The bling era was a weird and glorious time. Inheritances, a cultural boom, and cheap money meant that people were once again, free to consume conspicuously. I’m talking 22-inch chrome spinners on SUVs, whirlpool tubs, plasma TVs, the whole MTV Cribs lifestyle. And what was at the center of that lifestyle? The Escalade. However, another cultural phenomenon was rising in the noughties, and that was the luxury truck. To a carmaker like GM, it only made sense to meld the two together, creating the Cadillac Escalade EXT.
If you walked into a Cadillac dealer some 23 years after the introduction of the introduction of the Escalade EXT for the 2001 model year and asked to be pointed to the new EXT, you’d end up with a very confused sales rep. This oddity has been off sale for more than a decade, a specter in the service bay that only pops in from time to time. However, it’s never made more sense for GM to bring the Escalade EXT back. Allow me to explain.
Welcome back to GM Hit Or Miss, where we indulge in the endless shrimp of General Motors’ all-you-can-drive pre-bankruptcy product planning department to find out which dishes are worthy of admiration, and which will have you curled over the latrine a few hours after first contact.
Initial Resistance
The Cadillac of pickup trucks doesn’t seem like a natural occurrence. Outside of a few specialty vehicles like funeral home flower cars, it wasn’t something that had been tried before, but Cadillac had hope. Its smash-hit Escalade SUV was a luxurious veneer on top of a Chevrolet Tahoe, and in the early 2000s, the Tahoe had a pickup truck cousin called the Avalanche. More of a lifestyle vehicle than a workhorse, the Avalanche was a crew cab pickup with a bed and cabin separated only by a single swing-down wall. It quickly converted from a crew cab, 5-foot 3-inch bed family hauler to a two-seater, eight-foot bed Home Depot assault vehicle without any tools, and the result was an outstandingly cool truck. Just ask David Tracy.
By plastering the bling and motivation of an Escalade onto an Avalanche, Cadillac created the Escalade EXT, a luxury truck for the new millennium that could seriously do actual truck stuff. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t exactly taken seriously when it launched, as a Car And Driver road test you need to read demonstrates.
A “Road Sensing Suspension System” (RSSS) comes standard. Sure enough, it senses roads. But can it sense outdoor carpeting, corduroy, Florentine velour, or the decorative lava around Mrs. Zeile’s marigolds? All we can report for sure is that the EXT is a dream on gravel. “Not bad for a solid rear axle,” someone noted, though it wasn’t me. You know you’re on gravel only because of a tinkle-bing-da-da-bingle of rocks bouncing off the polished-steel exhaust tip, which is as big as a soup tureen. Otherwise, the EXT is a magic-carpet ride because it crushes its own gravel as it goes.
I drove this Cadillac to our 10Best loop to test its handling. Later on, I came back.
Look, a luxury truck with a midgate was a total fish out of water in the early noughties, and John Phillips’ road test is hilarious, but you almost get the sense that a lot of people just didn’t see the seismic shift that was about to happen with pickup trucks. The advent of the half-ton crew cab helped create an entirely new genre of luxury vehicle, and the Escalade EXT was among the more pragmatic picks. Okay, calling it a Sport Utility Truck was a bit silly, but otherwise? Neat rig.
Great Success
Shortly after launching, the Escalade EXT started showing up in music videos, reality TV shows, and the general lives of both the rich and famous and the McMansion set. It was a monument to American excess that worked as both a pickup truck and an SUV. A reasonably weather-resistant tonneau cover meant that you could throw groceries in the back no problem, a crew cab meant you had room for passengers, and the midgate suited the occasional spontaneous bout of manual labor perfectly. Plus, because the Escalade EXT was almost a total parts-bin car, it was cheap to make.
In fact, the Cadillac Escalade EXT was successful enough that it got a second generation. For the 2007 model year, the EXT moved over to the GMT900 platform, gaining a new body, frame, and interior, along with a 6.2-liter V8 and a six-speed automatic transmission. It kept the midgate and the eight-foot load floor once that midgate came down, but the new powertrain and chassis worked wonders. The result was a comprehensive improvement, and don’t just take my word for it, take the word of Car And Driver:
The new $54,430 EXT has 403 horsepower (58 more), accelerates quicker (0-to-60 mph in 7.1 seconds versus 7.9), feels much more composed over the road, and has far superior brake and steering feel. Fact is, it’s better in almost every way.
The best years of these second-generation trucks were 2007 through 2009, as those models came without the troublesome Active Fuel Management system that shuts down cylinders under light loads and is known to wreak havoc on timing components. If you find a good one and keep it maintained, don’t be surprised if it blasts past moon mileage without even breaking a sweat.
The Long Goodnight
Unfortunately, like many weird things, the writing was on the wall for the Escalade EXT through the second generation. High fuel prices leading up to the Great Recession impacted demand for thirsty vehicles, the recession itself meant that fewer people had money to blow on niche pickup trucks, and the demise of the Chevrolet Avalanche meant that the Escalade EXT would disappear with it.
Indeed, the 2013 model year would be the last for the oddest Escalade, and sales numbers showed that GM had no reason to reboot this vehicle for a third series. In 2013, Cadillac managed to shift just 1,972 Escalade EXT pickups, making it one seriously rare bird. And so, that was that. The Escalade EXT was dead, a glorious experiment that just didn’t sustain its momentum. However, more than a decade later, things are falling into place that could spark a return of Cadillac’s truck, should GM choose to do so.
Waiting To Be Reborn?
Flash forward to 2024, and GM is going all-in on massive luxury trucks once again, but with a twist this time. There’s now a Silverado with plenty of horsepower and that all-important midgate, and it happens to be an EV. At the same time, Cadillac has announced the electric Escalade IQ on the same Ultium platform as the Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, and GMC Hummer EV, meaning that everything is falling into place for a return of the EXT.
Now, it’s easy to brush this idea aside as being financially ruinous. The EV adoption curve is slowing, luxury vehicles are a burden in a high interest-rate environment, and GM showrooms are already seeing saturation of electric pickup trucks. At the same time, though, bling-era nostalgia is taking off, almost every truck is a lifestyle truck, the Escalade brand has a ton of equity, and a high-margin parts-bin car is a license to print money. So, would a reborn Escalade EXT be a good idea or not? I reckon it is, but there’s only one way to find out: Fire everything at the wall and see what sticks. It’s GM tradition, and when done right, is sometimes exactly what Cadillac showrooms need.
(Photo credits: Cadillac, Chevrolet)
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I’ve always liked the Cadillac Escalade EXT. Just kinda wished they named it something other than the EXT.
The other thing I wish they had done or hopefully will do is make the rear distinctive. Make it look like a Cadillac. Those taillights they used were nothing special. The only way you knew it was a Cadillac was by that huge emblem in the center of the tailgate.
The Escalade SUV has tall taillights, which, of course, you can’t use on a pickup, but how about a combination of Cadillacs vertical taillights and wall to wall horizontal, across the entire tailgate?
Rivian has something like that, minus the vertical which is kinda Cadillacs signature.
Or maybe, the bottom part of the current taillights, and put the top part on either side of the rear window? Giving the illusion of the existing tall vertical taillights.
I strongly disagree.
1. As cool as you think this and its Avalanche sister were, their sales numbers were pretty poor for GM. They routinely sold in the low-five-digit range annually, and later on, in numbers smaller than 2,000 units. In the House of GM, that’s not enough volume to make sense, especially on a truck.
2. As GM nervously watches Ford struggle to sell the F-150 Lightning and looks at its own struggling fleet of EVs, the company seems unlikely to spend even more money creating another EV truck. Even if it is mechanically and dimensionally similar to the other Ultium EVs, it’s still additional body stampings, documentation, sales support and time. And if it doesn’t do anything particularly “cool,” like the Cybertruck or GM’s own Hummer EV truck, people are even less likely to buy it.
This would only work with GM spending the money to make it a looker. A glamping mobile. A nicer Rivan R1T.
No… I want this vehicle to stay dead. We already have more than enough pickup trucks.
And I don’t know why, but the EXT and the Chevy Avalanche seemed to attract some of the most ‘Aggressive Asshole’ drivers.
Not so much anymore as in my area, many of them have been retired due to rust.
The Escalade and Avalanche were equivalent to a Suburban, not a Tahoe, IIRC.
During the Escalade/Avalanche years, they were built on the GMC800 (later GMC900) platform, which underpinned both the Tahoe and Suburban.
However, the Escalade/Avalanche was 222″ long, the same as the Suburban. The Tahoe was about 10″ shorter.
Correct. The Escalade EXT and Avalanche were essentially the EWB SUVs with the bed and midgate in place of the third row and cargo area. They had the same wheelbase as the EWB SUVs, and even the same suspension, instead of leaf springs. The GMT800 Avalanche could also be had in a three-quarter-ton (2500) spec, with the 8.1-liter Vortec V8.
This isn’t quite correct – the standard Escalade was indeed based on the Tahoe like the article says, whilst the LWB Escalade (called the Escalade ESV) was based on the Suburban, as was the EXT.
I wondered if people forgot about these and it might be a sneaky way to get a deal on an Avalanche. Nope, still expensive. Or 5th owner, wearing some awful aftermarket wheels and probably one drive away from the transmission burning up.
you mean 2nd transmission blowing up.
correction: 3rd transmission. Those damn 4L60E’s were trash. I had an avalanche, sold that sucker when it demanded the 3rd transmission replacement. i should have went with the 4L80E with the first replacement.
Yep. At least on the GMT900, the ‘09-and-later cars all had the 6L80. Well, the 6.2-liter ones did from the start, but you could only get full-time AWD on those.
Both the Silverado and Sierra EVs have the midgate. They don’t need more than two. How about give the Escalade IQ the Envoy XUV treatment?
Counterpoint – every truck that can have a midgate should have a midgate.
It looks like those bizarre South American custom pickup-based sedans from the 70’s and 80s.
If I wanted a lifted 4wd sedan with an open trunk – I think I’d prefer a Subaru Baja.
If I wanted a massive, jacked up 4wd 4 door truck with $2000 worth of trim tacked on for a $25,000 higher MSRP – I think I’d prefer going to therapy.
CC: People at Ford that could make a Maverick version of this.
I’ve recently been considering an Avalanche or EXT as a tow rig. The price of current trucks, even midsized ones, would buy a lot of fuel for one of these.
Search hard and find one of the 8.1L, heavy duty Avalanches….that’d actually be pretty neat.
With Canadian fuel prices? That’s a no from me, dawg.
An Acura MDX version of a Honda Ridgeline would have been better all around.
I think these are great other than how they look. I’d prefer a GMC version; all the toys without the tacky looking “Escalade” treatment.
If GM would adapt the Avalanche/Escalade EXT form factor to a Santa Cruz/Maverick sized truck, they could clean up. The biggest knock on these small trucks is bed size and this would be the ideal way to have your compact truck bed and be able to sleep in it, too. I believe Torch suggested this for the Santa Cruz (or maybe it was the the Maverick) a couple of weeks ago. No better place for a mid gate but on a class of vehicles already sold as lifestyle trucks. Nothing wrong with doing it to the big guys, too, I suppose, but this is a great opportunity to lead the parade. Of course, if GM does this, with corresponding Chevy/GMC/Cadillac versions, they’ll just end up abandoning the idea about the time it catches fire.
I own a Santa Cruz, which I think of as a 3/4 size Avalanche. I’d say EXT, but it’s not “luxurious”. The small bed meets my needs without the midgate. An opening to the interior through the bed would be a great addition. Not sure how much I’d use it, but it’s definitely one of those things that when you need it you really do.
I’m leaning toward the Santa Cruz as my next car. Have had a short test drive, but that’s it. Like the way it handled. Anything you don’t like about yours or any recommendations about which options to select?
I’ve had mine almost 18 months and 14,000 miles. It’s a great overall vehicle. I have a 2023 Night Edition, so it’s got a turbo engine (so AWD) and the DCT. DCTs take a little getting used to since they don’t necessarily respond like a torque converter transmission would. I haven’t driven a non-turbo, so I can’t comment on those.
It drives great and if I stay out of the loud pedal, it’ll do more than 30MPG, which is amazing for a truck that weighs as much as my 2002 Crown Victoria did.
There’s not a lot of option selecting beyond what comes with the different trim levels. I do have a few accessories such as a tonneau cover and the bed extender and roof rails. I recommend all of those. And I have a third party rack that goes over the bed. So it’s configurable for different utilitarian stuff as needed. 95% of the time, it’s a passenger car, though.
The sliding back window is manual, so pretty useless. But I don’t hate it so much as don’t use it. And the piano black trim and displays attract dust aggressively. There really isn’t anything I dislike about it beyond that.
Thank you! Very helpful. I’m interested in the 2025 XRT model, which, mechanically, is the same as yours so your long term experience with economy and handling was good to hear. I still lament that it comes in only one cab configuration and no manual trans, but I can look past those quibbles because no one is selling my ideal small truck in the US and I’m getting old fast waiting. The SC presses all of the other right buttons. Thanks again.
They’re going to have to do this considering the prices they’re trying to charge for what are supposed to be “work Trucks”
I used to see just as many of these as I did Avalanches around 2006. I’m sure DUB Magazine was a primary source of celebrity for the thing, so much so that there was a toy made of the red “Big Dog 24” Escalade EXT featured in the magazine. Which I think is also the one on the cover of Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition.
Remember when we thought 24s were ridiculously big to the point of them being a wealth signifier? And now the Escalade gets them as a factory option.
I remember when 20’s were a big deal. Now they come on a minivan.
My wife’s QX56 was the first vehicle I ever had to buy 20″ tires for, and my G37X is the first car other than her truck that I’ve ever had that rode on tires any bigger than 16″. I said no thank you to aftermarket wheels for years because bigger tires were more expensive. Now they’re the factory sizes. To quote Mr. Horse from “Ren And Stimpy,” nosir, I don’t like it.
The Escalade EXT was a very cool truck, as was the Avalanche that it was based on.
$54k for an Escalade EXT in 07? Wow, times have changed.
“GM showrooms are already seeing saturation of electric pickup trucks.” Well, when you announce a new electric pickup for $40k and then a year later, say, oops, we meant $80k, that might happen.
In a time of $100k pickups with Ford and Chevy on the label, why not cash on and make a Cadillac version? It seems there’s no limit to what the consumer will pay for a crew cab 4×4.
“noughties”
I’m not sure how I feel about this, lol.
It’s better than the “Zeros”
No, it does not deserve to ride again. Drop them all in the Pic-n-Pulls next to the Lincoln Blackwoods
Oooo, make it a PHEV, but add a “C” to the name to indicate it’s charging ability. That way it could be plugged in with the EXTension Cord.
Tip your waitress!
“Cadillac Escalade cEXT”
you’re not in marketing, are you?
Nope, they’ve never asked for my assistance in that department.
Their mistake was calling it Sport Utility Truck and not something more accurate like Sport Lifestyle Utility Truck or perhaps Sport Light-duty Utility Truck. Sport Manly Utility Truck?
My Hyundai Santa Cruz is pretty much the same concept, only much smaller. And Hyundai calls it an SAV: Sport Activity Vehicle. Hyundai does. I don’t. It’s “the truck” when I need to go get something and put it in the bed to transport and “the car” when it’s just people and a few things in the cabin.
Oh man, that C&D review snippet makes me want to go seek out all of the old Phillips reviews I can find. I rate him as one of the all-time funniest car reviewers.
Yeah I enjoyed my 90’s C&D subscription. Yates, Phillips, Bedard were all enjoyable.
Agreed, but throw in Csaba Csere too.
While I loved all the authors Vic Vinegar mentioned, Csaba was my favorite.
Same: he’s why I kept my subscription up so long—even though I didn’t know how to pronounce his name for years
In my head it was always “Saaba Sear”.
I can see no justifiable reason GM doesn’t smash the Escalade IQ and the Silverado EV together to make an an Escalade IQT. Add an electric retracting tonneau cover and you’ve got a winner for not a lot of extra engineering.
GM’s marketing department might want to come up with a better name than I did, though. IQT is asking for all sorts of “I Quit” jokes.
EXT IQ… Exotiq? With the Lyriq and Celestiq, it could worq.
Cadillac Toniq. Like “tonic”, but stupid nu-age “uber” fancy spelling. Because tonneau cover.
GM marketing department? I think it’s been quite a while since anything like that has existed. And there in lies the problem for GM
I’m shocked that this article didn’t mention that the Escalade EXT was the villain car during the Freeway Chase in The Matrix Reloaded. It paired well with the CTS as the hero car, and the Oldsmobile Aurora that got spectacularly crushed in a stunt shot.
Also, Dennis Leary drove one in “Rescue Me” series. Briefly anyway, he left it running outside the firehouse in one episode and it promptly got stolen.
It makes sense these died during the recession but I have continued to be baffled why GM hasn’t brought back this and the Avalanche. Similar to my befuddlement about Honda refusing to do a new Element. Like I get why they haven’t built a new S2K, but more small/medium crossover options seems like as obvious a no brainer as more varieties of truckuvs in this market.
Same bafflement that Nissan doesn’t bring back the Xterra. Chuck an SUV body right on top of the Frontier platform and print money.
Or Toyota with the FJ Cruiser. Rugged “lifestyle” SUVs seem to be just a little popular right now.
I still miss the S2000.
don’t you think the new land cruiser is the new FJ40?
I’m not sure what to make of the Land Cruiser. I know it’s supposed to compete with the Bronco and the Wrangler, but it seems pricey for that, and esp. compared to the 4Runner, which seems to be in the exact same niche?
well then there is the Lexus version. All built on the same platform.
Yeah. That’s why I always liked the FJ Cruiser…it was its own thing, with a good measure of funk but still capable and reliable. It really stood out.
LC is not really a Bronco or Wrangler competitor aside from price. Those two have removeable roof/doors and are next level as far as offroad capability.
People in the 4Runner community were hoping the new 4R would be more of a basic and capable off-roader to better compete with the Bronco/Wrangler, but the actual reveal crushed those dreams.
I was really hoping the 4R would basically be a Bronco clone with a fixed roof, but the new one is just a disappointment.
FJ Cruiser was a sales flop. They sold about 50K in each of the first two years, then sales dropped like a rock from there. IIRC, the worst year of Jeep JK sales was better than the best year of FJ sales.
Look at how low the take rate is on 2 door Wranglers and Broncos. Makes zero sense to offer a standalone 2 door SUV.
I can offer what I heard from working at GM. The Avalanche was super popular and our dealers loved it, but as the crew cab pickups got nicer, more popular (replacing double cab and reg cab) and larger and larger, they didn’t see the point in bringing back a truck with a compromised bed. Basically this customer migrated to Silverado.
And for luxury variants like the Escalade, I’d imagine those people moved to things like the high end Denali trucks? That certainly makes sense.
That makes sense, but I think having the vehicle with rear coils and the midgate makes more sense than a crewcab pickup, at least in half tons. Those tend to have compromised beds too, does GM even offer a half ton crew with a 6.5′ bed?
When it comes to Honda, I’m more baffled that they refuse to do a new CRX… along with a CRX Si
The only Avalanche derivative I’m interested in is the first gen 3/4 ton with the 8.1 liter big block in it. Oh my yes.