Cadillac Escalade

A door as heavy as a safe

The 6.2-liter V8 OHV engine, equipped with a variable valve timing mechanism and a cylinder deactivation system, is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission to deliver performance that can be adjusted to suit different driving conditions. There are four driving modes: Touring, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing.

Living in the city, I’ve come to realise that there is no greater luxury than quiet. It’s the opposite of a highly convenient living environment, and I understand that this is a desire for something we don’t have. But perhaps the people who live there unconsciously seek something that is hard to come by in order to achieve peace of mind. When I see people riding the train with noise-canceling earphones plugged in, I sometimes wonder if that’s the case.

In that sense, cars are a bit privileged. As we live our daily lives, the mere fact that we can always access the door to silence feels like a luxury. We pay a lot of automobile tax, so it’s no big deal to have such benefits.

The doors feel large and thick, like a small safe or refrigerator, which is perhaps what makes the Escalade a Cadillac. While the car’s size is a bit too much for city driving, the sense of isolation from the outside world sets it apart from other cars. Closing the door opens up a quiet interior, and the atmosphere is somewhat similar to that of chauffeur-driven cars like the old Fleetwood Brougham.

Aiming for a glamping facility in Ito

With four-wheel independent suspension (double wishbone in front and multi-link in the rear) and the Magnetic Ride Control suspension that boasts the world's fastest response speed, the handling is so smooth that it's hard to believe it's a ladder-frame full-size SUV. — With four-wheel independent suspension (double wishbone in front and multi-link in the rear) and the Magnetic Ride Control suspension that boasts the world’s fastest response speed, the handling is so smooth that it’s hard to believe it’s a ladder-frame full-size SUV.

When you get into a car like this, the place becomes noise-canceling, and the thing you want to aim for is even more natural silence. Even if your base of operations is in the middle of a city, it’s not difficult to find such a space, even if you only drive for an hour or two.

I headed down the Tomei Expressway from Tokyo to Atsugi and then onto the Odawara Atsugi Road. As the number of commercial vehicles decreased and the traffic slowed down, I turned on the ACC and played my favorite music along with the scenery outside the window.

The current Escalade lineup consists of three models: the Platinum model, which was the test drive vehicle, as well as the Premium (16.4 million yen) and Sport (18 million yen). The seating arrangement is based on a 2-2-3 seven-seater configuration, with the Premium being the only model that seats eight people in a 2-3-3 configuration. The sound system is made by AKG, a company founded in Vienna, Austria, the city of music. The luggage compartment capacity is an enormous 722 to 3426 liters! — The seating arrangement is a 2-2-3 configuration for seven passengers, with the Premium model being an 8-seater in a 2-3-3 configuration. The sound system is by AKG, a company founded in Vienna, Austria, the city of music. The luggage compartment capacity is an enormous 722-3426 liters!

The Escalade’s 36-speaker premium audio system, the first to be produced by AKG, an Austrian audio equipment manufacturer renowned for its studio monitors, has been highly praised by experts as an original in-car audio system, but even to the ears of an amateur, the clear, expansive sound that sets it apart from other premium audio systems is truly worthy of special mention.

Even with a silicon-based sound source like a linked smartphone, it accurately highlights the weak spots without sounding inauthentic. And even when turned up to full volume, there’s no distortion or other problems. If you value the inside of your car as a listening space, the Escalade’s audio is worth considering just as much as the driving experience. Incidentally, even the recently added base-grade Premium comes standard with an AKG 19-speaker audio system.

The power of a naturally aspirated engine

The Escalade is equipped with the same 6.2-liter OHV engine as the base Corvette. While the traditional small-block engine has undergone numerous improvements, its origins date back nearly 70 years. To borrow a phrase from a GM branding campaign in the 1980s, this engine is best described as the “Heartbeat of America.”

Given its size, the Escalade doesn’t compete for peak power, but what it does have is a rich torque output that responds flexibly from any position, thanks to its generous number of cylinders and displacement. There’s a noticeable difference in linearity compared to a supercharged engine, and you can control the propulsive force to either trickle or surge with just a touch of the accelerator. Cruising at 100km/h requires a low rev of around 1300rpm, so you can’t expect instantaneous response from there, but the gears aren’t busy, and the desired acceleration is delivered sustained with minimal downshifting, which is great. While the majority of cars today are driven by short, rhythmic movements like a Golf, the Escalade offers the pleasure of long, expansive stretches. All of this is thanks to the unique characteristics of the traditional OHV.

In the US, there is a high demand for the Escalade as a chauffeur-driven car, and the current model is the fifth generation since the first model debuted in 1999.

Coming from Tokyo, if you go beyond Hakone, which can be considered the gateway to the Izu Peninsula, and travel a little further along the Izu Skyline to the Ito area, you can see a night sky that you cannot see in the city.

The journey included some narrow, winding roads, but the Escalade was easy to drive even in those situations. The square body and the sleek hood shape made it easy to see, but the built-in frame structure also contributed greatly to the improved drivability. In addition, the front-to-rear weight distribution was as close to 50:50 as possible, and steering response was extremely responsive, if not brisk. Concerns about unexpected rolls that might shake the occupants unnecessarily were kept to a minimum.

What is required of an SUV is “compassionateness”

You can park this Escalade next to a large tent and enjoy a barbecue, hot springs, and other outdoor activities to your heart’s content. I think the joy of glamping is that a hotel-like environment is prepared in the backyard of such a situation. The sense of accomplishment you get from finding a spot and carving it out from scratch is also one of the joys of camping, but if you just decide to drive around, you can enjoy a similar experience without the need for prior preparation. It’s a blessing that such an option even exists.

Luxury SUVs have become popular, and we're seeing them more and more on the streets these days. But as their numbers increase, it's also true that some people want to try something different. One vehicle we'd like to focus on is Cadillac's full-size SUV, the Escalade. We took it on a two-day, one-night glamping trip to rediscover its appeal.

Under the clear air and starry sky, gazing at the flickering light of a bonfire and the smell of fresh firewood, you can enjoy this place where you can become empty. The relaxed flow of time is something you rarely find in the city, and it’s comfortable. Then, as if urged by the morning sun, you wake up, soak in the hot water again, watch the changing scenery, and once your mind and body have relaxed, it’s time to head back to town.

The Ultra View Panoramic Electric Sunroof is standard on all models. The heated seats in the first and second rows will keep you warm during the cold winter months, allowing you to enjoy stargazing.

Another beauty of the Escalade is that it makes you want to drive, ticking away distances as if cherishing the afterglow of a brief change of pace. The zone in which you can continue driving comfortably extends from low speeds, and the car’s sense of rhythm synchronizes with the slow pace of outdoor living. I believe that this kind of inclusiveness is the true performance required of an SUV.

REPORT / Toshifumi WATANABE

PHOTO / Kunihisa KOBAYASHI

MAGAZINE / GENROQ February 2025 issue

SPECIFICATIONS

Cadillac Escalade Platinum

Body size: Total length 5,400 mm, total width 2,065 mm, total height 1,930 mm

Wheelbase: 3,060 mm

Vehicle weight: 2,470 kg

Engine: V8 OHV

Total displacement: 6,156 cc

Maximum output: 306 kW (416 PS) / 5,800 rpm

Maximum torque: 624 Nm (63.6 kgm) / 4,000 rpm

Transmission: 10-speed AT

Drive system: AWD

Suspension type: Front double wishbone, rear multi-link

Brakes: Front and rear ventilated discs

Tire size: Front and rear 275/50R22

Vehicle price: 17,400,000 yen

[Vehicle inquiries]

GM Japan Customer Center

TEL 0120-711-276
https://www.gmjapan.co.jp/

Grand Isla Izukogen boasts an 8m dome tent

[Grand Isla Izukogen boasts an 8m dome-shaped tent] This time we visited Grand Isla Izukogen in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The 8m diameter dome-shaped tents are rare even in Japan, and all rooms have ocean views. Each building is equipped with a barbecue grill and an open-air bath with natural hot spring water. At night, you can enjoy a starry sky.

This time we visited “Grand Isla Izukogen” in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture. All rooms in the 8m diameter dome-shaped tents, rare even in Japan, have ocean views, and each building is equipped with a barbecue grill and an open-air bath with natural hot spring water. At night, depending on the weather, you can enjoy a starry sky.

952-19 Yoshida, Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture, 414-0051

TEL: 0557-52-4088
https://www.glamping-izu.com/