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Maybe thinking of going to Escalade

7K views 47 replies 10 participants last post by  conedoctor 
#1 ·
Bouncing the idea around and between the Denali and Escalade, does anyone know the differences?


Please do not mention the Yukon or Suburban as I have zero interest in them and do not care, I will not buy the 5.3, 4 speed or non-AWD.
 
#27 ·
My dilemma is similar. The SRX does so many things well that when you jump into something else it doesn't seem to quite measure up in the things that are important to me. Some may observe that they don't like the way the GenI SRX looks, too angular in some respects; but you can pick one out of a sea of crossovers and SUVs. The Northstar's performance tops everything I have been looking at.

Stay with what you have. As I said, you have the bases covered.

PJ
 
#30 ·
Conedoctor, just saw this.
I've had 3 SrXs and we have an '04 Tahoe which I stupidly put 20s on and the chassis can't handle them.
The negative to the gmt900s is that they are heavy, 5500lbs minimum.
They have a stiffer chassis than our '04 and the handle a bit better as well.
I'm with you 6.2l or nothing at all. The 5.3 just doesn't have the tq necessary to stop a lot of gear hunting or for keeping the AFM active.
I have written off the Acadia because of the 288 hp and the minivan chassis and dynamics.
We are currently looking at the upcoming all new all aluminum 2014 range rover sport with its 7" longer wheelbase and 3 rd seat.
We are also waiting for the all new tahoe/Yukon/ escalade next year. More hp, lighter weight, tons of improvements and better gas mileage. They are talking about 24 mpg hwy. but still live axle.
 
#31 ·
We are on our 2nd SRX and love it still.

I love my Sierra Denali all day long, for me the GMT-900 is so far ahead of the 5 GMT-800's I have had over the last 15 years I could never go back and I don't want a 4x4 I want AWD.

Well the X5 3.5d is back in the mix as well, so this weekend I am going to try and see an Enclave, Q7, X5 and maybe an MKT but man its long and ugly but the features and power are awesome but no towing and 208" long!

The X5 may win due to killer economy and sweet looking 285/315 tire combo and 6000# of towing, but the enclave is so nice but big and can't tow.
 
#32 ·
Our gmt 800 tahoe drives me frickin crazy on certain bumps. And now the left side of the dash top is flapping over those bumps. There is a crazy washboard intersection here that makes the truck go apoplectic but my friends gmt900 barely even flexes at the same intersection. And he has the same LTZ 20s. Thinking about going to 18" hybrid wheels to get some more sidewall.
Everytime I get serious about BMWs I just stand there slack jawed at the option pricing. It defies logic.the x5 is a solid vehicle and you can't go wrong. For me it will probably be an x3 and we will keep the lumbering boat of a tahoe for a few more years. But damn I miss my "09 northstar srx.
 
#33 ·
I am looking at 2010's but ya pricing can be mental, I will never buy new, I can drive way more car for half the money.

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I am looking at 2010's but ya pricing can be mental, I will never buy new, I can drive way more car for half the money. The range and power of the diesel is awesome, my wife misses her A6 but loves the SRX so we are right back to we have no idea lol
 
#36 ·
I brought my SRX for minor servicing on July 3rd and got a 2013 Escalade Premium AWD for a loaner, being this is the 4th of July weekend I have had it for 4 days and 200 plus miles later and I can give some input for what I think. Not much has changed in these things for years except bells and whistles. First off amenities are abound in this thing but handling, well its a truck and it lets you know, even all these years later they can never make it ride any different. Power YES given its size it needs the 6.2 . Still no where near the acceleration of our V8 SRX's but very healthy acceleration though. Very heavy feel while driving and a bouncy ride and body wiggle driving down the highway, always have to correct lane position. Massive blind spots good thing it has side radar to alert. My minor or major annoyance is the vents will not point up, just straight out and this is black on black and its 93 degrees out and you cannot get cold air to your face and the head rests do not pivot forward like the do in the SRX. Obviously there is plenty of room for everyone and the seats " heated and cooled " are comfortable, extremely large Nav screen almost a distraction given its size especially at night, I also find the interior a bit cheezy for an almost $80000 plus vehicle. Not refined as our SRX's hand stitched look and softness. The 6.2 is very thirsty but that is the nature of this beast. I miss my SRX already and my wife does not care for the Escalade either, but to each his own. If I never owned a V8 SRX well' then the Escalade would be tops but for comparison our SRX's win for comfort, ride, handling, acceleration. But they lose on towing capacity that's about it. Man I thought about getting one of these sometime also but now I do not want one. Post GM Bailout equals less car for the money.
 
#37 · (Edited)
It always seems to get back to one thing: the FirstGen SRX does so many things well that other vehicles have difficulty stacking up for me, even if I get something I am lacking in the SRX. I need more cargo room, but what do I have to give up to get it? That is saying something for a vehicle that was last produced nearly 5 model years ago. Especially for the price. Nice write up on the Escalade. Sooner or later it will be decision time and I will be forced "to give in order to get." Notice how none of the posters have dwelt much on fuel economy gains over the past few years......but in my preference I have a hard time giving up what the Northstar brought to the table. PJ
 
#42 ·
The Escalade is not faster as I still have this thing for the 5th straight day because of the Holiday weekend. Put now almost 300 miles on this Escalade and the acceleration is great for a truck but that's it. And it was in the 90's when I dropped my SRX off at the dealer and picked up the loaner, even when I pulled out on to the main road which goes up a hill you had to give it a lot more gas to accelerate up the hill. And on the highway you really have to let it downshift and rev to pass not like our V8 SRX's. The Escalde is fast for a FULL SIZE SUV but no means a performance machine and never will be, "like the V8 SRX" which was built for performance. The Escalade will always be an Old Man with a new mask. The option for you is do you want to get more room and better towing and lose what you really like about your SRX. Like I said earlier to each is own. You said you need more room for the kids then the Escalade is for you. I personally would keep the SRX, but that's just my opinion.
Good Luck in your Decision.
 
#39 · (Edited)
If you look up the 0-60mph times for both in AWD trim I believe the N* SRX is quicker (6.4 seconds versus 7.0 seconds) and tops out at over 140 miles per hour. Either Road &Track or Car&Driver recorded a top speed of 144mph at the end of their long term test. I will try to find the quarter mile times for these but I have to believe that the Northstar SRX wins hands down because it weighs so much less. PJ
 
#43 ·
Well neither of us know for sure so lets not call it a fact that it is faster, I have a chipped 09 V8 SRX with 2.5" exhaust and I think my Denali is faster as I have driven both in the same day back to back and my wife agrees, that being said the Denali is chipped as well so maybe the gains are larger with the 6.2 over the 4.6 but even the chipped SRX felt slower than the stock Denali.

Now the Escalade is a bit heavier than the Denali so maybe that is the difference.

The X5 is pulling ahead in the race tied with our SRX.
 
#44 · (Edited)
I have a chipped 09 V8 SRX with 2.5" exhaust and I think my Denali is faster.... even the chipped SRX felt slower than the stock Denali.
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Coney, you have a modded chip in your SRX? Who modded it? Was it modded to only add speed or other things also? Maybe you need to go back to that chip flasher and tell them that only speed matters to you and that you want a chip modded only to add speed? I am not even sure why you care which is faster unless you live near a Deutsche Autobahn.. and can take it to WOT every time you drive it. So speed and towing capacity are your two major considerations? Maybe you should consider something like a "chipped" Toyota Sequoia? :)
 
#45 ·
Facts are in the Reviews by the experts. V8 SRX 0-60 is faster than ANY Denali or Escalade ever made and being you made major changes to your SRX with no Dyno results to be positive you actually increased HP/TQ over stock and not lowered it, is also not saying much. Same with my Harleys I build. Dyno results with every mod just not bigger is better all the time. Some mods work, some do not. But I get Actual Gains in HP/TQ over stock.
Why is the fact that the Escalade is the slower of the 2 even an issue. Again the Escalade is a full size truck it needs 403HP to have any chance of competing in the Heavy Luxury Class.I gave my comparison and power is the only thing that bothers you. It has power to impress for a large Full Size SUV. Advice, scratch the Escalade keep the Denali and by a CTS V then you will be happy.
 
#46 ·
I am not a Toyota fan or any other Japanese SUV and the Sequoia makes me throw up when I see them, so lets go with no.

I do go to full throttle every time I drive, I merge like a man!

I can get it tuned for whatever but I went with power and economy, I don't drive fast or reckless at all but I like to have power when I want it and just don't like gutless cars nor does my wife and the fuel economy improvement is nice as well. The biggest reason I did the SRX was to get rid of the flat spot on the 09 that my 04 did not have, it worked and now I have a car that is much nicer to drive at all speeds.
 
#47 · (Edited)
The times I posted were for the 2007 SRX and both the 2011 and 2012 Escalade. PJ

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The curb weights.....about 4,400 pounds for the SRX and 5,800 for the Escalade. Horsepower 320 for the SRX and 403 for the Escalade. The torque figures.....315 lb. ft. versus 417. That gives the SRX a power to weight advantage. Top speed 144mph for the SRX versus 106 for the Escalade which is electronically limited. PJ
 
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