular version. See explaination below.
tanooki2003 4:33PM (8/08/2008)
Even if that was the case I will not waste my hard earned money on this ugly beast. $3600 premium on a smaller car with the hybrid technology offers much better savings.
Again if I had an extra $71K laying around the house I will rather spend it on a Nissan GT-R and not care about how much gas it consumes, or spend it on the Fisker Karma.
BlackCanary 4:38PM (8/08/2008)
well of course the premise of a Escalade is stupid but thats not the point here. If you were in the market for such a vehicle it would make sense to get the Hybrid version.
rsfourever 4:46PM (8/08/2008)
"Even if that was the case I will not waste my hard earned money on this ugly beast."
-Even if that WERE the case, I WOULD not waste my hard earned money on this ugly beast.
"Again if I had an extra $71K laying around the house I will rather spend it on a Nissan GT-R"
-Again if I had an extra $71K LYING around the house I WOULD rather spend it on a Nissan GT-R"
Minimal grammatical overview really helps when you're trying to make stupid point. The slade and the GTR are two totally different things. That's like if someone told me "I'm going to buy a Toyota for $20,000 bucks" and I retorted "you're an idiot, if I were going to spend $20,000 bucks I'd buy an 80 inch plasm screen."
Vik 4:59PM (8/08/2008)
rsfourever-
"Minimal grammatical overview really helps when you're trying to make stupid point"
...trying to make stupid point where? ;)
- Minimal grammatical overview really helps when you're trying to make A stupid point
In conclusion, minimal grammatical overview really helps when you're trying to not look stupid while pointing out the stupidity of someone else's post.
In all seriousness, now that you (hopefully) see the stupidity in trying to act as the spelling/grammar police instead of just focusing on the substance of someone else's post, I hope you'll understand that you aren't really teaching people anything.
tanooki2003 5:02PM (8/08/2008)
@rsfourever
My point is "Oh ye of too much time on one's hands trying to correct blog grammer supremeness" is that I will not spend that kind of money on an SUV with Hybrid technology. I personally would spend it on a super car, or the Fisker Karma, however I am not going to satisfy your uncontrollable lust to correct people in order to make sense to your world by saying you are correct, which you aren't.
Your point is null, invalid and does not relate. You need to accept that in some people's mind spending this kind of money on an SUV, that being a GM SUV, with hybrid technology is ridiculous. You may justify it but be prepared to find a lot of people with differences of opinion and accept it.
Herkimer 5:33PM (8/08/2008)
Vik,
rsfourever made two points: First, tanooki's grammer is lacking. Second, his GT-R reference was re-damn-diculous.
I agree with both...even if the first one is a hopeless case.
Torrent 5:31PM (8/08/2008)
shut up.
arturo 8:50PM (8/08/2008)
@ tanoniki.
Give me an alternative to this luxury SUV and the price, then gas mileage, that are competing with the escalade. you could then prove that you are not as dumb as your comments make you seem.
flychinook 10:52PM (8/08/2008)
If you think this vehicle is ridiculous, you should check into the Lexus LS 600h Hybrid... $108,000 (at least $20,000 more than a comparable non-hybrid LS), and that gets you a big 4 MPG boost in city economy. And your highway economy actually DROPS by 2 MPG.
Compared to that, I'd say the Caddy is doing just fine.