2023 Cadillac Escalade vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured several styling updates, including a new grille, LED headlights, and LED daytime running lights. The grille appeared more upright and was flanked by large fake air intakes, giving the Equinox a chunkier look compared to the previous model. The headlights were bisected by trim pieces extending from the grille, adding a sleeker touch. The Equinox maintained its car-based crossover appearance, avoiding the rugged styling of competitors like the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. Its tall roofline and puffed-up front fascia made it look less car-like than the Ford Escape, striking a balance for some buyers. Inside, the dashboard design was creative, with a touchscreen and large air vents at the center, and materials and fit and finish were decent for the price. The new RS model added black exterior trim, darkened 19-inch wheels, and a black interior with red stitching, although the interior felt too subdued.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade stood out with its imposing size, towering nearly six-and-a-half feet above the ground and requiring up to 19 feet of length to park. The Escalade's design was athletic and trim, with thin LED taillights, headlights, and running lights that visually narrowed the vehicle's girth. The Sport Platinum trim darkened the chrome bits, helping to mask the Escalade's mass. The interior was luxurious, with a curved, leather-edged array of screens spanning 38 inches across the dashboard and seven choices of wood trim. The base Luxury trim had leatherette upholstery, while higher trims offered an array of leather combinations with tasteful details. However, some parts, like the heated seat controls and shifter, were shared with cheaper GM vehicles, detracting from the overall luxury feel.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. It used a six-speed automatic transmission with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The Equinox had more torque than most rivals but less horsepower. In city driving, the Equinox's torque was beneficial, allowing it to scoot away from stops easily. However, at higher speeds, the lack of horsepower became apparent, and the engine felt coarse and unresponsive. The automatic transmission's shifts were also a bit rough. The Equinox wasn't designed for sporty handling, lacking the solidity and refinement of competitors like the Honda CR-V, although it was decently comfortable on poorly maintained pavement.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade offered a standard 6.2-liter gasoline V8 engine with 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The V8 was fine for gentle cruising, with the ability to shut off up to six cylinders to improve fuel efficiency, achieving a combined 16 mpg with optional four-wheel drive (4WD). The Escalade-V variant featured a supercharged Corvette V8 with 682 horsepower and 653 pound-feet of torque, providing significantly better acceleration. Cadillac also offered a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 with 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, achieving a combined 22 mpg with 4WD. The Escalade's 4WD system was more rudimentary than conventional SUVs, but its magnetic dampers and superbly tuned steering made it nimbler and more maneuverable than many big SUVs. However, wind noise was subjectively loud at highway speeds.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox had seating for five across two rows, with a decent amount of headroom in both rows. Second-row legroom was good for the segment, but some competitors offered more legroom for front seat occupants. The tall seating position provided an unobstructed forward view, although the rear pillars created a bit of a blind spot. The relatively small rear window also hampered rear visibility. The Equinox offered 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was near the bottom of the segment. A power liftgate was available, but the Equinox lacked features like a sliding second-row seat or cargo-area storage bins found in competitors.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade boasted the most space-efficient interior of any large SUV, with 25 cubic feet behind the third row, 73 cubic feet behind the second row, and 121 cubic feet with both rows down. The Escalade ESV variant offered even more space, with 41 cubic feet behind the third row and 143 cubic feet with both rows down. The independent rear suspension provided generous headroom and legroom in every row, allowing six adults to sit comfortably. The controls were simple to use, with a smart and fast infotainment system. An optional front console refrigerator, power-retractable side steps, and an air suspension that lowered the truck when parked added to the convenience. However, the second-row seats were not powered like the third row.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trim levels offered an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available. The infotainment system was responsive and easy to use, with large, smartphone-like menu icons and good screen graphics. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a major advantage. However, the center-console slot for phones was too small, and tech-savvy buyers might long for a larger screen or more features.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade featured a span of OLED screens across the dash, providing sharp and clear displays. A front camera displayed a high-res feed of the road across the instrument panel, overlaying directional arrows and street names when navigation was active. The Escalade also offered Super Cruise, a hands-free highway driving system that used infrared eye-tracking cameras to ensure the driver was looking ahead. Super Cruise worked on over 200,000 miles of marked U.S. highways and required no driver intervention except for initiating lane changes. The Escalade also featured night vision with pedestrian detection, a 36-speaker AKG audio system, and front seats with five different massage settings. The rear-seat entertainment system could stream apps like Hulu, and the LED headlights were very bright.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top "Good" scores in most Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tests but received a "Marginal" rating in the updated side crash test. It received the highest "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention tech in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and the second-tier "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Equinox a five-star overall safety rating. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and more. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade earned four out of five stars from the NHTSA due to a lower four-star rating for front-passenger protection in a frontal crash test and a three-star rating for rollover resistance. It received five stars in all other NHTSA crash tests. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a Safety Alert seat, rear parking sensors, and a rear seat reminder. Optional features included reverse emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and Super Cruise.