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Pedro Arrais review: Escalade will indulge your inner celebrity

Although I wasn’t hounded by paparazzi and nobody asked for my autograph during my test drive of the 2015 Cadillac Escalade, it’s easy to see why it is the ride of choice for the rich and famous.

Although I wasn’t hounded by paparazzi and nobody asked for my autograph during my test drive of the 2015 Cadillac Escalade, it’s easy to see why it is the ride of choice for the rich and famous.

As one of the larger SUVs on the market, the Escalade is a hard vehicle to miss. The styling is also instantly recognizable, despite the 2015 model being the fourth generation of the model.

The iconic look isn’t subtle either, it speaks of the pinnacle of the Cadillac line, with a sticker price to match.

Speaking of list price, our tester, a Premium model has a manufacturer’s suggested list price of $91,945 — and it isn’t the top of the line.

The Escalade comes in three other trim models, Standard, Luxury and Platinum, with prices running between $81,345 to $100,785.

Suppose you can write a cheque for the jewel of the crown of the Cadillac line. Suppose you have a super-sized garage wide and high enough to accommodate the full-size SUV. But why would you buy one, when there are others just as expensive and large?

Could it possibly be snob appeal? Celebrities such as Tiger Woods, Paris Hilton, Justin Beiber and Bruce Jenner all are known to use a Escalade as their personal ride. Even the president of the United States rides in a custom armoured cocoon with a front fascia of an Escalade.

So far we have been talking about just the regular Escalade. For those who need even more cargo capacity, there is the Escalade ESV, with an additional 518 mm of length, 756 litres extra cargo capacity and larger rear doors.

Both models can accommodate up to eight occupants — seven if the vehicle has second-row captain’s chairs. Be warned that, despite the Escalade’s formidable size, the footwell for the third row seats are still shallow. It means occupants may find their knees around their ears.

As the president of the United States will tell you (if you were on speaking terms), the second row seats are the best in the house, with enough head and legroom to keep professional basketball players happy. The second row occupants have their own climate control and heated seats. A drop-down entertainment screen from the roof means they can watch the news or a movie to while away the minutes when stuck in traffic.

Owners who choose to drive themselves will find a comfortable cabin with the latest in electronics just under the wood and leather skin. The analog dash has gone the way of the dodo bird. In its place is a reconfigurable 12.3-inch LCD display. The centre console houses a smaller 8-inch touch screen for the infotainment system and navigation system.

The screen, like other Cadillacs, can detect the presence of a finger approaching and functions like a computer tablet.

With its size and the number of standard features, it comes as no surprise the Escalade tips the scales at 3,311 kilograms.

A 6.2-litre V-8 producing 420 hp and 460 lb.-ft. of torque is the only engine available. The unit features GM’s active fuel management, which means it can, under light load, deactivate up to four cylinders to improve fuel economy. Active grille shutters automatically close at highway speeds to aird aerodynamics.

The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic with tow/haul mode. Equipped with a standard external oil cooler, the big boy has a 3,674-kilogram tow capacity. There is an automatic load-levelling rear end.

Despite its luxurious trappings, the Escalade can be a capable 4x4 off-road beast if called upon. There is a driver-selectable two-speed transfer case. Operators can choose between two-wheel, automatic, four-wheel-drive high, four-wheel-drive low and neutral.

As expected, the Escalade comes equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features including forward collision alert, front automatic braking and blind-zone alert. Instead of a visual warning, the seat bottom of the Escalade vibrates if the vehicle begins to drift into another lane.

While the active safety features are almost commonplace these days, the Escalade has one last ace up its sleeve — its size. Regardless of how well airbags work, there is no substitute to vehicle mass when collisions take place. Occupants of a larger vehicle always fare better due to a larger shell of metal protecting them. Just ask the Secret Service.

The Escalade is not for everyone. In fact, the Escalade is really meant to grace the driveways of a few. But if you have the money and don’t mind people wondering if the person behind the wheel is rich and famous, this can be your ride.