Car Reviews: 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
Luxury SUV Fails to Impress This Mama
2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid 4WD
model as tested $74,185
Test Drove 4/13/09 – 4/20/09
reviewed by Lori Hindman
I see a lot of Cadillac Escalades on the road where I live in Los Angeles. I don’t know if it’s Tony Soprano or what, but these big ol’ things are popular around here. When I got a chance to drive the 2009 Escalade Hybrid I was pretty excited to see what all the, er, excitement was about, and now I’m just confused. Are people really that influenced by trends and good looks? Because as far as I can tell that’s just about all the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid has to offer.
The Escalade Hybrid is cumbersome, plasticky and overpriced, and it gets truly awful gas mileage. While it’s rated by the EPA to get 20/21 mpg city/highway, in my hilly area this monster could barely crack 13 mpg, even with my attempts to keep the needle in the “green” area. So, don’t let the ginormous hybrid decals fool you; this behemoth is no planet-saver. I really can’t see what makes the Escalade Hybrid so popular.
I have to admit that the Escalade Hybrid drives nicely, for an SUV. The V-8 is coupled with a Two-Mode hybrid system that assists the engine during acceleration. The ride is smooth over rough roads and minor bumps, but turning requires caution because of its squishy ride.
I had no trouble remembering that I was driving a massive truck; from the giant steering wheel to the giant side mirrors, everything about the Escalade Hybrid is huge. Except interior space. Oddly, for such a large vehicle, the interior felt cramped. This SUV feels wider than it is long, with a third row that is fit only for children, and virtually no cargo space when the third row is in place.
I got lots of looks and comments during my week in the Escalade Hybrid, and I spent a lot of time shaking my head and trying to see the appeal. There is a bunch of technology in the Escalade, but none of it seems to integrate well. It’s like Caddy just tossed in a long list of options without thinking how they would be used. There are two different buttons to open and close the sunroof. There is a great remote-start function, but the Escalade Hybrid still uses an old-school key. Even though you can start the car from your living room via the key fob, you still need to insert a key and turn it to drive off in the Escalade Hybrid. You get OnStar with Turn-by-Turn Navigation in the Escalade Hybrid, but there’s also a DVD-based navigation system. Cadillac was clearly swinging for the fences with this Escalade, but, wow, did they miss with me. This is one trend I’m happy to avoid.
shopping around: At cars.com
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Ford Builds CARS
Ford is jumping on the recently signed Car Allowance Rebate System (a.k.a. Cash for Clunkers) to lure customers into the showroom. Ford’s home page includes a highlighted link to the “Recycle Your Ride” program. A prospective Ford buyer can enter details about their current vehicle into a drop-down menu system and quickly see if it qualifies for scrapage. They can also discover which Ford models earn the $4500 or $3500 federal voucher against the crusher candidate. So far the Dodge, Chevrolet, Honda and Nissan websites have nothing. Toyota and Volkswagen both offer primitive informational pages, but nothing to match the sophistication of Ford’s effort. You would think the government-owned auto companies would be all over the government-run incentive program. But no. And get this: KBB’s man tells The New York Times that the consumers might be better off without the vouchers . . .
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Daily Podcast: Halo, Old Friends
Did Iacocca get it right? Is the Volt the new K-Car? Is Buick’s catch-up act starving the Cadillac brand? So many questions, so little time…
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Louisiana Legislature Shanghais Speed Trap Revenue
The Louisiana State Legislature last week sent Governor Bobby Jindal (R) a bill that will stop small towns from padding their budgets by issuing minor speeding tickets on interstate highways. In adopting the measure, state lawmakers put themselves on the record for the first time in clear support of red light cameras and speed cameras. State Representative Hollis Downs (R-Ruston) has spent the past four years negotiating a compromise with local officials and law enforcement agencies to shut down speed traps. The state’s Legislative Auditor found fifteen cities made more than half their budget from speeding tickets (view report). Under the bill introduced by Downs, non-home rule jurisdictions would not be allowed to retain any revenue from speeding tickets issued for violations of between one and ten MPH over the speed limit on an interstate. Instead, the state will pocket the revenue.
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Québec & Nova Scotia Drivers: BEWARE
On April 1st, 2008 significant modifications to road safety regulations in the Canadian provinces of QuĂ©bec and Nova Scotia went into effect. CTV.ca reports that handheld cellular phones are now verboten while at the wheel, though hands free devices are still tolerated. Nova Scotia will begin ticketing the offense immediately, while QuĂ©bec has allowed for a three-month grace periods in which offenders will only receive stern warnings and moralizing sermons. The first offense in Nova Scotia will cost $165, while costing $80-$110 and three demerit points in QuĂ©bec. Still not satisfied, road safety advocate Jean-Marie de Koeninck argues that “[h]ands-free is just as dangerous. (But) by forbidding the hand-held it does send a signal that there is a problem with the cellphone, there’s a problem with concentration”. Meanwhile, the same traffic safety bill in QuĂ©bec also doubled all speeding fines , with new suspension of license provisions for those caught traveling at 40 km/h over the limit in under-60 zones, 50 km/h in 60-90 over zones, and 60 km/h over in 100+ zones. All in the name of safety, presumably.
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Delphi discord
Delphi discord
25th June 2009 15:26
Delphi has now been in Chapter 11 in the US for almost four years and its attempt to exit at the beginning of the year was scuppered by the economic downturn. If it had come out, it might well have gone in again this year (it is rather wonderfully called ‘Chapter 22′ when you go in twice, Rob Golding tells me).
A new proposed exit deal calls for Delphi to sell four US parts plants and its steering business to former parent GM. Most of Delphi’s remaining assets would be sold to Platinum Equity.
A number of lenders – hedge funds - are pretty unhappy at what they will get out of it. A competing bid could come in but I doubt the proposed deal, supported by Obama’s taskforce, will be seriously endangered. If this deal comes undone GM potentially gets another major headache it can do without.
Was the deal a bit of a stitch-up though? Sounds like it might well have been.
US: Lenders oppose planned Delphi sale
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RIP, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett
I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, because it’s gone under-reported by the news media, but we lost both Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett yesterday. While their families, fans, and the rest of the entertainment world will miss Jackson and Fawcett, we won’t be dwelling on their lives or their influence in this space beyond offering our condolences–no doubt a disappointment to those who come to Car Lust for comprehensive hard-news and entertainment coverage. No, we’ll be doing something almost as important–focusing on their impact on the world of vehicle advertising.
Of course, their impact in the world of car commercials was vanishingly small compared to a car commercial regular like Ricardo Montalban, but I did find a few commercials to share.
Okay, so this isn’t really a car commercial, but it’s fantastic anyway. A Japanese-market Suzuki scooter is among the last things I’d expect Michael Jackson to endorse, but after some typically deft dance moves, he sold me on it. I love the fact that they’re basically just dancing around the stationary scooter, and we learn nothing at all about the product itself. My favorite part of this highly enjoyable commercial is the way the anonymous dancing woman sits on the scooter and basically bounces up and down for several seconds. I think that’s mean to be dancing, but it doesn’t really matter. This was at the height of Michael Jackson’s popularity, and he carries the commercial on the sheer power of his personality.
Farrah’s commercial has a little more content and a dramatically different feel; where Jackson’s commercial was very 1980s, Fawcett’s commercial is thoroughly infused with 1970s mojo. That includes, among other things, extensive footage of a real cougar. Why don’t today’s commercials feature shots of live cougars prowling, rubbing up against tires and lounging on car roofs? Well, probably because it’s difficult to image a live cougar really caring that much about its Mercury namesake.
This commercial was pushing the 1975 Mercury Cougar, which, like the Chrysler Cordoba, was a great, lumbering leviathan of the personal luxury market. “Personal luxury” at the time meant small-car coupe accommodations in a large car footprint, with distinctive styling touches that remind today’s consumer of Huggy Bear on Starsky & Hutch. Ah, I love these cars–especially in the context of today’s ultra-serious cars.
Some great moments in this commercial:
0:15 - “Just as unique in its on class as (Lincoln) Continental Mk. IV.” Huh. It takes a lot of parsing to figure out if that’s meant to be a good thing or not.
0:19 - “… the rich feel of glove-soft vinyl …” The rich feel of vinyl? Vinyl? I’m convinced that one of the biggest automotive improvements we’ve seen over the last three decades has been binning vinyl seats.
0:27 - Aren’t cougars primarily woodland creatures? Why is this cougar running up a sand dune?
0:37 - “Poised opera window!”
0:49 - This scene confuses me. The setting is meant to be at night–notice the artificially dark black sky, and the pure white moon that we glimpsed through the moonroof–so why is everything in the foreground lit up with warm sunset light? My boss also made a good point that somebody on-set probably had to guide Farrah on how to run in this scene with arms flying sideways so it would look more like a frolic than an athletic run. I’m guessing he’s right;Â I wish I had been there for that moment to hear the in-depth running instructions.
RIP, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.
–Chris H.
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Seattle Subaru Timing Belt Done Right.
So your Subaru is due for its timing belt. Your owner’s manual states replace the timing belt at 105k for most models produced after 1996.  Most will call around looking for the best price and not having any idea it’s really not the same as shopping for a TV or a mattress. One shops timing belt replacement may differ greatly from the next and there is a right way and a cheap way.  Ask questions beyond just the price, what does the service include, what kind of parts are being used? There is a difference and in the case of auto repair the difference usually shows up after the warranty on the repair is over. Understanding the repair should last fairly close to the amount of time the original part lasted is just as important as understanding the lower priced service may represent a lower value obtained.
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Launched: Porsche Panamera Collection
STUTTGART, Germany — In the run-up to the September 12 launch of the new Porsche Panamera, the German sports-carmaker is hoping to fan consumers’ enthusiasm with a line of clothing, luggage and accessories called the Panamera Collection.
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GM to Build Small Cars in Michigan
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