Our 2007 Escalade AWD arrived in June 2006. It became instantly popular for summer vacations and excursions. Cadillac's big sport-ute, all-new for '07, has been popular since it was introduced in 1998, selling an average of 32,000 a year. The luxury-class truck kept us going through the onslaught of a Michigan winter and into a delightful spring. The Escalade was popular to the point that it rolled past the 40,000-mile limit in just 10 months.

Our Slade began life with a base price of $58,125. For that we got a 403-hp, 6.2-liter Vortec V-8; a six-speed heavy-duty automatic; all-wheel drive; automatically adjusting shocks and rear leveling; and 18-inch wheels. The Escalade also had heated front- and second-row bucket seats and a third row for two passengers (a no-cost option for the second row, too; a three-passenger bench is standard). Three months of XM radio came with the Bose audio system, and the power liftgate was wonderfully convenient. Standard safety features included curtain airbags, stability control, rear parking assist, and tire-pressure monitors.

We spiced up the big ute with 22-inch tires and chromed aluminum wheels ($2995); the Information package, with nav and rearview camera ($2695); a DVD entertainment system ($1295); a sunroof ($995); and the Climate package, adding cooled front seats and a heated steering wheel ($625). The grand total: $66,730

Source: Car & Driver