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2010 Cadillac Escalade Platinum

The Platinum edition of the 2010 Cadillac Escalade is a behemoth in just about every imaginable way. The vehicle’s size, carrying capacity, safety features, technology and amenities are mind boggling.

Despite its commanding size, the Escalade doesn’t always feel as big as it looks. Most of the time, maneuvering it is as easy as handling a vehicle half its size. The down side is it takes bumps in the road very much like a truck. Still, that’s a small price to pay for riding in such luxury.

And luxurious it is. The Platinum Escalade is loaded with features and technology that will raise the eyebrows of all those you want to impress as well as yourself.

The Platinum Escalade comes with a 6.2-liter, V8 engine, all-wheel drive, power everything and enough entertainment features (six-disc CD/DVD changer and 4-screen entertainment system with wireless headphones) to prevent young passengers from asking the dreaded “Are we there yet” on a road trip. Of course, navigation system, power liftgate, tri-zone climate control, heated steering wheel and intelligent headlights are standard.

This SUV seats seven comfortably with leather bucket seats for both the first and second rows. What had me in awe was the roomy center aisle leading to the third row, which means that those who sit in the back won’t have to contort themselves to get there. And with retractable running boards that automatically come from under the vehicle when the doors are opened, pretty much anyone can maneuver with ease to get into this high-rise. My 80-something mother had no problem getting up and into this Cadillac.

And the leather throughout combined with olive ash and walnut burl wood accents make for one handsome cabin.

There are a couple of impressive (and new for 2010) features that aren’t readily apparent. One is its Active Fuel Management technology, which promises to increase fuel efficiency by shutting off half the engine’s cylinders during certain driving conditions. The other is a battery saver mode that shuts off power when the battery gets low to prevent it getting drained from accessories such as cell phones, mp3 players, DVDs and such.

This Escalade also had several features I hadn’t yet experienced in a vehicle. One was heated and cooled cup holders for the front passengers and another was the blind side alert system, which I really liked. The vehicle transmits a flashing prompt on the right side view mirror when another vehicle is in one’s blind spot.

With all its bells and whistles, those passengers who rode with me—teen daughter, couple of co-workers and friends—just raved about how much they loved the amenities.

The Platinum Escalade comes with a 26 gallon tank and has an EPA fuel economy estimate of 13 miles per gallon in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.

Stats: 14-way power front seats with heating and cooling, rearview camera, automatic rear leveling control, power adjustable pedals and a driver information center that shows up on the car’s monitor

Pricing: As I stated, the 2010 Platinum Escalade is, indeed, a behemoth in just about every way, including its price—at $86,680. All the features of the test vehicle were standard so only destination charge was additional, bringing the price to $87,630.