2021 Ford Explorer vs 2022 Cadillac Escalade

The 2021 Ford Explorer embraced the distinct Ford SUV family aesthetics, showcasing a strong resemblance to its siblings—the Escape, Edge, and Expedition. The Explorer's exterior was characterized by sporty design elements, with sleek belt lines and narrow, assertive headlights. Variations in the grille (ranging from black to full chrome depending on the trim) made each version of the Explorer identifiable. The numerous trim levels, including the base, XLT, Limited, Limited Hybrid, Explorer ST, and Platinum, offered a range of external and internal enhancements, climbing the ladder from a starting price of $32,925 up to $52,730. Inside, the Explorer provided three rows of seating with cloth upholstery on the base model. The interior boasted a clean dashboard design featuring an 8-inch LCD touchscreen, along with large, redundant knobs and buttons for the audio system and climate controls. The center console freed up space with its rotary gearshift, revealing storage bins and cupholders.

The 2022 Cadillac Escalade commanded attention with its unapologetically large size and bold design. The standout features included a massive grille, towering LED daytime running lights, and distinctive taillights that evoked a sense of elevated classic Cadillac style. The Escalade's front end, reminiscent of a diesel locomotive, and its 22-inch wheels emphasized its vast proportions. Like other Cadillac SUVs, the Escalade varied its trim finishes: Luxury and Premium Luxury models used bright exterior trims and wheels, while the Sport versions incorporated more muted, darkened trim. Underpinned by the same architecture as other GM full-size SUVs, the Escalade combined luxury touches like leather upholstery and wood trim with spaciousness enabled by its considerable body. However, despite premium materials, the Escalade's interior design lacked cohesive distinctiveness compared to some luxury counterparts.

Weighing at its lightest 4,345 pounds, the 2021 Ford Explorer seemed hefty, but its base 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, handled the weight impressively. This engine bested the Kia Telluride’s V6 powertrain. Ford paired every Explorer model with a 10-speed automatic transmission featuring SelectShift capability. The Limited Hybrid boasted a V6 hybrid engine that upped the power to 310 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. Higher trims featured a robust 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, delivering 365 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, with the ST trim pushing these numbers to 400 hp and 415 lb-ft. The Explorer's towing capabilities varied between 5,000 and 5,600 pounds based on trim and engine configuration, allowing substantial towing ease, although it fell short of class-leading capacities offered by models like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition.

In contrast, the 2022 Cadillac Escalade offered two compelling powertrain options. The standard 6.2-liter gasoline V8 produced a formidable 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Alternatively, the Duramax 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six diesel engine, available for a $100 premium, generated 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Both engines came with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with the option for rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. Despite its lower horsepower, the diesel engine impressed with smooth power delivery and low-end torque, contributing to a favorable driving experience. Towing capabilities were substantial, with the gasoline engine managing up to 8,200 pounds, slightly surpassing the diesel’s 8,100-pound limit. Superlative highway driving experience, however, was tempered by the Escalade’s sometimes jarring ride quality and pitches, unlike its unibody SUV counterparts, making long journeys less comfortable.

The 2021 Ford Explorer provided practical interior space with seating options for six or seven passengers, depending on the trim. Second-row legroom measured 39 inches, although it lagged slightly behind rivals like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. Notably, even with the third-row seats in use, the Explorer offered a respectable 21 cubic feet of cargo space. However, folding down the third row revealed a mere 81 cubic feet of cargo volume, somewhat disappointing compared to similar-sized SUVs.

Conversely, the 2022 Cadillac Escalade boasted an expansive interior, sharing a platform with the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon for the standard model. The extended Escalade ESV amplified these dimensions further, offering unparalleled legroom in the first and third rows. The Escalade featured a 60/40 power split-folding third-row bench seat and optional second-row bench, enhancing flexibility. Its cargo capacity eclipsed many competitors with 25.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 63.0 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a cavernous 109.1 cubic feet with all rear seats down. However, an awkwardly designed center console limited interior storage capacity slightly.

Tech-wise, even the base 2021 Ford Explorer did not skimp on features. Standard equipment included an 8-inch touchscreen offering SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4G WiFi hotspot, Ford's Sync 3 system, and a six-speaker audio setup. Higher trims notably enhanced this with a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, HD radio, and a larger 10.1-inch touchscreen with up to 14 speakers. Its numerous USB ports and power points, with optional wireless charging, kept all devices connected and powered.

The 2022 Cadillac Escalade took infotainment to an impressive new level with its 38-inch curved OLED display, integrating a 14.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 16.9-inch touchscreen, and a 7.2-inch trip-computer screen. This thoughtfully designed setup offered wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth. Cadillac smartly blended this high-tech system into the dashboard, with functional and visually striking diagonal icons. Despite some minor interface usability issues, the advanced suite, including a 360-degree camera system and a night vision option, instilled confidence in handling the Escalade’s size. The AKG sound system, however, proved challenging to fine-tune without distortion.

The 2021 Ford Explorer received high safety praise, earning a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. This rating was supported by top scores in multiple crash tests and a broad Toyota Co-Pilot360 suite of safety tech encompassing adaptive headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, and more. Advanced features like adaptive cruise control and speed sign recognition were available from the Limited trim upward.

Like the Explorer, the 2022 Cadillac Escalade offered an impressive array of driver-assist tech as standard, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and the distinctive Safety Alert Seat. Higher trims added trailer blind-spot monitoring and the sophisticated Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system. This system’s ability to provide hands-free driving on extensive mapped highway networks, paired with stringent driver monitoring, set a high bar in driver-assistance technology. However, third-party crash test ratings for this model year were not available, leaving some uncertainties about its protective qualities in accidents.