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2024 Volkswagen Taos ReviewHead-to-Head: 2022 Cadillac Escalade vs BMW X7
The 2022 Cadillac Escalade and BMW X7 offer different takes on luxury third-row SUVs. We dig into the details to find the better purchase.
“Making A Statement” Kind of SUVs
To quote a now tired but still classic meme featuring Sean Bean as Boromir from Lord of the Rings, “One does not simply buy a Cadillac without wanting people to notice.” Indeed, to buy either the 2022 Cadillac Escalade or the BMW X7 is to seek not only a spacious and well-appointed SUV but to seek the gazes for your fellow commuters and to revel in their envy. Seriously though, both of these three-row luxury SUVs offer impressive and sumptuous interiors and all the latest in automotive tech and modern conveniences.
However, the BMW X7 and the Cadillac Escalade are two very different vehicles. The Escalade focuses of pampering its riders and perches the driver high aloft, above the riffraff and peons you share the road with. The X7 stays true to its badge by offering as thrilling a drive as you’ll get in a vehicle this large. The fact that the X7 provides all the expected bells, whistles, and comfort of a proper luxury vehicle is just par for the course with BMW.
Below we dig into the details of the BMW X7 and Cadillac Escalade to determine which of these classy giants is the better value.
Specs
The 2022 Cadillac Escalade offers two powertrain options. First up is a 3.0L turbocharged diesel inline-six making 277 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque. While those numbers are pretty paltry for such a massive vehicle, the diesel option is here to provide some amount of reasonable fuel economy which comes in 21 city and 27 highway mpg in rear-wheel drive and 20/26 in all-wheel drive. For more power there’s the 6.2L naturally-aspirated V8 making 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque. Naturally, this engine reduces fuel economy to 15 city and 20 highway mpg in RWD and down to 14/19 in AWD. A ten-speed transmission is standard across the board.
The 2022 BMW X7 provides three options for powertrains. The base xDrive40i comes with a 3.0L turbo six-cylinder 335 horsepower and 331 lb.-ft. of torque. Next up is the M50i and its 4.4L twin-turbo V8 making 523 horsepower and 553 lb.-ft. If that weren’t enough there’s the Alpina XB7 which tunes the same V8 up to 612 horsepower and 590 lb.-ft. of torque. The six-cylinder comes in at 19 city and 24 highway mpg while the V8s are rated to 15/21 mpg. All versions come with an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive.
Driving & Performance
The 2022 Cadillac Escalade won’t surprise you from behind the wheel. But then, subtly isn’t what you’re going for if you’re buying an Escalade. The Escalade is both ponderous and placid. The Escalade’s air suspension further improves upon an already smooth ride. While the six-cylinder diesel tries to make up for the Escalade’s mass with improved fuel economy, it also makes the behemoth feel dangerously slow in traffic. Instead, it’s best to opt for the stronger V8, which by modern luxury SUV standards isn’t even all that powerful itself but still adequate. The Escalade’s weakest point is its finicky transmission, which needs time to ponder things before downshifting. In all, the Escalade delivers a pleasant ride, and for most buyers, that’ll be more than enough.
But for those buyers that need a more engaging driving experience in their huge three-row luxury SUV, there’s the 2022 BMW X7. The X7 is faster and more engaging to drive than the Escalade, and it’s not even close. This is probably as it should be, it is a BMW after all. The base six-cylinder and eight-speed automatic are a great tandem and should satisfy most buyers. The twin-turbo V8 is where it’s at, giving the X7 an extra amount of kick that the Escalade can only dream of. The Alpina version piles on the performance goodies with tuned versions of the suspension, transmission (already far superior to the Cadillac’s), differential, and all-wheel drive system. While there is some body roll present in corning, like the Miata, this actually adds a bit to the sporty experience of the X7.
Comfort & Interior
The Cadillac Escalade is expansive inside. Even the standard version is huge to say nothing of the cavernous dimensions of the long-wheel base version. Materials and finish are impressive, but a little behind those of the BMW. The seats are very comfortable. That includes the optional second-row captain’s chairs and even the spacious third row which is capacious enough for even six-foot tall adults to sit in comfortably. Most impressive is the Escalade’s digital dash display, a collection of three nested screens laid out in successive tiers. The infotainment software impresses with graphics that pop and good response time. The AKG stereo, either in base form or the upgrade 36-speaker version offers stellar reproduction and proves a highlight of the Escalade experience. Cargo is gigantic at 25.5 cu.-ft. behind the rear seats, 57.7 cu.-ft. with the third row folded down, and a grand total of 121 cu.-ft.
The BMW X7, while notably smaller inside that the Escalade, still feels very roomy compared to most vehicles on the road. The X7’s cabin is a bit more refined than the Escalade’s, with great material quality and smart design flourishes. The pair of 12.3-inch digital screens may not measure up to those of the Escalade or the new ones coming from Mercedes, but they’re still plenty big, even by today’s standards. Thankfully, like the Escalade, the X7 retains many physical buttons for things like HVAC controls. The X7’s third row is more cramped than that of the Escalade. Cargo is also less at just 12.8 cu.-ft. behind the third row, 48.6 cu.-ft. with the third row folded down, and 90.4 cu.-ft. in total.
Trims & Features
The Cadillac Escalade comes in five trims: Luxury (base), Premium Luxury, Sport, Platinum, Platinum Sport. The base Luxury trim ($76,295) comes with a 16.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, 14.2-inch digital gauge display, a 19-speaker AKG premium stereo, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, tri-zone climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, and heated front and second row seats. Standard safety features include forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, pedestrian detection, forward auto emergency braking, and parking sensors.
The Premium Luxury ($84,895) adds real leather upholstery, panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, and optional packages that add items like air suspension, an electronic limited-slip differential, magnetic ride control, blind spot monitoring, a hitch-view camera, rear seat entertainment. The Sport trim ($87,595) comes with exterior styling, trailering features, and magnetic ride control. The Platinum and Platinum Sport ($101,595) top things off with massaging seats, 36-speaker AKG stereo, as well as options for Night vision and a center console fridge.
The BMW X7 comes in three trims: the xDrive40i, M50i, and Alpina XB7. The base xDrive40i comes with a six-cylinder turbocharged engine 12.3-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital gauge, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, synthetic leather upholstery, panoramic moonroof, and a 10-spearker stereo. Standard safety included adaptive LED headlights, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rain-sensing wipers, forward auto emergency braking.
The M50i gets the 4.4L twin-turbo V8 along with Msport brakes, exhaust, differential along with a 16-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo. The top trim Alpina XB7 gets Alpina tuned goodies like rear-wheel steering, quad exhaust, adaptive cruise, lane keep assist, and Nappa leather seats.
Prestige vs Precision
The 2022 Cadillac Escalade and 2022 BMW X7 make strong accounts for themselves. The Escalade’s cossetting interior and stellar tech are complimented by one of the roomiest cabins on the market. The BMW X7 is equally refined inside but adds a level of driving engagement the Escalade can’t muster. And that is what makes the real difference here. The Escalade’s street presence is perhaps the more imposing and impressive of the two. So, if looks and attitude matter most to you, the Cadillac is the clear winner. However, if the driving experience in your luxury SUV is at all a priority, go with the BMW X7. And feel free to save some cash and opt for the base xDrive40i, its six-cylinder offers plenty of pop and the eight-speed transmission is lightyears ahead of the Escalade’s ten-speed.
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