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The 2011 Cadillac Escalade is not for shrinking violets. The Cadillac Escalade is a perennial car reviewer favorite among luxury large SUVs for its powerful V8, flamboyant styling and luxurious passenger cabin. "There are luxury SUVs and then there's the 2011 Cadillac Escalade. There are full-size SUVs and then there's the Escalade,” says Edmunds. The 2011 Cadillac Escalade features seating for up to eight in a roomy and luxurious cabin. Pricewise, the Escalade falls in the middle of its class. While cramped third rows are typical for the class, if you need a comfortable third row that can handle adults, check out the Lincoln Navigator.

The Escalade can seat up to eight people and comes in four models: the Escalade, Escalade ESV (an extended wheelbase version), the Escalade EXT (which trades the third row seat and enclosed cargo area for a short truck bed) and the Escalade Hybrid. We review the Escalade EXT and the Escalade Hybrid separately.

There are luxury SUVs and then there's the "2011 Cadillac Escalade". There are full-size SUVs and then there's the Escalade. An adjustable suspension that's standard on all but the base Escalade optimizes ride and handling. Truly, the Escalade lives up to its Cadillac badge.

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade is a full-size luxury SUV available in four trim levels: Base, Luxury, Premium and Platinum Edition. The base Escalade comes standard with 18-inch wheels, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, power-folding and driver-side auto-dimming exterior mirrors, a power liftgate, automatic xenon headlights, foglights and running boards. Other standard amenities include tri-zone automatic climate control, a power tilt-only steering wheel, power-adjustable pedals, and heated and ventilated 10-way power front seats with adjustable lumbar and driver memory functions. The Escalade Luxury adds chromed 22-inch cast-aluminum wheels, automatic headlight high-beams, a blind-spot warning system, a suspension with an active damping system (optional on the base model), a sunroof, power-folding and tumbling second-row seats and a heated steering wheel.

The Escalade Premium adds power-retractable running boards and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with a single roof-mounted display (optional on Luxury). The Escalade Platinum Edition adds different chromed 22-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, upgraded leather upholstery, leather-trimmed dash and door tops with contrast stitching, heated and cooled cupholders, and a headrest-mounted dual-screen DVD entertainment system.

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 good for 403 hp and 417 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel drive is standard on the Escalade, but all-wheel drive is optional.

The Escalade features cylinder deactivation technology for improved fuel economy. Note that we said "improved" and not "good," as the big Escalade manages just 14 mpg city/18 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined with rear-wheel drive and 13/18/15 with all-wheel drive.

Standard safety features on the Escalade include stability control, antilock disc brakes, traction control, front side-impact airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera and OnStar emergency telematics. In Edmunds brake testing, the 2011 Cadillac Escalade came to a stop from 60 mph in a disappointing 144 feet. In government crash testing, the Escalade received a perfect five stars for frontal crash protection.

Adding the available second-row bench raises total seating capacity to eight. Fold those second-row seats down and the cargo capacity grows to an impressive 108.9 cubic feet.

For years, Cadillac has led the luxury SUV class with its classy and sport Escalade. Over the last decade, the vehicle has been on the cutting edge in its class, setting trends for on-road performance and outpacing the competition with interior amenities.