Short of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan which is in a league of its own, there are only a handful of extra-large 7-seater luxury SUVs that can satisfy your extreme needs for household levels of space and comfort, and the newest one to join the party is the 2021 Cadillac Escalade.
The new Escalade broke cover back in February, with Cadillac now officially accepting reservations, which means that if you order today, you’ll be able to drive off in your big Caddy sometime later this year once production resumes.
Of course, there are other options in this segment, and we’re here to run through all of them in order to help you decide on your favorite, in case you’re still leaning one way or another.
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Now, keep in mind that this isn’t a “best bang for your buck” type of deal. We just want to know which of these five SUVs is more popular with our readers. The common denominator aside from being full-size luxury SUVs is that four of them, the BMW X7, Mercedes GLS, Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator start from around $75,000 and either touch or shoot upwards of $100,000 in top trim level, while just for good measure, we also added the Range Rover that in standard wheelbase starts from $90k, and in LWB, from $109,950.
So without further ado let’s see what we have.
Cadillac Escalade (Starts At $76,195)
Leaked pricing for the new Escalade puts it on level with most of its rivals here, especially the Navigator. According to recent reports, the 2021 Escalade will cost upwards of $76,195, topping out at $92,295 for the ESV. However, if you opt for the Platinum Package on top of the Premium Luxury spec for example, that will take you to $101,745.
Engine options include a 6.2-liter V8 gasoline unit, good for 420 HP (426 PS) and 460 lb-ft (623 Nm) of torque, but also a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel mill, developing 277 HP (281 PS) and 460 lb-ft (623 Nm) of torque – both hooked up to 10-speed automatic transmissions.
When it comes to the Escalade, size is the key. This is a beast of an SUV, even as a regular wheelbase model. It measures 211 inches (5,382 mm) in length, 81 inches (2,059 mm) in width, stands 76.6 inches (1,948 mm) tall and its wheelbase is 120.9 inches (3,071 mm) long. Want even more space? Cadillac has you covered with the gargantuan LWB Escalade named ESV that rides on a 134.1 in. (3,407mm) wheelbase stretching its length to 226.9 in. (5,766mm).
Lincoln Navigator (From $76,185)
The Navigator undercuts the 2021 Escalade by a full “Benjamin”, yet doesn’t offer a diesel option, nor a V8 gasoline unit for that matter. It starts at $76,185 for the standard model and tops out at $97,135 for the Black Label Edition.
You do however get a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six unit, good for 450 HP (456 PS) and 510 lb-ft (691 Nm) of torque, mated to a 10-speed automatic. On paper, it seems to be more than a match for the Cadillac, although buyers will go on to consider more than just performance when comparing them – in fact, during our Visual Comparison of the two, some of you felt that the Navigator looked more luxurious, which is high praise.
Read: 2021 Cadillac Escalade Vs. 2020 Lincoln Navigator In Clash Of The SUV Titans
The Lincoln measures 210 inches (5,334 mm) in length, 79.9 inches (2,029 mm) in width, is 78.3 inches (1,989 mm) tall and its wheelbase is 122.5 inches (3,111 mm) long, this being the standard wheelbase model, of course. The extended Navigator has a 131.6 in (3,343 mm) wheelbase and an overall length of 221.9 in (5,636 mm).
BMW X7 (Begins At $73,900)
The entry-level X7 xDrive40i is a $73,900 affair, offering you a twin-turbo V6 engine, good for 335 HP (340 PS) and 330 lb-ft (447 Nm) of torque. Move up to the xDrive50i variant with its 456 HP (462 PS) twin-turbo V8 unit, and the price is $92,600. As for the top-spec X7 M50i, that’s north of $99,600, although you do get 523 HP (530 PS) in return for your money. All power units come mated to an 8-speed automatic.
There’s little doubt the X7 would be more “fun to drive” than its rivals from Cadillac and Lincoln, but again, this poll isn’t about one thing in particular.
As for size, the X7 has a 122.2 inch (3,105 mm) long wheelbase, is 202.8 inches (5,151 mm) long, 78.7 inches (2,000 mm) wide and 71.1 inches (1,805 mm) tall.
Mercedes GLS (From $75,950)
You can buy a 2020 Mercedes GLS for $75,950 in GLS 450 spec, or $98,800 if you go for the GLS 580. The former is powered by a 3.0-liter inline-six turbo with EQ Boost, producing 362 HP (367 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. The GLS 580 on the other hand comes with a 4.0-liter biturbo V8 with EQ Boost, good for 483 HP (490 PS) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque.
Still not enough? The Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 4MATIC+ (U.S. priced to be announced) will put down 603 HP (612 PS) and up to 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque for you, but at this point, there’s really no point in comparing it to either the Navigator or the Escalade, so let’s just focus on the “lesser” variants.
In any case, the GLS is 205 inches (5,207 mm) long, 77 inches (1,956 mm) wide, 72.8 inches (1,850 mm) tall and has a 123.4 inch (3,135 mm) long wheelbase.
Range Rover LWB ($109,950)
In order for it to be a worthy comparison, these SUVs need to at least be of a similar size, which means we need to consider the long-wheelbase version of the 2020 Range Rover, instead of the regular model. The former costs upwards of $109,950 in the United States, while the latter will set you back at least $90,900.
You can choose between two 5.0-liter supercharged V8 gasoline units, the first with 518 HP (525 PS) and 461 lb-ft (625 Nm) of torque, and the other with 557 HP (564 PS) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. The latter is available exclusively with the SVAutobiography spec and costs upwards of $209,500. OK, fair enough, it’s getting silly how much more expensive the Range Rover is compared to its American rivals. Let’s just consider the $110k one, as say an alternative for the Premium Luxury Escalade with the Platinum Package.
As for its size, it is 204.7 inches (5,199 mm) long, 78.1 inches (1,984 mm) wide, and 72.2 inches (1,835 mm) tall. The wheelbase measures 122.9 inches (3,122 mm) in length, compared to the regular Range Rover’s 115.0 inch (2,922 mm) long wheelbase.
Which way are you leaning?
If price is no option, getting the Range Rover LWB would probably be the most prestige-heavy choice you could make, while the AMG-powered GLS 63 and BMW X7 M50i would definitely be the most enjoyable to drive, that is if you still care about driver involvement with these types of vehicles (odds are you won’t).
So where does that leave the Navigator or the new Escalade? Sound off below and pick your favorite of the group!
Correction: a previous version of this article erroneously described the BMW’s six-cylinder as a V6 instead of an inline-six
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