The 2009 New Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

New Escalade Cadillac Hybrid 2009

This is about as over-the-top as one can get in an SUV and not be in a Porsche or a Land Rover. But it’s about New Cadillac Escalade Hybrid which released at 18 September 2009.  And with the hybrid powertrain, it also seems like the ultimate oxymoron–a land crusher of the highest order, with acres of leather and yards of sheetmetal, yet powered by an earth-friendly gas-electric drivetrain that gets a real-world 20 mpg. That’s enough to salve the soul of the even the most blatant consumer.

Ahh, to hell with all of that though. What this really is a super-luxury ute in the finest of General Motors tradition, with hauling capacity to spare, comfort and convenience that knows no boundaries (heated and cooled seats and heated and cooled cupholders, anyone?), and superb driving quality to top it off. The regenerative brakes can be a tad touchy, and the whir of the electrics from start can sometimes feel otherworldly (and the clunk of the power running boards retracting sometimes sounds like you’ve run something over). The steering, while a little clunky and underpowered at low speeds, is spot on and steady on the highway. And all in all, everything works together quite well to keep this electrified ’Sclade purring along pleasantly. I like that while Cadillac hasn’t stripped all of the hybrid badging, it at least has toned it down to some rear and side-vent badging.

We loaded the beast with a dorm-room full of stuff and hauled our daughter off to college, using the roof rack for the 10-by-12-foot roll of carpet, while the bicycle hung from the rear liftgate. Add five full-size people, and you’d have never known there was a load on board except for the reduced visibility out the back window.

Next up was a full Labor Day weekend of doings, including tailgating with the Caddy, a river tubing/kayaking trip, and hauling home a new canoe from Outdoor World. Among the key attributes: an easily accessible roof rack, thanks to the power-deploying running boards, and a cargo area 110-volt outlet capable of powering my Hoover of an air pump to fill and deflate the tubes and floats. That made life easy.

This is clearly the gold standard when it comes to having all the utility in the world, combined with a relatively economical powertrain. It’s no wonder Porsche and Land Rover are desperately working on their own hybrid systems.

A super-ute, this Caddy. Pricey, but super.

MANAGING EDITOR ROGER HART: I used the ’Sclade for the same thing as Bob–hauling stuff to MSU. I removed the rear seats and folded down the middle row and filled up the back with fridge, a La-Z-Boy chair, boxes, bags, carpeting, etc. No problem.

The regen brakes do have a funky feel to them, although I really put them to the test avoiding a flying deer that had bounced off a Chevrolet Aveo in front of me. I stopped about a foot short of collecting the deer myself. But the brakes worked just fine in a panic stop.

This is a comfortable ride, to be sure, and it returned nearly 20 mpg on a trip of mostly highway driving. There are a bunch of electrical whirring sounds as you get in and exit the vehicle, and it will creep around parking lots, etc., on just electric power.

This is a ton of dough for a ute that doesn’t have 4WD. But for greenies who need a big honking SUV, here’s your ride.

2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

In Fleet: Aug. 19-Sept. 8

Base Price: $85,885

As-Tested Price: $85,885

Drivetrain: 6.0-liter V8; RWD, electronically variable transmission with four fixed gears

Output: 332 hp @ 5,100 rpm, 367 lb-ft @ 5,100 rpm

Curb Weight: 5,727 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 20/19.5 mpg

Options: None

Tags: 2009 cadillac escalade, new escalade hybrid, the 2009 cadillac escalade hybrid