Cadillac Escalade | STARTING PRICE $72,900

It’s no big secret that the Escalade from Cadillac and the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban SUVs share the same roots. That’s a common occurrence in the automotive world. Historically, critics have asserted that there was not enough difference between the Cadillac and the Chevy products to justify the price spread. Finally, with this latest generation of the Escalade, those concerns can be put to rest. The new Escalade is now its own vehicle.

For clarity, the Escalade is a traditional truck body on a full frame vehicle. It’s big and powerful yet remarkably well advanced and definitely luxurious. The trick for Cadillac has been to take this large SUV — which in one form can be a three-quarter ton, four wheel drive sod-busting truck used by survey crews out in the rough — and convert it into a refined, elegant, high tech machine that delivers the expected Cadillac experience.

The sheer size of the Escalade allows for a dizzying array of vehicle equipment. The truck is offered in two body lengths: the regular Escalade, and the ESV, which is almost two feet longer coming in at 18.6 feet. The ESV model weighs in at just over 6,000 pounds and delivers 120 cubic of cargo space… it’s a big machine.

The same engine and transmission package is offered on all Escalades. The 6.2-liter V8 is packing 420 horsepower and 460 ft. lbs. of torque and is linked to a very smooth 8-speed gearbox. A skillfully tuned exhaust system bespeaks both authority and dominance in its own barely muted way. Cadillac also adds brawny brakes and GM’s magical magnetic ride control, which delivers both excellent chassis control and a smooth ride. The result is a large vehicle that is much livelier than you’d expect considering its size. But it also has an 8,000-pound-plus tow capacity, making it a gentlemen’s work vehicle. Though rear wheel drive is standard equipment, a four-wheel drive setup is also available for those who live in mountainous or cold weather locations.

The interior of the Escalade is similarly adorned with luxury accouterments. Both heated and cooled leather seating is offered in several color packages such as Shale, Tuscan Brown and Kona. Individual captain’s chairs are found in the second row; the third row has a power fold capability. Additional features such as a Bose 16 speaker surround sound audio suite, heads up display, plus the CUE information and media system make the experience even more engaging. The instrument panel has four separate driver configurable displays available, and through OnStar your Escalade can become a 4g LTE high-speed mobile wireless network. There is also a new front passenger center airbag, a rear hands-free lift gate, the cordless recharging pad in the center front console, the vibrating safety alert seats, available 22-inch wheels, the 360 degree surround vision camera system, and the list goes on.

The Escalade is a large luxurious vehicle that is very easy to fall in love with if you have the means to obtain one.

Toyota Highlander | STARTING PRICE $29,400

The new third generation Toyota Highlander has just hit the streets. The previous version was very good and actually sold quite well but this new model is a big step forward. The Highlander is a midsize crossover SUV and has plenty of competition in this market segment.

Toyotas have a reputation for building very reliable vehicles. That’s one of the main reasons that they’re so popular and have high resale value. With the new Highlander, however, you not only get a vehicle that you “logically know” is good, you get one that is emotionally engaging and more attractive than its ancestors. The styling is both purposeful and pleasing.

This class of SUV is just large enough to offer three rows of seats, so easily accessing the third row becomes an engineering challenge not unlike landing a man on the moon. The Highlander actually does quite a good job in this regard. Still, the third row is for the smallest and/or most pliable of passengers.

The new Highlander is a very nice vehicle to spend time in. The interior is quiet, spacious, comfortable and convenient. The controls are easy to access and there are plenty of spaces to stow things. The interior décor is attractive and the controls are easy to figure out.

There is also entertaining and useful technology in the new Highlander. The navigation has been upgraded and you now access system features by clicking on apps. This is becoming more common in the automotive world today. Features like audio, navigation, phone, vehicle fuel economy are now accessed via the apps screen and passengers can now actually add apps and rearrange them on the screen.

The Highlander also is a responsive and comfortable car to drive. Though a four-cylinder engine is available, the 3.5-liter V6 is a better choice and has virtually the same fuel economy rating. This engine has been in service for some time but still performs very well. Part of the genius of Toyota’s reliability success is based on the continued usage of proven technology that works. Often brands that introduce a large wave of new products and technology all at once seldom have the resources to thoroughly test them before they begin selling them to the “public. That often results in terrible reliability problems and armies of angry owners possessing vehicles with poor resale value.

A hybrid option is also available. Even though it costs $7,000 more on the Limited Platinum model, its fuel economy rating is about 5 mpg higher. The Highlander drives very well with either engine choice. The standard layout is front wheel drive but an all-wheel drive option is available and even includes an electronic differential lock to make sure all wheels are turning if you get into a tough spot.

In this class of vehicle, the Highlander has always competed well. With the upgrades to the new model, it’s now even more competitive than before.

For more information on these models, visit MyCarData.com.