Several automakers are kicking off 2023 with new and redesigned SUVs and trucks, much to the delight of American shoppers. It’s a great time to buy an SUV or truck because there are so many good vehicles in all shapes and sizes on the market. One of the redesigned favorites generating a lot of buzzes this year is the 2023 Cadillac Escalade V.

HotCars placed the redesigned 2023 Cadillac Escalade V at the top of its best new and redesigned trucks and SUVs list of 2023. Let’s look at the latest model and how it earned such high praise.

What’s different from the 2022 model?

If the Cadillac Escalade V is one of the best redesigned SUVs for 2023, what’s different from the 2022 model? The 2022 model Escalade certainly isn’t lacking. Last year’s Escalade was everything on a grand scale. According to Car and Driver, its muse just might have been the eye-catching Escala concept car supersized with the boxy silhouette of the Escalade.

The massive SUV has a sharp, elegant exterior balanced by an upscale, anything-goes interior. The cabin’s luxury featured real wood, lavish leather, and shiny metal accents. Cadillac also loaded it with all the tech you could want. The enormous digital dashboard offers a unique take on the driver instrument panel and the infotainment system.

Powering all that splendor is a standard 6.2-liter V8 with a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-six also available for better fuel efficiency. The ride may not be as spirited or fluid as Cadillac’s sedans, but it delivers the luxury handling and ride you’d expect of a high-dollar luxury vehicle.

What’s new for 2023?

In 2023 the new Escalade V variant arrived, earning praise from HotCars. The new model will cost you, priced at  $151,490. It features the popular blackout exterior with the model’s unique badging, bumpers, wheels, and red-painted brake calipers. 

Just because you’re surrounded by all that luxuries in a huge SUV doesn’t mean the V variant lacks power. The V mode button on the shift lever lets you activate this model’s best dynamic settings and the launch-control feature. According to Car and Driver, when you have both pedals to the floor, the featured holds the revs to 1500 rpm.

Take your foot off the pedal, and the acceleration of the new V8 is unleashed. With all that torque, it doesn’t feel much different than an electric vehicle.

The automaker adjusted all this power by tweaking the breaking systems and suspension. The body motion is reigned in by adjusted air springs and adaptive dampers. The addition of six-piston Brembo front brake calipers makes the brakes firmer and more responsive.

Part of the price hike for the model is a three-year subscription to GM’s OnStar and Connected Services Premium Plan, which adds SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, digital streaming service, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Mobile devices also get access to the OnStar Guardian app.

The Escalade’s best new option

In 2023, Cadillac took the Escalade to the next level with the new high-performance “V” variant. Granted, it won’t win a race against a high-performance sports car, but it will out some of its peers. When it comes to elegance, spaciousness, and performance, it’s hard to beat.

HotCars called it a palace on wheels, and it’s certainly that. The increase in power is bound to make many Escalade fans happy. The 2023 model has a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 mill under its hood, the one from the CT5-V Blackwing. The new engine produces 682 hp, and with an assist from its 10-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive enables the new Escalade V to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. 

When you consider the 2023 Cadillac Escalade V weighs more than 6,000 lbs, it’s impressive that it’s now armed with such athleticism. The power boost makes the luxury juggernaut one of the fastest three-row SUVs available today.