The Cadillac Escalade is an SUV that impresses with its sheer luxurious finish. The price tag is remarkably high, but reviews say that it’s beginning to feel dated.

If you love the look of the 2020 Cadillac Escalade, you may want to consider an older model from the same generation. The fourth generation began in 2015 and you you can get that year model for less than half what a new one costs.

In most ways, these two SUVs are identical. Besides for a few modern technology upgrades, the 2015 Escalade is easily competitive with the rest of the models in its generation.

Fourth generation Cadillac Escalade

A new Cadillac Escalade runs $75,195 – $95,295. And still with that price tag, it’s only rated #6 by U.S. News and World Report. The 2015 Cadillac Escalade, on the other hand, earned the number one spot on the U.S. New’s list of large SUVs. However, to buy a 2015 Escalade today it would cost somewhere in the range of $28,011 – $40,253.

This is a massive difference in price for a very similar car. In order to understand what you get for the 2015 price as opposed to the 2020 price, let’s look a little deeper into the ways in which the models differ.

Key differences

There are a few thing things the 2020 Escalade offers that the 2015 does not. It’s up to the buyer to decide if these extras are really worth up to over 50 grand extra.

The 2020 Escalade has additional safety features like lane keep assist. It also includes surround-view parking camera, the “Teen Driver” safety system.

In addition, there is a rear-seat reminder to keep pets and passengers from being left behind. Besides a surround-view parking camera, the 2015 Escalade doesn’t boast those features.

The base-level 2020 Cadillac Escalade, at $75,195, comes sporting standard features like a specialty suspension, a locking rear differential. It is equipped with a modern infotainment system.

That means an 8-inch touch screen that includes navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a WiFi hot spot, four USB ports. Also a 16-speaker luxury surround-sound stereo with HD radio, satellite radio, and Bluetooth.

And some similarities

The 2015 standard features on the Cadillac Escalade have a similar infotainment system with an 8-inch touch screen. Though it lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, it does offer five USB ports, satellite radio, navigation and Bluetooth.

It offers the same surround-sound system of 16 speakers as the 2020 as well. Although the WiFi isn’t standard, the 2015 model does offer it as an option.

The interior cabins are very similar and they share the same punch of power in their V8 engines. Gas mileage is also painfully similar. You aren’t getting much of an upgrade in efficiency by opting for the 2020 model year Escalade over the 2015 Cadillac Escalade. The two even have an identical measurement of rear cargo space of 39.3 cubic feet.

Additionally, because they are in the same generation, the exterior design is also strikingly similar with only minor tweaks made in its design over the last five years.

Consider the 2015 Cadillac Escalade

The 2015 model offers much of what the 2020 model year provides, but with a price tag slashed in half. It was also rated the #1 SUV in its class for its year by U.S. News and World Report, with fantastic reliability scores.

If you really love the fourth generation but aren’t looking to spend nearly 100 grand on an SUV, the 2015 Cadillac Escalade may be the better option.