The 20’s have started out as a roaring decade for the full-size luxury SUV. Cadillac’s Escalade, that opulent genre-defining behemoth, got a full redesign in 2021 that gave it an independent rear suspension, a dazzling new curved OLED screen array, and even larger dimensions. Not to be outdone, Jeep made waves by returning to the segment this year with its hotly-anticipated new Grand Wagoneer flagship, resurrecting a classic nameplate from one of the first entries in this now red-hot category. 

However, out-Escalading the Escalade is no easy task, so we were curious to see how Jeep’s returning hero would compare with the rig against which all modern luxobarges are measured. Fortunately, we managed to find an Escalade and a Grand Wagoneer in the same place at Mudfest, an annual two-day testing event for trucks and SUVs hosted by the Northwest Automotive Press Association.  

Driving both rigs back-to-back on both the track and the offroad course revealed some surprising differences between these luxury contenders. 

A barn-sized vehicle is never going to be your best bet for a track day, but both of these big three-rows at least have sufficient power for rocketing down the straights. With its standard 6.4-liter Hemi V8 and steep-geared 8-speed automatic, the Grand Wagoneer’s punchy acceleration feels substantially quicker than what you get from the Escalade’s 6.2-liter V8, though the Escalade has a smidge more torque.  

Diving into the turns, it’s the Escalade that distinguishes itself, but in all the wrong ways. Despite a high-tech adaptive air suspension and magnetic ride control that feels composed enough under regular driving, the Escalade positively wallows when pushed hard.  

The way it plunges and jiggles its way around the track makes it hard to stay on the throttle, and the poor visibility over its massive continental shelf of a hood makes fast elevation changes feel nearly blind. Don’t even think about punching it out of the turns, either: a transmission tuned for soft, languid shifts produces yawning hesitations every time.   

By contrast, the also air-bagged Grand Wagoneer’s handling feels soft but undramatic. While it too demonstrated lazy shifting and a plush ride, it just wasn’t completely discombobulated by moderate trackwork the way the Caddy was, and its quickness covered a multitude of sins.  

Interestingly, the surprise star of this show turned out to be the downmarket (regular) Wagoneer, an example of which was also on hand at the event. That SUV’s tauter suspension and more sensible powertrain tuning gave it better track composure despite the taller offroad tires it was fitted with.  

Our on-pavement verdict: Wagoneer has the edge in both power and handling. 

As expected, the Grand Wagoneer packs the most off-road-oriented hardware. It is, after all, a Jeep even if its badging doesn’t advertise it. The SUV’s standard equipment includes multiple terrain modes (Rock, Sand/Mud, and Snow, in addition to Auto and Sport), an adjustable air suspension that raises ground clearance to 10 inches. There’s also an “Off-Road Pages” app in the screen that provides a multitude of temp- and angle-monitoring metrics.  

The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer share a lot with the Ram 1500 pickup’s extremely well-sorted platform, so they feel plenty rugged. Neither is maneuverable enough off-road to earn Jeep’s self-designated “Trail-Rated” badge, but they more than get the job done on the trail.  

Each is surefooted through the most powdery dirt, and powering up and over obstacles without batting an eyelash. Well-tuned hill-descent control helps it navigate slippery grades without drama, and a “gear limit” toggle enables adjustments to trail speed without jumping on the brakes.   

The Escalade gets a more simplified off-road regimen: unlike on the Jeep, 4WD is optional, and Escalades so-equipped get a single Off-Road driving mode, available 4-Low, and height-adjustable air suspension.  

On the trail, the Escalade crab-walks a bit on high banks due to its highway tires and massive weight but has the torque to power through terrain without hesitating, even when it lifts a wheel off the ground. While off-road grip doesn’t feel as dialed as on the Wagoneer’s, bigger limiting factors are the Escalade’s large overhangs and massive snout, which limit both visibility and the kinds of obstacles it can tackle.  

However, the Escalade has an edge at higher speeds, remaining tranquil on rough gravel roads with only a faint rattle through the steering column. Over the same surface, the Grand Wagoneer lets quite a bit more vibration and squeaks into the cabin, likely owing to its low-profile tires (the terrain tires on the regular Wagoneer afforded a better ride).  

Nonetheless, while none of these six-figure SUVs is likely to be subject to much trail-bashing, prospective customers should know that the Grand Wagoneer with its many settings and more off-road-oriented hardware is going to feel overall more confident and versatile on the trail than the comparatively limited Escalade. 

Our off-road verdict: Grand Wagoneer dominates. 

Though the Escalade gained size with its 2021 redesign, and a new independent rear suspension allowed for a less-cramped third row, the Grand Wagoneer’s few inches of extra overall length pay dividends in interior space: it leads the segment in second and third-row legroom and also has more cargo space behind the third row than the Escalade. 

Fold all the seats and the Escalade wins on cargo space, but the Grand Wagoneer’s roominess is on par with the larger, long-wheelbase Escalade ESV. 

Notably, the Jeep also offers more creature comforts for rearward passengers: second-row window shades and ventilated seats are available here but not on the Escalade, and an optional second-row center console mimics the one upfront and includes its own 10.1-inch climate touchscreen. Further back, the Grand Wagoneer’s comfortable third row gets more opulently-padded armrests and even its own separate fixed-glass sunroof. The Escalade’s panoramic unit only reaches to the second row.  

Upfront, features are more on par. Both Cadillac and Jeep offer heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, wireless phone charging, and an optional center-console cooling compartment (though only the Escalade’s has a freeze function). The Grand Wagoneer offers more connectivity ports (18), but the Escalade has more speakers in its optional premium sound system (36!).  

Our interior verdict: Grand Wagoneer’s more spacious and feature-rich cabin wins. 

A glance inside any luxury SUV reveals an infotainment-screen arms race in progress. The Escalade pioneered a curved-OLED screen ensemble in 2021 that spans nearly two-thirds of the dash—it’s actually three ultra-high-res screens layered together, but they give the impression of a single seamless interface.  

Within the main center screen, you’ll find the latest version of GM’s user-friendly, quick-responding operating system with an overhead 360-degree camera featuring multiple 3D views, and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android auto. But the real show-stopper is the all-digital 14.2-inch gauge cluster, controlled by a bonus 7-inch touchscreen on the left, which features such party tricks as a fullscreen navigation map and “AR navigation,” an augmented-reality view that superimposes turn-by-turn directional graphics onto a real-time view from a front-facing camera.  

The Grand Wagoneer has a lot of screens too, but the experience isn’t as well integrated or futuristic. Jeep’s Uconnect 5 system looks nice on the 12-inch center display, and like the Escalade, it gets standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, some functions lag a little, and the Grand Wagoneer’s digital gauge cluster looks basic compared to the Escalade’s.  

Beneath the Grand Wagoneer’s main center screen, an extra 10.1-inch “comfort” screen contains temp and seat controls that would be better served by analog buttons, and an optional passenger-side dash screen is mostly for watching Amazon Fire TV and mirroring smartphones (as are the optional second-row infotainment screens). It’s an impressive array, but lacks the Escalade’s finesse. 

The Escalade leads in advanced driver tech as well. Its optional Super Cruise system integrates LiDAR mapping, advanced GPS, and an army of camera and radar sensors to facilitate hands-free, semi-autonomous driving on compatible North American highways. For its part, the Grand Wagoneer’s available “Active Driving Assist” is just a really robust adaptive cruise plus lane-centering in the vein of the current pre-autonomous assist systems, with handsfree capability still unavailable at the time of writing.    

Our tech verdict: Escalade. 

The base Escalade starts at $77,840, though the cheapest one with 4WD is $80,840, including a $1,695 destination charge. The Grand Wagoneer, which gets standard 4WD, starts at nearly $10,000 more, including a hefty $2,000 destination fee. At the higher end, however, the Escalade takes a slim lead: a top-trim Premium Luxury with all reasonable boxes checked, including Super Cruise, Night Vision, and the center-console freezer, rings in at $119,360, while a comparable Grand Wagoneer Series III tops out at $116,115.  

Both of these V8 behemoths are predictably thirsty, but the Grand Wagoneer’s 15 mpg combined makes it about as painful at the pump as the 16 combined mpg of the Escalade’s standard gas V8.  

However, Cadillac’s ace in the hole is its optional 3.0L turbodiesel inline-six, which can be added to any trim for a paltry 100 bucks and brings combined mpg up to 22 while delivering the same 460 pound-feet of torque as the gas engine. It’s possible the new Hurricane six will improve the Grand Wagoneer’s fuel economy, but there’s no firm word on when that will happen. 

Ultimately, the relative value of each will depend on whether the customer favors must-have tech or brute capability, but the Escalade is inarguably the more wallet-friendly luxobarge with its lower starting price and more fuel-efficient powertrains.  

Which is the better value? Escalade pencils out as the winner. 

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