Car Reviews: 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT

The 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT is a new model in a new market: the luxury sport utility truck (SUT) segment. It combines the stowage and hauling capabilities of a full-sized pick-up truck with the people-carrying capacity of an SUV, packaged with the creature comforts of a luxury car.

Cadillac Escalade EXT is designed to give drivers an alternative to owning an SUV and a truck. It comes with full-time four-wheel drive, five-passenger seating, a spacious interior and the unmatched cargo space of a full pick-up bed. Thanks to GM's Midgate it can be quickly converted from a people hauler to a hay hauler.

This new luxury SUT, as it is called, follows on the heels of Lincoln's Blackwood, which arrived in dealerships in June 2001. The Cadillac Escalade EXT is based on the Chevy Avalanche, which also features the Midgate.

Cadillac's luxury sport-utility truck is, of course, designed for an upscale audience. Trucks are popular with this crowd, and Cadillac says nearly a fourth of all of its customers own a pickups. At the same time, an increasing number of SUV buyers are women - and that's particularly true of the Escalade SUV. Surely, some of these people would like Cadillac levels of luxury and technology combined with a pickup bed, so, voila! Escalade EXT.

With aggressive styling and a powerful 345-horsepower V8 the new Escalade EXT is no pussycat. Park it next to your average SUV and it looks like it would eat it for lunch. All of this comes at a price.

EXT starts at $49,990. Only one well-equipped model is available, which comes loaded with the Midgate storage system, GM's OnStar communications and navigation system, Stabilitrak traction control and road-sensing suspension, four-wheel ABS, front and side airbags, and Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist.

There are two options only: a tinted-glass, power-assisted sunroof ($1550) and premium paint ($995).

At first glance, the EXT is unabashedly masculine and hulking. A wide-slatted front grille and oversized and squared, jeweled headlamps are key elements to its bold-faced look that continues with monochromatic fenders and body moldings, as well as a high ground clearance of nearly a foot and a bed height of 25 inches. Running boards help those more vertically challenged to find their way into the roomy cabin.

Despite its aggressive appearance, this SUT is still modern and sleek looking and clearly strikes the pose of a country club pedigree. It's offered in three basic colors - Sable Black, Silver Sand and White Diamond - which adds to its simple, yet powerful, presence.

Not everyone will like its so-called "Art & Science" design, but it certainly makes a strong impression, as does the large revamped Cadillac badge, which sits center-stage on the grille. Like its cousin, the Chevy Avalanche, the EXT spouts dramatic sail panels, or C-pillars, that act as structural supports behind the rear seat and visually link the passenger and cargo area. The rear is stylishly tapered with large lamps, an integrated step-up bumper and a second Caddy badge on the tailgate.

Door handles are large and easy to grip. The luggage rack is nicely integrated onto the roof and not imposing in style or dimensions. Wheels are attractive 17-inch seven-spoke cast aluminum and are matched to P265/70R17 Goodyear tires.

Of note are the power-folding and heated exterior rearview mirrors (electrochromic on driver's side) with puddle lamps on the underside that illuminate the ground at night to assist with getting in and out of the EXT. The mirrors can be programmed to provide a curb view when the vehicle is in reverse gear. Integrated fog lamps are tucked into the base of the front bumper and courtesy lighting illuminates the sides and rear. Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist can help in steering this sizable truck into tight spaces, especially when towing, by beeping faster as the EXT is backed closer toward an object.

The most noticeable feature once inside the EXT is that the exterior's monstrous proportions become sensible and simply large. You'll find a posh cabin with plush front Nuance leather bucket seats and heated seatbacks and cushions. Front seats are 10-way power adjusting with power lumbar and side bolsters and articulating head restraints; memory settings can be programmed for two drivers.

Second-row bench seating for three is Nuance leather, as well. The seat flips and folds down to maximize cargo space and is split 60/40 for versatility. It's comfortable, with adjustable outboard head restraints, and a folding center armrest with stowage and cupholders.

The steering wheel is color-keyed with leather trim and real wood accents and radio controls. Gauges are round and tipped with chrome and are easy-to-read. The entire dash is an array of buttons, switches and dials, with proportions that are big and busy, which may turn off drivers whose driving preferences lean more toward efficiency and straightforward elegance. Overall, the cabin feels gadgety, but, at the same time, retains Cadillac's signature luxury styling.

EXT's safety features are top of the line and include front and side passenger airbags and improved structural rigidity. A host of modern-day amenities includes a climate control system, driver information center, premium audio system, front and overhead consoles and GM's updated OnStar Communication system with concierge services, route support and internet access.

The most notable interior feature is the Midgate, GM's reconfigurable storage system. Made of a strong, lightweight and scratch-resistant material, the Midgate functions like a small tailgate behind the second row of seats, sort of like folding rear seats in a sedan that allow access to the trunk. The system includes a glass window, which can be easily removed and stored when the Midgate is folded down to give extra cargo space. With the Midgate folded down, the pick up bed is transformed from 5-feet 3-inches to 8-feet 1-inch. An 8-foot bed allows for the transportation of large items such as furniture, carpets, appliances, or even 4x8 sheets of plywood, without damaging the items or the vehicle. Smaller items can also be safely stowed in divided cargo boxes, which lock for safe keeping. The entire cargo bed can be covered by a lightweight and lockable three-piece cargo cover.

An important characteristic of the Midgate system is its usability. Most components are covered in damage-resistant PRO-TEC, which protects both the vehicle and the cargo. And each piece, from the cargo cover to the removable window, is made to be lightweight and easy-to-use, designed so that one person can move the tailgate, store the window and install or remove the cargo bed cover quickly and easily.

One advantage of PRO-TEC is that it allows designers to mold tie-down and divider brackets directly into the cargo box, as well as two lockable, watertight, Top-Box storage containers that are useful for stowing small cargo items, wet or dry. Even the tailgate is made of this material, and it features two molded-in cupholders for tailgate parties or worksite or campsite refreshment. PRO-TEC is also lighter than steel, which reduces the overall vehicle weight, therefore improving performance and fuel economy.

EXT comes with a standard three-piece cargo cover that can be configured in a number of different ways (to bring a tall shrub home from the garden center while keeping your groceries out of the wind, for example) or stowed altogether on board.

In contrast to the Lincoln Blackwood, EXT offers a storage system that is highly customizable. Blackwood's cargo bed is covered with a permanent tonneau cover that can only be raised to 45 degrees, not removed completely, which make toting large items like a sofa or bed impossible.

Interior-wise, the EXT betters the Blackwood in all but a few measurements. In front and rear hip room, front and rear shoulder room, front and rear leg room and front head room, the EXT bests the Blackwood, in some cases by as much as two or three inches. Only in rear passenger headroom does the Blackwood win, and there by less than one inch.

How did we like this truck when we climbed behind the wheel and turned the key to on? Overall, it's a winner. We drove the EXT recently in northern California on secondary roads with tight and twisty turns, as well as on freeways. There's plenty of engine power for passing at speed and to carry it gracefully up hill and extremely capable suspension dynamics that allow it to hunker around hairpins despite its size, weight, and an empty bed. (Most pickups ride and handle better with a little weight in back.) It has confidence-inspiring, well-modulated brakes, and a comfortable, well-appointed interior that's a pleasure to call your home on the road. On the side of niggling complaints: it's a tall step up to get in without a grab handle at the driver's door (all other doors have them); there's noticeable engine noise on exertion; and it's an expensive fill at the pump.

Under the hood is a 6.0-liter V8 and four-speed automatic transmission which provides segment-leading 345 horsepower and 380 pounds-feet of torque. This powerful combination provides plenty of in-town scoot and the towing power of a draft horse - thanks to GM's Heavy-Duty Trailering Package, which includes a 12,000-pound weight-distributing hitch platform.

The heart of its handling, though, is an electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system supported by a viscous coupling case that provides surefooted performance aided by a computer-controlled road-sensing suspension called Stabilitrak. This system brings stability and ride comfort by controlling the wheel motion; it improves the skills of even the best drivers with its quick response to sharp corners, emergency lane changes, and panic braking. As with GM's other full-size trucks, four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock control are standard, unlike the Blackwood, which offers ABS only as an option.

Of note were the EXT's large greenhouse (good visibility in all directions), its quiet cabin and its suprisingly surefooted handling despite its large footprint. Additionally, we enjoyed the fact that the rear glass can be removed, allowing for an open-air experience that's unlike anything else, except the Avalanche.

Built on the full-sized Chevy Avalanche truck platform, the Escalade EXT carries the industry-leading DNA of GM trucks and sport-utility vehicles matched with the technologies and luxury of the Cadillac brand. Its eclectic carrying capabilities, new demographic reach, luxury appointments and unique looks make this vehicle an entirely new branch on the family tree.

An impact player rather than a pinch hitter, this brute ute is aimed at a slightly younger crowd with an average age of 40 with higher incomes than traditional SUV buyers (average income around $110,000). Cadillac anticipates that about 80 percent of purchasers will be men. One look and you'll know why. Its styling is unabashedly burly and yet what makes this truck truly remarkable is its pioneering technology and powertrain-- delivering the brains behind the brawn.

Compared to the sleeker and traditionally stylish Lincoln Blackwood, EXT takes center stage for its passenger-carrying and goods-ferrying capabilities. Despite its blocky exterior styling and monstrous proportions, its strong suit is that it's well engineered, well equipped, and has refined road manners befitting of the country club set.