I’m a “Baller” Now Thanks to the 2012 Escalade Hybrid

After driving the 2012 Escalade Hybrid for a week it’s official, I’m cool again!

Escalade has always had an image I’ve admired, the part of me that desires to be “cool” yearns for the attention the Escalade receives simply by showing up. This is one sexy vehicle, its hybrid badge shows prominently on the side, letting people know you care about the environment.

The Escalade Hybrid starts at $95 405 and while I’d love to purchase one, the reality is that it’s out of my price range. I certainly loved driving it for the week, it’s the epitome of luxury and as a Mom who carts around children and their filth gear, it had everything we needed with a touch of class.

This is the world’s only full-sized luxury SUV, they’ve combined an advanced 2-Mode Hybrid System and Active Fuel Management. This means that the Escalade Hybrid SUV utilizes two types of power: energy created by the gas engine and electricity generated by electric motors.

It offers the best fuel economy in its class,³³ with an EPA estimated 20 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway. In addition to outstanding efficiency, Escalade Hybrid features advanced, class-exclusive Magnetic Ride Control that reads the road in the blink of eye and adjusts shock tuning to improve the ride. There is also automatic rear-level control to keep the ride height balanced when passengers and cargo are aboard. And, of course, Escalade Hybrid includes all of Escalade’s luxurious details, like comfortable, luxurious room for up to 8 adults, 14-way power-adjustable front leather seating surfaces with French stitched-seams and a rear-seat entertainment system with an 8″ diagonal flip-down screen.

The Children in the Escalade

With the kids all tucked into the HUGE back seat we were off on the road for our first trip to Muskoka of the season.

The 2nd row seating was comfortable, had a fold down center console and yet we’d still prefer bucket seating for our girls. Somehow they manage to get into arguments even in this luxurious ride.

Once we put a movie on the Entertainment System and strapped them into the wireless headphones it became a quiet ride once agan…sigh.

The seats were a beautiful leather which would clean easily, there were ample cup holders and storage. The rear seat audio and climate controls mean that I’d rarely have to respond to such requests.

The Driving Experience

The Escalade Hybrid pulls away in full electric if you’re gentle on the throttle, it’s super-quiet and has a gage which indicates when your acceleration is within the gentle range. The Escalade’s control center provides access to the navigation system, Bose^® 5.1 10-speaker surround sound system, automatic tri-zone climate control and Driver Information Center.

There really is so much to tell you about this vehicle but my favorite standard features are:

• 332 hp Vortec^® 6.0L LIVC V8 engine with Variable Valve Timing (VVT), Active Fuel Management^® and FlexFuel capability
• Remote start
• Side Blind Zone Alert
• Power liftgate that can be opened remotely
• 22″ chromed aluminum-alloy wheels
• Touch-screen navigation system
• Rearview backup camera
• Heated and cooled front seats
• Bose^® 5.1 surround sound system
• Rear-seat entertainment system
• Bluetooth^® connectivity³ for hands-free calling
• Power-retractable assist steps (available extra feature)

Aside from the fact that I’m a Mom who loves the retractable step, I think it’s true, the Escalade Hybrid was successful in raising the market value of our home while it was parked in the driveway and making me a “Baller” in my kids eyes!