Front-row roominess and accommodations are essentially the same for the Escalade, ESV, and EXT. A big center console serves as a front armrest and opens in a couple of different ways to reveal storage areas. Two large cup holders, a CD rack and coin holder are all in there. A power outlet inside the center console is handy for plugging in and storing cell phones and other accessories.
The dashboard is squarish, like a big flat tray. A leather-wrapped handgrip runs across the top of the dash on the passenger side, with big stitching that faces out. Walnut burl wood trim adds warmth. New chrome trim and more detailed graphics on the instruments for 2005 emphasizes their stylish, retro-tech look. A transmission temperature gauge is included, reassuring when towing.
The optional navigation system ($1995) has been upgraded for 2005, with touch-screen technology replacing last year's joystick. And the screen itself has expanded from 5.8 to 6.5 inches.
The Platinum Edition ESV gets premium interior features and materials, including an ebony and shale dash, shale leather seating surfaces and pleated door-panel bolsters. Seats are both heated and cooled in the first and second rows; even the cup holders are heated and cooled. Walnut burl accents appear on the steering wheel, console, door pulls, window switch bezels and dashboard trim. Chrome trim highlights the steering wheel, speaker covers and gauge cluster. Satellite navigation is standard, along with a DVD entertainment system with separate 7-inch screens for the second and third rows.
On all Escalades, a message center provides status reports including total hours on the engine and miles driven during each of the previous seven days. (Good for checking up on teens, it even reports the top speed reached.) A computer in the center dash allows the driver to program such things as whether the locks operate automatically, how locking with the key fob is confirmed (horn, lights), whether the mirrors tilt when backing up, length of headlamp delay, etc. The steering-wheel audio controls are set into the center of the butterfly four-spoke burl wood trim wheel (but can't be reached with your thumb).
The climate controls work very well. They are easy to understand and operate, yet quite sophisticated, and allow fine-tuning of everyone's temperature. Likewise, the audio system works very well and the XM Satellite Radio is easy to operate. A six-disc CD changer mounted at the bottom of the center stack is convenient and easy to operate. New Gen 6 OnStar is standard.
Second-row passengers have luxurious accommodations, regardless of model. Captain's chairs are standard on Escalade and ESV; they give second-row passengers front-row comfort. EXT comes with a 60/40 split bench, which is available at no charge on the other two models. The center of the bench seat folds to reveal a virtual fold-down table. Lift the vinyl top and there's a black felt compartment with little round recesses designed for the headphones.
Second-row passengers enjoy their own climate controls, seat heaters, audio system controls, map lights, and adjustable vents. Second-row accommodations for the three models are nearly the same, all within an inch. There's less legroom than you might expect in a vehicle this large, particularly if the front seats are moved all the way back. Big hanging loops make climbing in and out of the second row easier.
Getting in and out of the third row is awkward, however. Leather-soled dress shoes slip on the trim when squeezing by the second row. And it feels cramped back there, with nearly an inch less headroom than in the Lincoln Navigator, and a whopping 9 inches less leg room. At least it's not stuffy. There's an A/C outlet on each side on the ceiling, and rear A/C and heating allow separate control of the third-row temperature. The left side has a glove box for third-row passengers, with only a few fuses stored inside. Both sides have deep cup holders built into the wheel wells, which limit hip room. Three seatbelts are used, something not found on many SUVs, and child-seat tethers are in place.
Escalade is at its best with four people and their cargo, with the third-row seat left at home in the garage. With all three rows of seats in place, the standard Escalade can, in theory, accommodate eight people, but they won't be terribly comfortable. Nor will each of them be able to bring along much more than a briefcase because with the third row in place there's only a foot of storage in the back. So it's no airport shuttle.
The Escalade ESV is a better choice for shuttling a crowd home from the airport. The ESV has nearly 10 inches more legroom in the third row than the Escalade, and an inch more than the Navigator. And even with all three rows of seats occupied (seven or eight people), the ESV offers 45.7 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the third-row seat.
The third row folds up for additional cargo space, and a little kickstand ensures it won't fall back down on Fido. The third row can be removed for still more cargo room and, fortunately, removing it is easy. It's actually a 50/50 split bench, and each 40-pound unit lifts out individually. The second row can be folded down to provide a flat load floor, though the captain's chairs leave a hole between them.
All Escalade models have dual-stage frontal air bags for both driver and passenger. The system is designed to detect vehicle deceleration (or crash severity) and provide an appropriate amount of air-bag inflation. The system also assesses the size of the occupant in the front passenger seat, based on the measured weight in the seat cushion and tension in the belt system; it can then automatically deactivate the passenger-side air bag to help protect smaller occupants. A tell-tale in the rearview mirror that lets the driver know if the system is ON or OFF. (Children are always safer in the back seat, however.) Side-impact air bags are standard for both the driver and front passenger. In addition, side-impact door beams and energy-absorbing foam blocks in the interior help protect occupants.
