2005 Cadillac Escalade Review

Take an Escalade, super-size it to Suburban length and throw every conceivable option at it and you would have the Escalade ESV Platinum. I call this a limo for personal use. We've got three DVD screens: two in the roof for each row of passengers and GM's new navigation system up front for the driver. This 'Slade has it going on.

Outside, the Platinum gets a discrete nameplate branded on the tailgate and large 20-inch 9 spoke chrome wheels. Inside is where the options have been piled on. First thing I noticed were the matching his and hers Cadillac coffee mugs designed to fit perfectly in the heated and cooled cup holder. Yes, no more letting that venti latt? get cold or the soda warm. The rich leather seats give your bottom and back the same attention as the mugs. Heated and cooled bucket seats for both the first and second rows of passengers are standard on the Platinum. What am I saying, everything is standard on the Platinum.

I?ll get to put the DVD navigation system to the test this weekend, since I have a trip on Saturday and I don?t know where I?m going. The touch screen is also used for access to the six-disc in dash changer. I talk more about that tomorrow. Third row passengers are not treated like second-class citizens in this truck. Since it is Suburban sized, the third row has decent leg room and there is a good amount of space behind them. There is a DVD screen just for the third row and the truck has three-zone cooling/heating. All seats come with their own wireless headphones to listen to DVD movies quietly while the first row can listen to XM radio in peace.

This tricked out Escalade ESV comes at a price, $70,675 with destination, but as I said, there are no options. That?s the base price for a Platinum, if you want to call that ?base.? We?ll talk up the interior tomorrow.