It’s probably part of my job to have some understanding of every car that’s for sale. It’s probably important for me to be able to tell you the difference between an Infiniti QX50 and QX70 even though I’m like 40% sure I made one of those up. I’ve even driven an Escalade quite recently and I’m sure it had the V8. I was pretty sure it only had the V8.
This comes up because our own Thomas Hundal was talking about the 2023 Alpina XB7 in our morning meeting and young Thomas mentioned that the best buys in the very-large-luxury-SUV category are probably the XB7 or the diesel Cadillac. Both Jason and I are pretty convinced this is just a thing in Canada or we’re being mocked in some way. Ok, I’ve just checked my phone. There is, indeed, a photo of me driving an Escalade in April of 2021 to test out GM’s assisted driving system they call Super Cruise for an article I was writing (BTW, Super Cruise works really well). I put gas in it. I did not put diesel in it. Let’s go to the build-and-price section of the Cadillac website for the Escalade to provide some answers. I’ll be damned. You can get a diesel on every trim of this thing other than the delightfully obscene Escalade V. I guess Thomas was right.
Wow, just 277 horsepower but a meaty 460 lb-ft of torque. I bet this thing is a peach. Has anyone driven this thing? I’m gonna reach out to someone I’m sure has driven it.
Yeah, he confirms it. This thing is a peach. Thomas says he was getting great MPG with this thing on the highway and my buddy says he regularly gets above 30 MPG on his Silverado equipped with the same motor. Damn. How’d I miss this? I’m just gonna build one real quick, let’s see what I come up with.
Wait, you can get this in green, too? They call it “Dark Emerald Metallic.” Fantastic. I built a 2WD version, no options other than a roof rack, for just $82,870. That’s a lot of diesel truck and it can tow 8,000 pounds. Damn. I think I need to drive one of these.
What are the odds that GM sells more than a handful of these? I have multiple wealthy clients who buy new Escalades every couple of years and none of them would be caught dead in a diesel Escalade – they’re getting the 6.2 or the Escalade V. None of them cares how much gas costs, none want to be bothered with DPF regen, adding urea, etc and all of them like power.
I really don’t get the appeal of optioning an engine that uses expensive fuel ($4.92 national average as of today), requires expensive maintenance plus DEF, is slow, provides no improvement in towing, and most importantly replaces a sublime 6.2L V8.
But I respect GM for offering it to those people who find value in it.
I assume 90% of diesel Escalades built will have an Airstream or similar hooked up to them for about six months of the year, to ferry about affluent retirees.
The 3.0 has its power peak at 3750 RPM too, this isn’t an HD engine.
[ Oddly enough, while that motor has put up with our abuse for over 204k, this morning the Quigley 4wd decided it needed a vented rearend & perforated the pumpkin with a bolt—from inside. I’m very thankful 1)it was a nice morning & I decided to mosey back to the shop on backroads instead of the interstate and 2) that it was so nice I rolled the windows down so that I actually noticed the smell of hypoid oil! ]
Enthusiasts (myself included): WOW WHAT A POINTLESS WASTEFUL TOY FOR THE RICH
Big luxury SUV with a diesel: exists
Enthusiasts: AMAZING
(I say this with affection)
You say that like it’s pocket change…..
You need to stop being Poor!
Brown ✅ Diesel ✅ Manual ❌ Wagon ✅ (according to Torch, anyway: https://www.theautopian.com/the-rules-of-what-makes-a-car-a-station-wagon-need-to-be-restated-and-updated/)
https://www.curtmfg.com/part/48007
Gas v8, 16mpg combined. $1975 fuel bill
Diesel six, 23mpg combined, $2000 fuel bill
Then you need to factor in that the diesel will need to have its particulate filter replaced at some point to the tune of $5000. Not to mention all the problems the EGR system will give you. Emissons era diesels are just stupid expensive to repair.
Unless you have a dually pickup lugging 20,000 pound trailers all the time, diesels make ZERO sense.
Fleet managers have really soured on diesel engines as well. Huge trend in the past several years has been to order gas engines in your new F250 service body trucks, medium duty penske box trucks, UPS package cars, school buses, etc.
Also, diesels tend to meet or exceed their EPA ratings. Gassers usually fall short.
Also also, the diesel will walk all over the gas in towing MPG if that matters to you.
I’m not saying it makes sense for everyone. My next truck is likely to be gas just because of changes in how I use it, but there are cases where it still makes sense. Around town stuff like UPS and buses are definitely not one of them. All that low speed, stop and go driving plays merry hell with modern emissions. If most of your driving is not highway then you probably don’t want a diesel these days.
I really wanted that diesel as I will be replacing my road-trip vehicle (a Buick Enclave). But since both the diesel and Super Cruise are basically unobtanium (according to my dealer, those are the hold ups), I went with the Mercedes. Only slightly more, and much nicer interior. I went with the V8 GLS because I drove the 6 and it was just too underpowered for that size. I figured the big torque of the diesel would have compensated for the low HP so I was OK with that.
The Packers are essentially Chicago’s Football White Sox, only not horrible.
I say that as a White Sox fan.
Potentially – it was pretty well known that this exists, and short of the V, is honestly one of the best ways to get these full-size T1 SUVs as it is a wonderful engine by all accounts.
I’d really love for them to shove it in the Colorado, but I legitimately don’t think it will fit.
