2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Escalade EXT, and includes Cadillac Escalade EXT safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The Cadillac Escalade EXT is a cross between a pickup truck and a luxury SUV, something the company calls a Sport Utility Truck. Equipped with a cargo bed that can be expanded by folding the rear seat and removing the cabin’s rear wall, called a “Midgate,” the Escalade EXT accommodates items that are eight feet long with the tailgate raised. With the rear seat in use, this “SUT” carries up to five passengers. Based on the Chevrolet Avalanche, the Escalade EXT has more power, more equipment, and more upscale styling than its Chevy counterpart. There are no direct competitors for the Escalade EXT.

Not much is happening with regard to the 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT. Xenon Blue replaces Mocha Steel and Gold Mist on the color chart, and Radiant Silver is a new color for the year. A new center console lid debuts, and an updated navigation system powered by a 30-gig hard drive includes a number of new features, including guidance lines for the reversing camera display and improved search functionality. In an effort to reduce theft rates, Cadillac installs a more robust steering column into the 2012 Escalade EXT, accompanied by new wheel locks, shock sensors, inclination sensors, and OnStar Stolen Vehicle Tracking service.

Three different Cadillac Escalade EXTs are on sale: Base, Luxury, and Premium. Each is equipped with all-wheel drive and a standard hard tonneau cover, as well as leather upholstery, brushed aluminum and burled wood interior trim, dual-zone automatic climate control, 14-way power heated and ventilated front seats, a hard drive navigation system with touchscreen and voice command control, and a Bose 5.1 surround sound audio system. Satellite radio is also included, along with a CD/DVD player, a USB port, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, and OnStar telematics with one free year of service.

In addition to these items, every 2012 Escalade EXT is equipped with a power tilt steering wheel, power adjustable pedals, and power heated side mirrors with puddle lamp illumination and integrated turn signal indicators. A reversing camera and rear park assist sensors make it easier to back up, while remote engine starting is perfect for warming the cabin on hot or cold days. A roof-mounted luggage rack expands cargo-carrying capability, while a Utility Enhancement System organizes the carrying of cargo. The Escalade EXT rides on a road-sensing electronically controlled suspension with automatic rear load leveling, and visual cues include automatic HID headlights, LED taillights, and 18-inch aluminum wheels that are too small and plain for this otherwise glitzy beast.

For a longer list of standard equipment, it’s necessary to upgrade to the Escalade EXT Luxury. The Luxury model includes a heated steering wheel, a power sunroof, IntelliBeam auto-dimming high-beam headlights, and a Magnetic Ride Control suspension. But the best reason to upgrade is to get this model’s attractive 22-inch chrome aluminum wheels.

A rear-seat entertainment system is optional on the Escalade EXT Luxury, and comes standard on the Escalade EXT Premium. The only other extra on the Premium model, an item that is exclusive to this top-of-the-line model, is a set of power retractable side steps.

Cadillac dealers can install a variety of accessories on any of the three Escalade EXT models, including a wide selection of extra-cost wheels from which to choose.

The sole engine choice provided for the 2012 Escalade EXT is an E85-capable, 6.2-liter V8 engine with Active Fuel Management (AFM) technology. Under light-load conditions, such as when cruising or coasting, AFM shuts down half of the V8’s unquenchable cylinders in an effort to conserve fuel. A six-speed automatic transmission sends the V8’s 403 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels.

Given the size of the engine, the weight of the truck, and the standard AWD, the Escalade EXT’s dismal fuel economy ratings should come as no surprise. According to the EPA, this truck gets 13 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. Premium fuel is recommended, but not required.

Every 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT is equipped with six airbags, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, StabiliTrak traction and stability control, a reversing camera, and rear park assist sensors. IntelliBeam auto-dimming high beam headlights are included on the Luxury and Premium models.

In addition to these features, the Escalade EXT includes one free year of OnStar telematics service with Automatic Crash Notification, which activates if the Escalade’s airbags deploy. In that situation, a live operator attempts to contact the EXT’s occupants to make sure everyone is OK. Even if nobody can respond to the operator, he or she will dispatch emergency personnel to the truck’s exact location to speed rescue.

The only rating given to the Cadillac Escalade EXT by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) pertains to the pickup’s ability to resist rolling over in a crash. It earns a 3-Star rating from the NHTSA in this regard. It is instructive, however, to keep in mind that heavier vehicles do a better job of protecting occupants in collisions with lighter vehicles, and since the Escalade EXT tips the scales at three tons, chances are it will do just fine if crunched by a smaller car or SUV.

Switching gears to reliability, if you ask Consumer Reports about the Cadillac Escalade’s likelihood of providing a trouble-free ownership experience, the answer is going to be no. That’s because Consumer Reports gives the Escalade EXT a predicted reliability rating of well below average. J.D. Power and Associates disagrees. In the company’s most recent evaluation of this model’s potential for providing long-term dependability, J.D. Power said it expected the Escalade EXT to deliver better than average long-term dependability.

Given the divergence of opinion on the subject of reliability, you will be glad to learn that every Escalade EXT is covered by a comprehensive warranty, maintenance, and roadside assistance program called Cadillac Shield. Coverage includes a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, a five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, free roadside assistance for the first five years of ownership, and free maintenance for selected scheduled services for the duration of the basic warranty.

The Escalade EXT can tow up to 7,600 pounds and carry up to 1,230-lbs of payload, which is not as much as the SUV variants can handle.

Though it’s not designed for serious off-roading, the Cadillac Escalade EXT boasts 9.2 inches of ground clearance. Combined with standard AWD and a 52/48 front-to-rear weight distribution, this truck ought to be fun to drive in the snow or on well-trodden trails.

Fold the Escalade EXT’s rear seat, and the truck offers 54.3 cubic-feet of covered, locked, in-cabin cargo capacity. That’s more than the cargo bed itself, which measures 45.5 cubes under the standard tonneau.

The Escalade EXT weighs 30 pounds shy of 6,000 pounds in standard trim, which means business owners will prefer the heavier and better equipped Luxury and Premium models to gain access to a popular tax deduction.

Cadillac says the Escalade EXT accelerates to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, a remarkable number given its heft.

The base Cadillac Escalade EXT costs $10,000 more than a fully loaded Chevy Avalanche LTZ 4WD, which has more stuff on it and is offered in a greater variety of colors. The Cadillac is offered only in black, white, silver, and blue.

OnStar comes with Stolen Vehicle Tracking service, which can find a stolen Escalade EXT and even slow it down by remote control so that criminals can be apprehended.

The 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT is built in Silao, Mexico.

From a value perspective, the 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT makes no sense at all. But then, when has buying an Escalade been about getting a great value? As long as you can afford to quench this truck’s ravenous thirst for fuel, you’re probably going to enjoy owning it. We’re going to get a Chevy Avalanche LTZ instead.

By Christian Wardlaw