Car Gazing
Escalade EXT improved with new dash, better brakes
By Derek Price
Imagine, if you will, stepping back to 1982 – the year when headbands
became high fashion, "E.T." was a box-office hit and "Bette Davis Eyes" won
a Grammy – when someone proclaims, "Cadillac will build a pickup truck in
20 years, and people will love it!"
The public's most likely response: "What herb have you been smokin'?"
Well, the unthinkable happened, and Cadillac actually made that truck in the
crazy automotive year of 2002. We'll probably look back at luxury SUVs
someday with about the same respect as those awful headbands, but there's no
mistaking one thing – the Cadillac truck was a success. It even beat
General Motors' lofty prediction of selling 12,000 units in its first year
and forced Lincoln's rival Blackwood into extinction.
Based on the extremely popular Chevrolet Avalanche, the Escalade EXT offers
everything buyers of luxury SUVs are looking for – comfort, prestige, and
road-hogging size – along with the nice addition of a pickup bed in back.
But, there were a couple of drawbacks in the first year, both of which were
addressed by Cadillac for 2003.
The first was in the interior, where cheap-looking materials and flimsy
plastic were disappointing to see in a vehicle costing north of $50,000.
Cadillac fixed this, at least in part, by redesigning the instrument cluster
and center portion of the dash to give it a more premium look and feel,
although it's still not on par with Lincoln's redesigned 2003 Navigator.
The new instrument cluster looks cleaner and more refined with tasteful
chrome trim and a style that matches knobs throughout the cabin, and an
analog clock designed by Italian luxury brand Bulgari is a nice touch. The
center console also is greatly improved thanks to a single-piece design that
looks more upscale and feels more solid.
The second complaint, while not quite as noticeable as the dash layout, was
a braking system on 2002 models that felt mushy at the pedal and didn't seem
strong enough for stopping a three-ton vehicle. The brakes are greatly
improved for 2003, and Cadillac says they're quieter, too.
A class-leading, 6.0-liter engine cranks out 345 horsepower – the same as
last year and the most you can find in any SUV – without making much of a
ruckus. In fact, even at highway speed, the cabin is virtually silent.
Its ride is still the stuff of highway-cruising legend, with Cadillac's
famous feeling of floating over potholes and bumps. A couple of new options
are must-haves for those who travel often, including XM Satellite Radio and
a rear-seat DVD player to keep the kids happy.
Other refinements to the 2003 model include:
- Improved stability enhancement system.
- New seat safety features, including early compliance to 2005 federal
standards.
- Dual-level and passenger-sensing air bags.
- High intensity discharge headlamps.
- Optional second-row bucket seats.
- New steering wheel with eight-button steering wheel controls.
- Enhanced Bose audio system.
With so many improvements after its first year, it's hard to find any major
flaws in this Caddy brute. The dash is pleasant and good looking, the seats
are comfortable, and the one-of-a-kind styling definitely gets attention.
Even its $50,000 price tag is right on par with the competition, which
includes tricked-out pickups and luxury SUVs.
If this trend continues, don't be surprised to see Cadillac 18-wheelers
parked in driveways across America in 20 years.
You may laugh now, but it could happen.
(Derek Price is a newspaper editor and freelance writer living in Texas.
Contact him at dprice@cargazingonline.com)
The above article is provided for the interest and entertainment of our visitors. The views expressed in this article are only those of the author, who is solely responsible for the content. AutoGuide.net does not endorse any of these views, and is not to be held responsible for any of the content provided in the above article.
Click here to read Derek's past articles!
If you have any questions or comments for Derek or the AutoGuide.net, please fill out this form.
|
