By Ross Ballot
The story goes that Cadillac’s engineers were told the Escalade V was to be their last gas-powered concoction and as such they should hold nothing back. So they did what GM’s engineers do best and made it so incredibly over the top and loud that it turned out unmistakable for anything else. For better or worse, and despite not many major changes since its inception, the 2026 Cadillac Escalade V is truly one of a kind.
This wasn’t my first go with an Escalade V. The first one I drove was back in October of 2022, and guess what? The truck is still alive and kicking, loud as ever. Pricier than ever, though, with this example starting at $168,000 and tallying $179,335 thanks to the Executive Second Row Seating package ($7,500), Radiant Red paint ($1,250), front license plate bracket ($15.00– really?), and $2,595 worth of Destination.
Then again, shouldn’t it be expensive? Luxury is expensive. Going fast is, generally, expensive. Combine the two and the result is exactly as expected.
So is the V’s driving experience. It’s fast by the book, but the V is more about the drama. Floor it from basically any speed and the rear squats and the front lifts towards the sky, the quad exhaust tips bellowing to the heavens pleading for the V8’s life to be spared.
Cadillac says the V does 0-60 MPH in 4.4 seconds and the quarter mile in 12.7 seconds. Those numbers are hardly impressive in the land of the less expensive Rivian R1S Quad-Motor running the same sprints in 2.6 and sub-11 seconds, and weirdly the V doesn’t even feel outstandingly quick from the driver seat even though its 682 horsepower and 653 lb-ft of torque are unquestionably massive numbers.
Maybe it’s the sheer volume; in a land of near-silent cars being able to fire off rapid, constant, repeatable dizzying acceleration runs, the amount of volume created by the V makes you think it should be accompanied by more speed. Sure is a good time though. The transplanted Blackwing engine’s power is potent, yet full-time AWD means you’re hard-pressed to get in trouble aside from the speed limit standing as a perpetual foe.
On the luxury front, the V actually does a good job overall. Some aspects are major letdowns— for example, the gear shifter and turn signal stalks are the same parts-bin components as those in the $30k Chevy Bolt— which you have to expect in what is, ultimately, a gussied up Tahoe underneath the fancy clothes. Then again, the massaging seats, panoramic infotainment screen, automatic powered doors, plentiful tech, and that magnificent V8 do a fair job of making the Caddy convincing of its price.
Not that an Escalade V buyer will notice or care. We suspect the person getting into one of these either comes into the dealer for a Blackwing and remembers they need space for their kids’ hockey gear, or simply is an existing Escalade buyer that wants the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive Escalade there is. That’s the Escalade V for you; equal parts Escalade and rocket-powered land yacht, it’s no doubt the daddy of the Caddies.
Rowdy, pointless, and a perfectly American take on the super-SUV, the Escalade V is more power-flaunting than it is about outright speed. The name of the game here is sheer flamboyance, and the best thing about the V is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It cares about fun and utter hooliganism above all else. Debating the merits of a 6,350 pound rig’s dynamics is moot; those seeking the ability to tango over line dance have plenty to choose from in the land of German hi-po SUVs. Yet the Cadillac Escalade V is just something else entirely. It’s obscene, it’s unhinged, and we love it.
Yay
- Hilarious sound and most of the speed to go with it
- Rides well and is no less comfortable than a non-V model
- The luxury equipment you expect from a vehicle at this price point
- Super Cruise is an excellent hands-free system
Nay
- Some economy car grade materials and switchgear
- Fuel economy? Hahahahaha good one
- Could use slightly visual distinction from non-V models
The Takeaway
There really is no reason for the Escalade V to exist other than that it can. We’re grateful it does.