What it looks like

Unfortunately for Cadillac, the new 2007 Escalade looks plenty like the 2007 GMC Yukon, but with a beautiful egg-crate grille inspired by the Cadillac Sixteen concept car decorating the nose. The headlights contain vertically-stacked projector beams embossed with the wreath-and-crest emblem, and match the jeweled appearance of the driving lights that define the outer edges of the lower air dam. Chrome coats the grille, lighting bezels, wheels, mirrors, side moldings, greenhouse trim, and door handles – lots and lots of chrome. It means luxury, y’know. There’s a vent port in the front fenders for a sportier appearance, and in the back is a Cadillac badge big enough to make a rodeo winner’s belt buckle jealous. It’s encased in a shiny trim panel that would do a Rolls-Royce Phantom proud, pasted between twin vertical LED taillights. Perhaps best of all, the fake cladding used to differentiate the Caddy from its Chevy and GMC siblings in the past is gone, leaving tastefully clean flanks. Unquestionably, this is a good looking vehicle, with tight shut lines and a minimum of panel gaps. You know it’s a Cadillac Escalade the minute you see it. But it still looks too much like its less-expensive brethren.