2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

When Mercedes-Benz or Lexus dish out helpings of their latest technology, they serve it up in their flagship sedans. Although a full-size SUV happens to be the flagship of Cadillac, GM's premiere division still gives it the best dish. As the S-Class and LS are two of the most technologically advanced vehicles on earth, so is the 2009 Cadillac Escalade.Hybrid.

It's safe to say the world's impression of Cadillac has changed dramatically over the past decade. What I think is great is how designers and engineers kept the comfort and style for which Cadillac is famous, but imbued the driving experience with agility and technology that should astonish the top German and Japanese makes. The Escalade Hybrid is from a new generation of GM SUVs that are both capable and efficient.

Providing the basis for a whoosh of power is a 6.0-litre V8 engine that produces 332 horsepower. To conserve fuel, the engine can shut off four cylinders when full power is not required. Upon coming to a stop, the engine automatically shuts off and starts again while initially moving away on electricity. With the hybrid system in play, the SUV can run on four cylinders more often, saving the maximum amount of fuel. All of this is a very smart strategy to save gas wherever possible.

To make more savings a reality, GM partnered with Chrysler, BMW, and Mercedes to develop a 2-Mode Hybrid system (similar to that employed on the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen Hybrids, as well as GM's own full-size hybrids). Around town and at low speeds, the Escalade acts much like a Toyota Prius, making the most of a 300-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack, electrically variable transmission (EVT), and regenerative brakes (turn momentum into battery charge) to move the vehicle with little gasoline. When more power is needed, like when towing up to 5,700 lbs, the computer optimizes the electric system and gas engine for the best performance. In town, the Escalade Hybrid's fuel economy is comparable to a mid-size sedan, hitting 21/22-MPG city/highway.

It sounds like a lot of complexity to achieve higher gas mileage, but as with the Toyota Prius, everything works so smoothly that the only feeling drivers have is one of elation. After starting the SUV, and stepping on the throttle, one hears a slight whir as the big wagon glides quietly away. All Escalades run smoothly, but there is something even more refined and modernly elegant about the Hybrid. Ask for more power at cruise and you hear a slight whine, not unlike a faint supercharger, as the electric system adds power. StabiliTrak electronic stability programming and four-wheel anti-lock brakes ensure the SUV will go in its intended direction.

Interior accommodations are as sumptuous as in any Escalade. The cabin is available with Ebony or Cashmere Nuance leather seats that are heated, cooled, and power adjusted in more directions than a pigeon poops.

Gauges feature white needles with blue light inlays - all glowing in white LED backlighting. Leather-covered door trim and center console, woodgrain trim, power running boards, and a power rear liftgate add luxury, as do automatic climate control, three rows of seating, and a stellar Bose audio system with XM Satellite Radio.

Only badges betray the fact that the Escalade is a hybrid, but its grille, taillamps, and chrome detailing make it clear that it is from the current generation of Cadillacs. As with the CTS and STS, styling was based on the Sixteen Concept Car from 2003 and features stacked headlamps, razor thin taillamps (behind wide lenses), chrome fender vents, and a smooth flowing shape. Chrome is sparingly applied by traditional Cadillac standards.

Said Cadillac general manager, Jim Taylor, "Escalade, already the sales and style leader among large luxury SUVs, now adds the desirability of a fuel-saving, technically advanced hybrid system. No other manufacturer offers a hybrid that can seat eight luxuriously while simultaneously carrying or trailering lots of cargo comfortably. And no hybrid delivers the dramatic presence that is synonymous with Escalade."

On all fronts, Cadillac is determined to meet and beat the world's top automakers. Across the Atlantic and Pacific, drivers may know Cadillac for its land yachts, but the Escalade Hybrid takes it to the world's flagships - all while giving Americans the comfort and capability they want.

This is no Prius. And, that is a very fine thing.