2020 Cadillac Escalade Spotted For The First Time, Here’s Everything We Know So Far

The all-new 2020 Cadillac Escalade has been photographed for the first time on public roads, giving us a first clear idea of what we should expect from the luxury brand’s upcoming flagship SUV.

Our photographers caught three 2020 Escalade prototypes during testing, including one in the longer ESV configuration. Besides the heavily-camouflaged SUVs, GM brought along for the ride a 2020 Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL.

For benchmark testing purposes, the new Lincoln Navigator and a current Escalade were also part of the convoy. While the 2020 Escalades are completely covered in camouflage foil doubled by a black cloak on top, their familiar shape remains visible. As recent reports have pointed out, the all-new Escalade won’t stray too far from the current model’s design. The fifth-generation model will adopt an evolutionary approach when it comes to styling but that doesn’t mean it won’t feature fresh details.

Evolution of the full-size luxury SUV species

Those will include the frontal lighting design which is less vertical than on the current Escalade, with the main headlights positioned at the top of the front fascia while the vertical DRLs (which double as turn indicators) are placed below. The front fascia camouflage also allows us to spot Cadillac’s new mesh grille design.

The massive side mirrors seem to integrate additional sensors, likely for the SuperCruise autonomous tech that the Escalade will offer. And if you though the wheels look massive, you’re right: the prototypes run on 22-inch rims (each featuring Cadillac script) shod with 275/50 R22 Bridgestone tires.

At the rear, the taillights still feature a vertical layout, although the camouflage disguises how far they will run up the D-pillar. The 2020 Escalade’s rear fascia gets new rectangular exhaust ports integrated into the rear bumper, which is a departure from what we’ve seen on the Chevy and GMC variants.

As for the interior, there are no photos available so far. However, we do know the 2020 Escalade will feature a brighter, more colorful cabin with a console-mounted shifter and rear seats that fold flat.

Same platform as the all-new Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra

The all-new 2020 Cadillac Escalade will use the same platform as the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and 2019 GMC Sierra pickup trucks, which should result in a more comfortable ride thanks to the adoption of an independent rear suspension.

Also, it will get to keep the 6.2-liter V8 engine rated at 420 hp and 460 lb-ft (623 Nm) of torque. As before, it will be mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission and an optional all-wheel-drive system. Although, rumor has it Cadillac will offer two additional powertrain options, one of them being the twin-turbo 4.2-liter V8 that recently debuted in the 2019 CT6. Available in 500 hp and 550 hp states of tune, it might equip a future Escalade-V or V-Sport model. The third option could be a plug-in hybrid unit.