I Never Thought I’d Own a Cadillac Escalade. Now I Don’t Want to Drive Anything Else
This big family SUV has changed the way I think about luxury — and who it’s really for.
If you have kids, I know you and your spouse have had the “bigger SUV” talk. We’ve had a few large SUVs as our family grew, and we liked them. Even a Chevy Suburban High Country, with three rows of luxuriousness and space. But something was missing. Suddenly, my husband came up with a wild idea.
“How about … a Cadillac Escalade?” He asked. I was floored.
My husband posed the question with a cautious smile and raised eyebrows, knowing I’d likely shoot the idea down immediately, which I did.
“An Escalade??” I incredulously replied. “No way. I’m too self-conscious for that.” However, with a little more thought, it had everything I was looking for. Three rows, cargo space, family-friendly features, the whole nine yards. But it was also fancy. A test drive sealed the deal. Here’s our story.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Initially, I Was Worried About Others Would Think of Me For Choosing a Cadillac Escalade
Truthfully, I was worried about what the neighbors might think when they saw this behemoth of a vehicle parked in our driveway, far too big to fit into the tiny garage of our modest 1964 home.
Aside from the fact that it would look totally out of place, I reasoned, people would inevitably crack jokes about our presidential motorcade SUV or perhaps make other assumptions about how we could afford it. (My husband is a teacher and I’m a writer—not your typical recipe for luxury.)
Really, what it came down to was my own perception about what a Cadillac Escalade owner looks like. And I really didn’t think I fit the bill.
But this was one instance where I was more than happy to discover just how wrong I was.
The Chevy Was Great, But Ironically More Expensive
Last year was a big year for us. We added a new baby to the mix, bringing our crew number up to five, and suddenly our beloved midsize SUV just wasn’t cutting it for our particular comfort preferences. So we bought a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban, figuring its big, boxy frame and family-friendly utility would more than accommodate our needs. It did. And it was wonderful.
And it was a bit expensive.
The thing about having babies is that your monthly costs do not, in fact, go down. We were making our monthly payments, but things were certainly tight, and we knew the smart thing to do would be to sacrifice our personal comforts and downsize.
Or so we thought. For full transparency, we bought the Cadillac Escalade for $67,000—a vehicle that would have been just over $100k when it was brand-new (depreciation can be your friend sometimes).
While the average car buyer likely wouldn’t call this “cheap,” we felt like it was a relative bargain given the goodies that came with it.
Before Going Bigger, Though, We Tried Going Smaller
Our “downsized” vehicle was a 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser, which we thought would be a smart fit. We’d owned a 2000 Land Cruiser several years before and loved it. But here was the problem: After getting accustomed to the space of the Suburban, our kids did not take well to the tighter confines and less cushiony ride of the Cruiser. Our baby literally cried every time we went over bumps because that heavenly MagneRide Air Suspension was gone. (Yes, we spoiled her rotten. We’re the worst.)
As much as we loved it for ourselves, it just wasn’t ideal for our little family, so it had to go.
My husband, a perennial car-buying freak, had researched all the large family SUV listings he could find in the country and came upon a 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD Sport in Florida.
But here was the big question: Could we afford it?
Here’s What Made the Escalade “Worth It”
As a luxury brand, the presence of these features isn’t at all surprising. For 2021, though, having all these features was a big deal. For 2026, they’re still incredibly appreciated. These are some of my favorites, and a big reason why I ultimately said “yes” to buying it:
- A Duramax 3-liter turbo diesel engine
- A 16.9-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay
- A 19-speaker AKG Studio sound system
- A heads-up display
- A panoramic sunroof
- Conversation enhancement (so the kids can hear me in the back)
- Remote start (a godsend on chilly winter mornings)
- Heated front and rear seats
- A heated steering wheel
- Ventilated front seats
- A rear camera mirror
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- A hands-free power liftgate
- Rear and cross-traffic alert
- Park assist
- A surround-view camera system
- Blindspot monitoring
- Magnetic ride control
- Air ride adaptive suspension
- 3 years of Super Cruise connectivity
- A rear seat entertainment system
And that’s really not even the full list of goodies that make you feel utterly pampered in this thing. But if I had to highlight my absolute favorite features, they would be: the magnetic ride control and air suspension, comfortable seats, and the sheer amount of interior space.
If you were to ask my kids, they’d definitely say the rear seat entertainment system (which was put to good use on a long California road trip), the heated seats (again, spoiled), and the impressive sound system that lets them rock out to the K-pop Demon Hunters album on loop.
And as much as we loved our Suburban, I can tell you this—the interior of the Escalade feels much more durable for long-term use. These things were built to last.
Why You Might Want to Consider Buying Certified Pre-Owned If You’re Going the Used Route
We bought our Cadillac Escalade Certified Pre-Owned from the dealer, and here’s what that means for those who may not be familiar: the used vehicle has to pass a rigorous inspection and meet certain criteria to qualify. It can’t be a melon or anything with lots of miles on it. (Ours had just under 40k when we bought it.) With a CPO, you also typically get an extension of the original warranty and other perks like roadside assistance.
These vehicles tend to be a little more expensive than non-CPOs, but it might be a good idea if you want a little added coverage and peace of mind.
Turns out, that came in handy for us.
Now, It Hasn’t All Been Perfect
Obviously, buying any vehicle comes with a little risk. You just never know how everything is going to go, and some things can (and will) inevitably go wrong.
In the three months that we’ve owned our Cadillac Escalade, we’ve had a couple of hiccups. On our first interstate road trip, we had an issue with one of the injectors that required us to take it to a local dealer for a couple of days. Ultimately, the service was impeccable, and Cadillac handled the whole thing extremely well. (Thankfully, everything was covered since it was a CPO.)
But we’ve also had repeated issues with the infotainment system disconnecting spontaneously or glitching during songs. I haven’t yet taken it to our local dealer to see if it just needs an update, so that may be more the result of laziness than anything. Still, it’d be nice to sing along to “Golden” without it sounding like, “We–o–in–up–up—p–th–is–is–ou–oment, you know to–eh–er–we–glow–in…”
Ultimately, I’m glad we’ve got a CPO and an extended warranty, just in case anything else weird happens. And it might.
We Took a Risk—But I’d Do It All Again
Small glitches and issues aside, I’m pretty happy that I ultimately caved to my husband’s idea to buy a Cadillac Escalade. I no longer feel stressed and cramped when I put the kids in the car. I don’t have to constantly move the seat back for carpool every day.
I don’t have to dread those early morning drives in the bitter Utah winter cold because my hands, back, rear, and feet are all nice and toasty thanks to remote start. I don’t have to pile bags up by my kids’ feet when we go on a long road trip. And my baby doesn’t cry when we drive over bumps.
Some might not think that all of this justifies a $67k price tag for a used SUV, but to me, it’s a steal. I live my life in this thing. My kids do, too. And it’s doing a pretty good job for the money.
The Ultimate Lesson I Learned: It’s Okay to Enjoy a Luxurious Ride
The first time I sat in and drove this Escalade, I breathed a huge sigh of relief mingled with joy. It just felt so good. I felt like I was gliding along the freeway. I felt safe and at ease, but also oddly powerful and in control. If I’m going to transport my young family in anything, it might as well be something like this.
I had to swallow my pride a bit and get over my assumed judgment from others. So what if I were another Utah mom, driving her kids around in a big SUV? So what if that SUV looks nice and comes packed with luxuries? So what if I don’t “fit the bill” of what a typical Escalade owner supposedly should be?
None of it matters. And here’s the real truth: Nobody else cares. And if anyone does judge you for your car choices, practice the Mel Robbins tip of simply letting them. It’s okay. Maybe take them for a ride and let them know what they’re missing.
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