MotorMouths

The 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT owns the full-size luxury sport-utility truck segment with its distinctive style, luxurious appointments, versatility and commanding V8 performance. Then again, it’s the only full-size luxury sport-utility truck.

The 2012 Cadillac Escalade ESV is the odds-on favorite for luxury shoppers who need an extra-large SUV to simultaneously accommodate lots of people and cargo, and maybe tow a boat while they’re at it.

With a formidable presence, the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV is the odds-on favorite for luxury shoppers who need an extra-large SUV to accommodate lots of people and cargo.

Cadillac has always been an aspirational rather than a sensible purchase. With its size, its brash yet tastefully handsome styling, and its stonkin V8, the Escalade delivers what buyers in this segment are looking for.

There are luxury SUVs, and then there’s the 2012 Cadillac Escalade. You could buy any number of more sensible and all-around better vehicles instead, but there’s just no substitute for the Escalade’s visual presence and grand celebration of wealth and power.

Even though its Bling King appearance references the fresh, young Cadillac that created the CTS-V, our Escalade ESV Platinum dynamically drives like what a Baby Boomer expects in a Cadillac – fine in a straight line, but just not up to snuff with its luxury SUV rivals.

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade was interested in pampering me, but it had to be done its way or not at all. Some might argue that’s not really pampering then. It drove like a mansion on wheels and felt like one when we were in it.

I’m not saying that vehicles like the Escalade do not have a purpose in the auto market in 2012. Plenty of rich people have large families and towing needs. But competitors deliver a superior luxury experience and more modern interior technology.

There are areas here that need to be addressed: interior quality, structural rigidity, space efficiency, and (to the extent that it’s possible) fuel economy. Cadillac should not let the Escalade become all style and size and no substance.

After the initial excitement of testing a large $88,295 Cadillac, came the lows of realizing just how old this model has really become. The driving experience is numb. The interior dash is clean, yet dated. And the exterior styling is definitely showing its age.

Though the Cadillac Escalade remains something of a blast from the past, it still has plenty of cool — at least enough that you won’t look lame towing your cigarette boat to the dock.