How wrong they were. These days, the Escalade isn't the butt of jokes; it's the flagship. It's not the most expensive car in the lineup, but it's certainly the most recognizable vehicle Cadillac currently builds. For 2007, an all-new Escalade wears show-car sheet metal with classic-car cues, rolls on available 22" wheels and packs a larger V8 engine under the hood. It may lack a hood ornament and tailfins, but it's still a worthy successor to Caddy's classic "Standard of the World" motto.

The new design is the first thing you'll notice. It's very distinct from the rest of General Motors' full-size SUV lineup, and one of the strongest expressions yet of the modern Cadillac style that first debuted on the Sixteen show car. The Escalade gets a full-body makeover, complete with chromy fender vents and the biggest Cadillac badges we've ever seen front and rear. A more steeply raked windshield and integrated running boards make the Escalade look more carlike. At night, the HID headlamps cast a menacing, wide-track glare that urges lesser vehicles to yield. This truck's styling screams "look at me" confidently. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard, with available twenty-twos offering the look of aftermarket chrome. LED taillights keep the rear view distinctive as well. The design is also smoother, with flush-mounted windows and tight-fit body panels all around to improve aerodynamics. With a power-operated tailgate, the Escalade is affluent and oh so very American.

Inside? Same story. The Escalade gets a unique interior that's not shared with the rest of GM's SUVs, though it is close enough that some passengers mistook it for the GMC Denali. Cadillac offers comfortable leather in a choice of Ebony or Cashmere colors, a well-crafted dash with wood, LED backlighting and a weird art-deco analog dash clock. The second row seats fold and tumble and the touch of a button, saving manicures and shoulder strain when loading people into the third-row seats. Ingress to the rear seats and legroom in the second and third rows is less generous than we expected it to be--even short passengers complained of tight knee room in the second row. A big Bose sound system, navigation and a large-screened DVD player are all on the options list, of course. The Escalade gets the latest version of GM's OnStar which offers turn-by-turn navigational directions. It's like having an interactive navigation system; OnStar connects Escalade drivers to a live operator who provides step-by-step assistance.

It wouldn't be a Caddy if it didn't have the biggest engine in the lineup, of course. The Escalade's 6.2 liter V8 offers a great deal more urge than the Tahoe, complete with a throaty, assertive and expensive-sounding roar. The big 6.2 is a technological showcase as well (for a truck, anyhow), with variable valve timing and all aluminum construction. It's still an "old" overhead-valve design, so you won't forget that this Caddy is still a truck at heart. This engine puts out 403 horsepower, so the Escalade is more than capable of doing real-truck work, and of towing up to 7700 pounds. A six-speed automatic transmission gets the power to the ground smoothly, and its two overdrive gears ensure relaxed freeway cruising. A choice of rear- or all-wheel drive is available.

The ride is comfortable and quiet thanks to a tighter suspension and a super-stiff, fully boxed frame with hydroformed ends. Up front, the independent coil-sprung suspension feels confident, with the vagueness of past Escalades dialed out, and the five-link rear end can almost (but not quite) be mistaken for an independent suspension. The float of classic Cadillacs isn't here--in spite of the leather and wood, the Escalade is a truck, after all. Road harshness is dialed out by real-time variable shock damping, but the stiff suspension means that the Escalade can work like a truck if the need arises.

On the road, the Escalade is tall but far from ungainly. Rack and pinion steering is responsive and direct, and the standard anti-lock brakes have big discs at all four corners. With StabiliTrak stability control standard, the Escalade stops almost like a car. Rollover mitigation software is included in the StabiliTrak's programming. Passive safety is represented by head-curtain side airbags.

In just a few short years, the Escalade has carved out a spot for itself in the fickle luxury market, and the latest incarnation stays true to its raison d'etre. If you've got to arrive big, you can't ask for much better than this. Pricing for the Escalade starts at $55,400 for two-wheel drive and $57,955 for all-wheel drive. Our tester featured the 22" wheel package, a navigation system with backup camera, and heated/cooled front seats for a total of $64,690.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2007 Cadillac Escalade.
Length: 202.5 in.
Width: 79.0 in.
Height: 74.3 in.
Wheelbase: 116.0 in.
Curb weight: 5665 lb.
Cargo space: 108.9 cu.ft. (all seats folded)
Towing capacity: 7700 lb.
Base price: $55,400
Price as tested: $64,690
Engine: 6.2 liter OHV V8
Drivetrain: six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 403 @ 5700
Torque: 417 @ 4300
Fuel capacity: 26.0 gal.

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