Both the Tahoe and the Escalade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.
There are almost 3 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it much easier to get service under the Tahoe’s warranty.
The Tahoe’s reliability is better than the Escalade’s. In Consumer Reports, the Tahoe’s reliability is 36% better.
As tested in Car and Driver the Tahoe Hybrid 6.0 V8 hybrid is faster than the Escalade Hybrid 6.0 V8 hybrid:
Tahoe |
Escalade |
|
Zero to 60 MPH |
8.2 sec |
8.4 sec |
Quarter Mile |
16.3 sec |
16.5 sec |
Speed in 1/4 Mile |
88 MPH |
86 MPH |
On the EPA test cycle the Tahoe Hybrid RWD gets better fuel mileage than the Escalade Hybrid RWD CVT (21 city/22 hwy vs. 20 city/21 hwy).
On the EPA test cycle the Tahoe gets better fuel mileage than the Escalade:
Tahoe |
Escalade |
|||
2WD |
5.3 V8/Auto |
15 city/21 hwy |
12 city/19 hwy |
V8/Auto |
5.3 V8/Auto |
14 city/20 hwy |
n/a |
||
4WD |
5.3 V8/Auto |
14 city/19 hwy |
12 city/19 hwy |
V8/Auto |
To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Tahoe uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Escalade with the 6.2 V8 engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 25 to 50 cents more per gallon.
The Tahoe has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Escalade Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (26 vs. 24.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.
The Tahoe stops shorter than the Escalade:
Tahoe |
Escalade |
||
60 to 0 MPH |
151 feet |
158 feet |
Consumer Reports |
60 to 0 MPH (Wet) |
168 feet |
181 feet |
Consumer Reports |
The Tahoe LTZ 4x4 goes through Motor Trend’s slalom faster than the Escalade 4x4 (57.2 vs. 57.1 MPH).
For greater off-road capability the Tahoe has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escalade (9.1 vs. 9 inches), allowing the Tahoe to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.
The Chevrolet Tahoe may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 600 pounds less than the Cadillac Escalade.
As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Tahoe Hybrid 4x4 is quieter than the Escalade 4x4:
Tahoe |
Escalade |
|
At idle |
40 dB |
44 dB |
Full-Throttle |
75 dB |
77 dB |
70 MPH Cruising |
68 dB |
69 dB |
The Tahoe has standard seating for 9 passengers; the Escalade can only carry up to 8.
The Tahoe’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge – which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Escalade does not have an oil pressure gauge.
The Tahoe LTZ’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Escalade’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.
Insurance will cost less for the Tahoe owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Tahoe will cost $2792 less than the Escalade over a five-year period.
According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Tahoe is less expensive to operate than the Escalade because typical repairs cost much less on the Tahoe than the Escalade, including $161 less for an alternator and $570 less for a power steering pump.
© 1991-2016 Advanta-STAR Automotive Research. All rights reserved.
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