Cadillac Escalade – Christian Wardlaw’s Opinion of Comfort:
C’mon, seriously? The 2007 Cadillac Escalade, with an as-tested price of $66K and change, has a steering wheel that tilts but does not telescope? And the range of tilt is limited to detents rather than infinitely selectable? And it’s manual instead of power? Hey, GM, waaaaaaay back in 2000, the $12,500 Ford Focus ZX3 came standard with an infinitely variable tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. And yeah, I know your argument is that the ‘Slade has power adjustable pedals that should alleviate the antiquated steering column, but I still couldn’t get comfortable. Thanks, though, for the heated steering wheel rim. Nice touch. Here’s another comfort issue, for me anyway. The upper door sill is thin and curves down into the upper door panel, making it a terrible place to rest an arm or even an elbow. True, the door panel armrest is wide and padded, but it’s mounted too low when I have the driver’s seat positioned the way I like it.

The Escalade’s seats are nice, upholstered in plush Nuance leather with a distinct scent that lingers on your clothing. Our test truck came with heated and cooled front and rear chairs that made everyone comfortable no matter the temperature. There’s lots of leg room up front, but for such a hulking truck, the rear quarters are cramped. The second-row seats are mounted a little low, and the third-row seat is mounted close to the floor forcing passengers to nosh on their own knees no matter how long or short the trip. Getting into and out of this truck is a hassle: running boards are a necessity, and the driver must use the steering wheel to hoist herself up and into the seat. Note that the outboard edge of the leather is gonna take a beating over time; even taller people must slide out and down off the left bolster. Power-operated (!) second-row buckets make entering the third-row about as effortless as possible, but there’s no way your crew will be able to exit the rearmost seats with any semblance of grace or elegance. Crank the ‘Slade up to 75 mph or more, and wind noise becomes a distinct irritant. At lower speeds, this is a quiet truck, enough so that you can hear all the rattles and squeaks emanating from various parts of the cabin.

Plan to use the Escalade for hauling cargo? You’ll like the power tailgate, which raises and lowers with the touch of a button on the remote. But if you’re in a hurry and impatient with the rear handle, the system gets confused and you wind up taking more time than less time by trying to manually operate it. Liftover is very high – waist-level on an average sized person – which means that heavy objects require more effort than if you were putting them in, say, a minivan or station wagon. Since there’s almost zero cargo room behind the third-row seats, you can flip them in half, tumble them forward, or yank them out – they don’t fold into the floor, and they’re heavy suckers. The second-row buckets fold and tumble, too, but are fixed to the floor. Once cargo space is expanded to the Escalade’s maximum of 108.9 cubic feet, it’s easy to see why there’s no center console between the second-row seats, though I don’t see why a front-hinged unit that also tumbles forward couldn’t be added for greater storage capacity. Need space for six once again? Have fun trying to raise those third-row seatbacks, which inexplicably come without straps to assist in the process.

Cadillac Escalade – James Fabin’s Opinion of Comfort:
When it comes to interior comfort, the Cadillac Escalade receives high marks in most areas. The driver’s and front passenger’s seats are large, comfortable and easy to adjust to each person’s preference. Second-row passengers are also treated to the same quality seats, plenty of leg room, their own environmental controls, and easy to access air vents. The third-row seating is designed for small adults or children and requires a very awkward crouch to gain access. Entry through the rear doors is also somewhat awkward for tall adults due to narrow lower door openings.

On the road, the Escalade has a very smooth feel and soaks up bumps very well. The ride can become a little choppy on extremely rough surfaces, showing the Escalade’s truck-based design, and pushing it into fast corners induces some body lean, but the vehicle never loses its stable feeling. Only when taken through emergency obstacle avoidance maneuvers or rapid lane changes does the Escalade truly show its size and weight, but the stability control system activates quickly to maintain control.

Cadillac Escalade – Ron Perry’s Opinion of Comfort:
Comfort is really what the Cadillac Escalade is all about, chock full as it is of creature comforts that heighten the driving experience and keep driver and passengers cozy and comfortable. Besides the usual multi-adjustable leather heated and ventilated seats, the dual-zone climate control, and the easy-to-use audio and navigation screen with tilt controls, the Escalade offers up so much more. Take the integrated side steps for instance, or the heated steering wheel. I also appreciated the ability to raise and lower the tailgate and tilt the second-row seats forward using controls from the driver’s seat and third-row seating area. Add to this an electric tailgate that opens with a gentle tug and closes with a push of a button from the outside – it can even be opened with the remote keyless fob. Don’t forget about side mirrors that fold with the touch of a button, standard park assist, and a third-row seat that actually has enough room for comfort. There are even power adjustable pedals for the short of stature, adjustable armrests for the reclining second-row bucket seats, and a DVD entertainment center to enjoy your favorite music videos on. About the only thing missing here is seat massage.

But the world inside the Cadillac Escalade is not all glitter and praise. There are a few overlooked items that should be addressed. There’s no power folding third-row, and because there’s virtually no storage behind the third-row owners will constantly be pushing them forward and raising them. That’s going to be an issue since the release levers are sticky and reaching in to pull them back up could mean soiling your clothes on the rear bumper. And, although the power assist buttons tilt the second-row seats forward, it doesn’t put them back down.