Cadillac Escalade: 0-60 & Quarter Mile Times

‍Cadillac Escalade Details

Like many other vehicles in the Cadillac lineup, the Cadillac Escalade is mostly built for comfort and luxury. With that said, Cadillac is also a brand known for performance, and Cadillac isn’t shy about putting upgraded engines in the full size SUV to make sure that owners feel a comfy seat and exhilarating acceleration when they want to. You can readily buy a new or used Cadillac Escalade. For the full size SUV upcoming cars are the Lincoln Navigator and GMC Yukon. It’s hard to say that Toyota and Honda make a performance SUV like the Escalade outside of the Sequoia or Highlander, but they aren’t really designed for true performance.

The Cadillac Escalade ESV beautifully combines both. I’ve been in one and it almost feels like I can stand up without hitting my head on the roof - all while it offers plush leather seating, outstanding infotainment, and a powerful engine.

Cadillac Escalade Specs and Quarter Mile Times

We’ll honestly say that not all full size SUVs have lots of options when it comes to engines. The standard Cadillac Escalade engine is an already beefy 6.2-liter 8-cylinder engine with 420 horsepower. The Cadillac Escalade V ups the ante with a supercharger and brings the total horsepower to 682. Also available is a diesel inline 6 that isn’t actively measured for the Cadillac Escalade 0 60 times because it is focused more on fuel economy and torque than speed.

When knowing these numbers, we should also realize that the Cadillac Escalade is not a small vehicle. We are talking about a 3 row SUV that fits up to 8 people. While it’s not the first vehicle we would choose as a quarter mile car, the new Cadillac Escalade can indeed do it all - so let’s look at how fast a Cadillac Escalade can actually go.

Cadillac Escalade 0 60 times

Let’s start with the most recent version of the Cadillac Escalade to test: the 2023 Cadillac Escalade. In the case of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade, only the V trim is currently available for a test. The Cadillac Escalade V can make the 0-60 run in about 4.3 seconds, which to be honest, is very fast for a third row SUV!

The 2022 Cadillac Escalade has been more thoroughly tested though the difference in speed is somewhat smaller between the V model and others. The Sport Platinum package with a 6.2L V-8 can reach 60 miles per hour in 6.6 which is still great for a large SUV while the larger editions like the Cadillac Escalade V outrun the Cadillac Escalade 0 60 by making it in 5.9 seconds.

The differences here seem small in terms of time, but are quite impressive for such a large vehicle that can also make these fast 0-60 runs so quickly. You’ll also note that models like the ESV are extended models that offer rear passengers tons of space in addition to a spacious tailgate for everything from sporting equipment to groceries.

In short, while the Cadillac Escalade 0 60 times are good, you will probably find yourself focusing on other things the Cadillac Escalade can do, including its all wheel drive system that will keep you safe in snowy weather and the overall engine performance - in addition to the deep growl of the engine sound.

Quarter mile times

While the quarter mile time is most often used in literal drag racing, the measurement is also somewhat useful in knowing how fast you can get up to highway speed. Most on ramps are a half mile or less - and we know that people aren’t great at zipper merging. So quarter mile times are reflective of how fast you can make your Cadillac Escalade go while merging into traffic on a good day when traffic isn’t necessarily jammed.

A Cadillac Escalade sporting the standard 6.2L V-8 engine hits the quarter mile between 14.5 seconds and 14,9 seconds - you’ll also want to note that slightly older versions of the Escalade that use an 8 speed transmission are just a little faster  -by tenths of a second because the vehicle has to less shifting when reaching full speed. More modern 10 speed transmissions have more shifting to do and are just a touch slower.

The most recent version of the Cadillac Escalade V is a bit quicker than previous models and can run the quarter mile in 12.5 seconds, which is pretty fast for a large vehicle.

What factors go into the quarter mile or Cadillac Escalade 0 60 tests?

If you are a technical minded person and are asking this question, we can’t blame you. The times provided were recorded by Car and Driver as well as Road and Track magazine. Your actual time may differ.

Why?

In some cases, vehicle speed tests have been recorded by hand, which is probably a bit inaccurate when considering that the time difference between the Cadillac Escalade models isn’t huge - often under 2 seconds or even smaller - so human error is readily possible. Also, especially in gasoline engines, the answer depends on whether or not we start the time once the driver has pushed the pedal all the way down. Some vehicles take a moment to read just how hard the driver wants to go and this can cause a split second delay. Some tests are measured by when the driver begins to put pressure on the pedal - these are the most accurate in terms of real world conditions because internal combustion does take a small amount of time to start - and will probably also result in the longest recorded time.

Are the quarter mile and 0 60 tests useful?

Consider both tests to be a modern way of telling you how quickly a vehicle can accelerate. Horsepower numbers are nice, but don’t mean much in the context of vehicles that are often loaded up with soundproofing like the Escalade, and have literally miles of wires that add some serious weight to the vehicle.

A person comparing times might see that the Lincoln Navigator runs the quarter mile in 14.4 seconds and think that the vehicle is about the same speed as the Escalade. With that said, not every third row vehicle is that fast, so the comparison is a good one for those genuinely concerned about how fast a vehicle can accelerate.

To us, these tests measure how quickly a vehicle can accelerate out of trouble - like trying to pass a semi or catch up to someone. To be honest, this might be more reflective of a law enforcement situation, but we certainly can’t fault you for wanting a faster vehicle that can accelerate just a little quicker when bad drivers try to switch lanes or you need to get somewhere fast. Another option is of course to slow down - and also keep in mind that the Cadillac Escalade has exceptional safety tests, which is also great!