The Cadillac Escalade was born in a supposedly ‘premium’ family, but it hasn’t had a blissful life. It started as a ripped-off Yukon Denali in its early days, but things kept getting better as it grew. Within a few years, the automaker re-did the SUV and launched a distinct version that gave the Cadillac its own identity. Despite that, it never really hit the success peak that it should’ve. But, it looks like the company is hell-bent on turning its fortunes, and that might as well be the case with fifth-generation, 2021 Escalade.

Cadillac has upped the ante in almost all aspects, and the SUV now has the pizzazz and desirability quotient that the previous iterations lacked. Wondering what those are? Well, here are a few covered by The Fast Lane Car in a video where you can see the various ‘gizmos’ that feature inside this big beast.

The 2021 Escalade Could Be The Benchmark In The Segment When It Comes To Tech Features

For starters, when you unlock the SUV, the light bars in the front and back light up in a sweet little sequence that is sure to catch everyone’s attention.

There are also a lot of Cadillac emblems all around, and even in places one wouldn’t tend to notice always, like the headlights and at the back of the instrument cluster. The latter even illuminates at night!

Step inside the cabin and you’ll be welcomed by a massive 38-inch curved OLED screen that is essentially split up into three different screens - a small touchscreen, which is said to measure 7.2 inches, sits on the left. It shows the trip meters and stuff, and is the hub for the settings for your main instrument cluster.

The main instrument cluster is a 14.2-inch screen that displays the regular drive-related info and also the AR feed.

It throws the feed on the instrument cluster screen and also shows the directions. You can even have just the navigation here. The continuation of this on the center console is a 16.9-inch infotainment screen that also supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Android phones can even be set up using NFC. All you have to do is get the phone close to the touchscreen and your phone will be paired to the system. This, however, doesn’t apply to iPhones. If you don’t prefer the touchscreen, you can control the system using a rotary knob like in the XT-6.

Right behind this rotary knob is a space to slot the phone vertically, which also doubles up as a wireless charger. As for the audio system, Cadillac has installed a 38-speaker AKG system that also has speakers fixed inside the headrests! There are a lot of premium touches as well, like surfaces on the door panels that let out starry feels when light is projected on it, perforated area on the top of the dash, and so on.

There are switches in the first row that allow you to flip the third-row seats and get them back up. The second-row passengers receive their respective touchscreen systems which aren’t for media needs only. If you’re being chauffeured around, you can also set up a map using navigation and “send” the directions to the driver.

Finally, you can even use the key fob to flip open the rear windshield apart from opening the tailgate itself. You can open the tailgate using the leg gesture or by pushing the Cadillac logo here.

There Are Many Other Things That We Already Know About The 2021 Escalade

-* The 2021 Cadillac will be offered with two engine options:

-* A 6.2-liter, V-8 mill that makes 420 horses and 460 pound-feet of torque

-* A 3.0-liter, six-cylinder Duramax mill that makes 277 ponies and 460 pound-feet of torque

-* Both the engines are mated to a 10-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission

-* Cadillac has upped the ante with a lot of new mechanicals that we saw on the Suburban and Tahoe as well

-* Independent Rear Suspension

-* Magnetic Ride Control Available

-* Air Ride Adaptive Suspension System that can lower up to two inches

-* Electronic Limited Slip Differential

-* 40-percent more legroom in the third row when compared to the 2020 model

-* Flat floor when the second and third-row are folded

-* 68-percent more cargo space (121 cubic-feet) with all the seats in place

-* It will be offered with 22-inch wheels as standard

-* The 2021 Cadillac Escalade starts at $77,490 - $1,000 more than the outgoing generation

2021 Cadillac Escalade Specs

Final Thoughts

The 2021 Escalade looks like a fantastic package overall. Although the base trim is just a thousand bucks more than the outgoing model, most of the bells and whistles you see here will be available in the top trims, and they are certainly going to be very pricey. But all said and done, if you’re on the lookout for a premium, full-size SUV, the Escalade should be one of your top contenders.

What are your thoughts about this SUV from Cadillac? Share them with us in the comments section below.