The Escalade is available with rear-wheel drive ($61,595) or all-wheel drive ($64,145). Standard features include leather upholstery (all three rows); three-zone climate control; DVD navigation with rearview camera; Bose 5.1 surround sound, XM radio and NavTraffic; Bluetooth; rear park assist; power liftgate; 14-way power heated front seats; driver memory; adjustable pedals; 50/50 split removable third-row seats; power tilt wood-and-leather-wrapped steering wheel; HID headlamps; heated, power folding mirrors; rain-sensing wipers; roof rack; running boards; and trailer hitch and wiring.

Options include rear roof-mounted DVD entertainment ($1,295), 60/40 split-rear bench seat with heaters outboard (no charge), chrome wheels ($795), block heater ($75), moonroof ($995), and the Ultra Luxury Collection ($6,035) with heated/cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, power fold-tumble second row seats, moonroof, automatic high beams, Side Blind Zone Alert, power retractable running boards, 22-inch wheels, Magnetic Ride Control.

The Escalade ESV is available in 2WD ($64,200) and AWD ($66,700). The ESV is 20 inches longer than the regular Escalade on a 14-inch longer wheelbase, which aids ride, third-row room, and nearly triples the cargo space behind the third row seats. Middle passengers get windows that roll all the way down. ESV equipment and options are the same as the standard Escalade, except the rear entertainment system is $1,895 because it has two roof-mounted screens.

The Escalade EXT ($60,520) is a sister vehicle to the Chevrolet Avalanche, with a pickup profile and five-seat cabin using ESV rear side doors. A removable window and Midgate behind the rear seat make for versatile hauling options, including a pair of dirt bikes, 101 cubic feet of lockable space, or 4x8 building materials in a weather-tight enclosure. The EXT does not offer bucket rear seats, so the Ultra Luxury Collection is $5,100; otherwise EXT comes with or offers everything of the basic Escalade.

Escalade Hybrid (2WD $72,525; 4WD $75,075) shares technology with the Tahoe/Yukon two-mode Hybrids; the basic architecture is also used by BMW and Chrysler. They are equipped much like the standard Escalade with the Ultra Luxury Collection. The Hybrid uses a 60/40 split rear bench only since the battery pack is underneath it.

Atop the range are the Platinum editions (Escalade 2WD $80,725; Escalade AWD $83,225; ESV 2WD $83,280; ESV AWD $85,780, Hybrid 2WD $83,985, Hybrid 4WD $86,485). These include everything from the standard Escalade and Ultra Luxury Collection, plus upgraded aniline leather with French seams, color-contrast stitching and the Cadillac logo embroidered in the front seats. Additional leather is used for trim on the dash, center console, and doors, complemented by unique wood and aluminum trim, door sills and floor mats. Platinum models also include LED headlamps, heated and cooled cupholders, and an independent DVD entertainment screen in each front seat headrest in addition to the one overhead. A block heater for very cold climates is optional.

Safety features on all Escalade models include anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes with EBD and Brake Assist; and an electronic stability control system called StabiliTrak with rollover sensing. Passive safety features include front seat belts with pretensioners and load-limiters, dual front air bags and side curtain air bags that span all three rows of seats. Tire pressure monitors and OnStar 8.0 are also standard. Side airbags are not available.