The high-end Cadillac Escalade EXT luxury sport utility truck competes with the Ford F-150 Platinum and the Toyota Tundra Limited. It features a unique folding midgate that converts the Escalade EXT from a five-seat short-bed truck to one with two seats and an eight-foot cargo bed. Like other Escalades, it’s powered by a 6.2-liter V-8. All-wheel drive is standard. New for 2013 There are no significant changes for 2013. Exterior The EXT’s cargo bed is 45.5 cubic feet, about the same as a compact short-box crew-cab pickup truck. The midgate flips inward along with the second-row seats, expanding the pickup box to 101 cubic feet of cargo volume. It maintains the triangular C-pillar extensions of GM’s first-generation crossover pickups, and the design is highlighted by its rectangular headlights and angular face. Exterior features include:
Interior Two rows of seats accommodate five occupants. The folded midgate creates an expanded, continuous load floor for the bed, but the lack of a partition exposes occupants to the elements. Interior features include:
Standard navigation system with a backup camera that has guide lines
Standard Bose surround sound system
Optional rear-seat entertainment system
Under the Hood A 6.2-liter V-8 generates 403 horsepower and 417 pounds-feet of torque and works with a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard. Mechanical features include:
7,600-pound towing capacity
Optional Magnetic Ride Control replaces mechanical shock absorbers with electronically controlled shocks that GM says react to the road more quickly
Safety Escalade EXT safety features include:
Standard four-wheel-disc antilock brakes
Standard electronic stability system with rollover-mitigation technology
