Compare the2023 Cadillac EscaladeVS 2023 GMC Yukon

The Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Yukon doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Yukon doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Escalade and the Yukon have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Escalade comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Yukon’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the Escalade 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than GMC covers the Yukon. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Yukon ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Escalade’s 6 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Yukon runs out after 100,000 miles.

The Escalade has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Yukon doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Escalade offers larger standard and optional batteries than the Yukon:

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Escalade first among large premium SUVs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Yukon was rated second in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in long-term dependability. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, GMC is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Cadillac 4 places higher in reliability than GMC.

The Escalade’s 6.2 V8 produces 65 more horsepower (420 vs. 355) and 77 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 383) than the Yukon’s standard 5.3 V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cadillac Escalade is faster than the GMC Yukon 5.3 V8:

On the EPA test cycle the Escalade gets better mileage than the Yukon:

For better stopping power the Escalade Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Yukon:

The Escalade stops shorter than the Yukon:

For better traction, the Escalade has larger tires than the Yukon (275/50R22 vs. 265/65R18).

The Escalade’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Yukon SLE’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escalade has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Yukon SLE.

The Escalade’s cargo area provides more volume than the Yukon.

The Escalade’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Yukon’s (8000 vs. 7700 pounds).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than GMC. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 27% lower rating, GMC is ranked 15th.

The Escalade’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Yukon’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Escalade the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Yukon can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Escalade has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Yukon doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Yukon doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Escalade has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Yukon.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Cadillac Escalade has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Yukon SLT/AT4/Denali offers wireless charging.

Insurance will cost less for the Escalade owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Escalade with a number “5” insurance rate while the Yukon is rated higher at a number “6” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Escalade is less expensive to operate than the Yukon because typical repairs cost much less on the Escalade than the Yukon, including $113 less for a water pump, $10 less for a starter, $6 less for fuel injection, $53 less for a fuel pump and $246 less for a timing belt/chain.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its December 2020 issue and they ranked the Cadillac Escalade Sport 4WD higher than the GMC Yukon AT4 4x4.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Escalade second among large premium SUVs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Yukon was rated third in its category.