Sleek, powerful, elegant, and agile as a circus elephant on ice skates, the 2024 Lexus LX F Sport and Cadillac Escalade 4WD Platinum are reminders that the age of utility has not yet caught up with the bad guy.
Or maybe this is it.
With an as-tested price of $108,460 for the Lexus and $121,315 for the Escalade, the two three-row SUVs cost about six of the most well-equipped two-row SUVs sitting in our garage. For a price difference, one can put a child through a public university; or, if you are past that age, take four trips around the world.
What you spend on the car comes out of your pocket, so it’s 100% your business. Maybe you think people are looking at you in one of these decorated land barges and saying to yourself, “Oh, what a successful and powerful man that must be.” To be sure, they might also see four or five empty seats and form sentences that contain the words “the fool and his money,” but that’s just jealous talk, right?
Starting with the price, shown in the lower right-hand corner of the window sticker in 6-point font, let’s discuss fuel economy, shown in the lower left in 32-point font. The week we drove the Escalade, for example, we put more miles of 300. We used $130 worth of gas in the tank when it arrived and added another $60. Do that four times a month and one is paying about 125% more for gas than the average new car payment.
It’s still your business, right?
Let’s read the next line under fuel economy. The Escalade – not one of the more powerful V-series – emits 564 grams of CO2 per mile. The Lexus 450h plug-in, which costs around $76,000 and gets 82 mpg, delivers 89 grams per mile. In other words, the Escalade emits 634% more of the air-killing stuff that doesn’t come out of your pocket, but into the air we all breathe. The more fuel-efficient Lexus LX puts out 538% more.
What can one person do about global climate change? Not much, but if we all did a little we could, we could make a big dent in it; so, if you pass me driving one of these things, at least you know what I’m thinking.
Which is better?
Among reviewers, the clear consensus is that the Escalade is the best car. It’s more luxurious, it has quirks like the odd ride, which takes the wheel with aplomb – at times – and the augmented reality navigation, and it rides and handles brilliantly.
The Lexus LX F Sport, on the other hand, costs less, gets 25% better fuel economy, and handles back roads like a GT sedan. Let’s compare:
Handling and Driving
When it comes to handling, the Lexus LX F Sport and Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum show different characteristics.
The LX introduces a smooth and composed ride, designed to glide over a variety of surfaces with its adaptive suspension system. Add the F Sport package, which includes a long list of cosmetic features inside and out, but, most importantly, a sport-tuned suspension, a beefier bar, and a limited-slip differential, and handles for the F Sport model as well as the BMW X7 of the best quality.
On the other hand, the Escalade offers a smooth driving experience with its Magnetic Steering Control, providing confident handling and precise steering response.
We took both vehicles on challenging winding and rocky Forest Service roads and were impressed with how well they handled. Both were quiet over difficult terrain, too.
We chose not to go off-road, but if we did, the Lexus LX would have a clear advantage because of its suspension, ride characteristics, and a nice feature that uses a camera to show the road below and just ahead of the car. If you’ve ever been in a bad situation where you can only see the sky above the cover, you know how comforting this is.
Engine Performance
Lexus LX The 2024 Lexus LX is powered by a 3.4-liter turbocharged V-6 engine that produces 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Why Toyota chose not to add a hybrid component, as found in the new Tundra, is beyond us. though we suspect it’s related to the LX that came out two years before the Tundra.
The 2024 Cadillac Escalade offers two engine options. 6.2-liter gas V-8 producing 420 hp and 460 lb.-ft of torque. An optional 3.0-liter inline-six diesel engine is also available, which offers the same torque rating as the V8 and better fuel economy. Considering the price difference and the large CO2 output for diesel, it is probably an inspiration. You’ll get more range but spend more at the pump.
Cabinet Design and Interior Space
The interior of the Lexus LX F Sport combines a classic and elegant aesthetic, with meticulous attention to detail and high-quality materials creating a luxurious ambiance. In contrast, the Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum features a more modern and bold interior design, featuring premium finishes and innovative technology.
In terms of interior space, the Escalade offers a slight advantage with its third-row seats and increased cargo capacity.
On the other hand, the Escalade’s shift gear and dashboard design are typical GM – confusing and confusing. Several button switches, like the one for lane assist, are hidden behind the gear shifter. Others are located below and behind the steering wheel. This was designed by a committee not focused on the user interface.
Advanced technology
Both machines come with large touch screens, an interface for both types of phones, and have good audio and rear seat entertainment systems.
The Escalade stands out with its OLED Information System. A large 38-inch curved OLED touchscreen display runs the width of the dashboard.
The Escalade has two innovative technologies not found on the Lexus:
Augmented Reality Navigation: This overlays direction indicators on the live video feed from the front camera, providing enhanced turn-in and exit guidance.
Super Cruise: Cadillac’s advanced driver assistance system, Super Cruise offers hands-free driving technology that uses LiDAR mapping and a driver-facing camera to enable hands-free driving on compatible highways. The key word here is compatible. Incompatible streams – meaning digital data is not available – occur suddenly and frequently. We have found this feature reduces driver fatigue, but one must always be careful.
While Super Cruise isn’t available, the Escalade relies on a lane-keep assist system that’s primitive by today’s standards. If the car approaches the edge of the line, the truck pushes it in the opposite direction with such force that it cannot maintain its path when it reaches the other side. It’s like being in a game of Pong.
The Lexus, on the other hand, keeps the car well centered in its lane at all times.
Passenger and Internal Cargo Volume
The Lexus LX F Sport seats up to eight passengers comfortably, but the rear is cramped, and cargo space is limited. The Escalade has an extended wheelbase that makes it more family-friendly, especially on long trips.
Pulling
The LX tows about 7,000 pounds. The Escalade hauls about 8,000 pounds.
Fuel Type and EPA Combined Fuel Economy
Both vehicles require high quality unleaded fuel. We averaged 14.5 mpg in the Escalade and 19.7 mpg in the Lexus LX. That’s about 33%, which is huge when someone is spending $120-$150 a week to fill the tank.
If you were shooting that much in the arm every week, wouldn’t you think you had a problem? In the seven months we’ve owned our plug-in hybrid, we’ve bought $12 worth of gas, and the tank is full. Our electric bill, on the other hand, went up $1.50 a month.
Warranties and Implied Reliance
Lexus offers a 4-year/50,000-mile limited warranty and a 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty for the LX F Sport. Cadillac offers the same 4-year/50,000-mile limited warranty and 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty for the Escalade.
In terms of predicted reliability, Lexus has consistently ranked higher than Cadillac in various industry reliability studies.
The average of various depreciation calculations puts the Escalade’s value at about 46% of the purchase price after five years and the Lexus LX at about 68%. That means that in five years, a $121,000 Escalade will bring in $57,000. The $108,000 Lexus projects will be worth $73,400.
That’s a lot of money, but that’s your business.
2024 Lexus LX F Sport (Photo courtesy of Lexus)
2024 Lexus LX F Sport (Photo courtesy of Lexus)
Front 3/4 view of 2024 Cadillac Escalade Sport in Dark Emerald in front of a building with a woman standing next to it. (Photo courtesy of Cadillac)
2024 Cadillac Escalade Premium Luxury in Mahogany Metallic on the highway. (Photo courtesy of Cadillac)
2024 Cadillac Escalade Sport interior with full horizontal dashboard. (Photo courtesy of Cadillac)
Rear seat entertainment system in the 2024 Cadillac Escalade Sport. (Photo courtesy of Cadillac)
2024 Lexus LX F Sport (Photo courtesy of Lexus)
2024 Lexus LX F Sport (Photo courtesy of Lexus)
2024 Lexus LX F Sport (Photo courtesy of Lexus)
2024 Lexus LX F Sport (Photo courtesy of Lexus)
2024 Lexus LX F Sport (Photo courtesy of Lexus)
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