Cadillac Escalade EXT vs Chevy Avalanche

General Motors often faces a dilemma: with so many competing brands and models, it can find itself competing against itself and even cannibalizing its own market share. There may be no better example of that in recent years than the rise and demise of its Chevrolet Avalanche and the Cadillac Escalade EXT. Many critics (perhaps rightly) claimed that these vehicles were neither fish nor fowl, and never truly found their places in garnering a loyal and faithful following. On the lower end of comparisons, the Avalanche was often stacked up against the Chevy Suburban. On the higher end, comparisons often pitted the Cadillac Escalade EXT against the far-less expensive (relatively speaking) Suburban. It’s a logical triumvirate comparison as GM used the same long wheelbase chassis to build the Avalanche, the Suburban and the Escalade.

Making a Chevrolet Avalanche vs. Cadillac Escalade EXT was a useful exercise for many buyers, and reviewing how these two vehicles stacked up can still provide important information for current and future car buyers looking for something not quite a run-of-the-mill SUV and not quite a full sized-pickup (with crew cab for more passengers.)

Let us take a moment…

It’s important to update some information here as most car watchers and avid gearheads know that GM discontinued the Chevy Avalanche in 2013, and then promptly announced plans to discontinue the Cadillac Escalade EXT this year (2014).

Originally launched in 2002, the Avalanche never fully reached its potential (or perhaps never even knew what that was.) The second year in production (2003) was the best year for the Avalanche as GM sold 93,482 units. Compare that to its swansong year of 2013 when it sold just under 17,000 units (16,986 to be exact!)

As the last Avalanches slid off the assembly line, GM had already been making some modifications to more sturdy and reliable models in hopes of capturing that little sliver of the Avalanche market – namely their Suburban line.

The Cadillac Escalade EXT was also launched in 2002, to great fanfare and just under 14,000 units sold in the U.S. (that first year was the car’s best for sales.) Things pretty much went downhill from there as far as model sales were concerned. At the mid-point of this last year of production, GM had only sold about 1,100 EXTs. Perhaps some of this failure was due to the rapid emergence of the crossover SUV niche market. Perhaps it was just too much a hard sell to convince folks it was good idea to have a short, open truck bed tacked on to a luxury SUV. Whatever, GM is pulling the plug in 2014 and promises that 2015 will see improvements to other Escalade models geared to spark new interest in that line and quench what little thirst was left in the aftermath of the demise of both the Avalanche and the Escalade EXT.

Given that, we’ve update our previous comparison reviews of the Chevy Avalanche and the Cadillac Escalade EXT as follows:

Exterior(s)

If you are looking for a sport utility vehicle/truck that makes a striking impression on the road, you will like the Cadillac Escalade EXT. This pickup truck features a bold and elegant exterior design with prominent features such as a massive grille and large chromed aluminum wheels. It's a Cadillac, so you know you're getting premium style with audacious flash. The Escalade EXT has everything that other Escalade SUVs feature by way of stylish and impressive exterior finishes. It just add that extra flexibility you find with a pickup bed. 

The Chevy Avalanche, on the other hand, has a stout frame and more rugged, aggressive styling. It leads with a distinctive front fascia, a chrome grille insert and 18-inch aluminum wheels. Coming at you on the road (or rolling up on you in your rearview mirror) it’s hard to distinguish it from the Chevy Suburban. It’s after it passes you that you see the pickup bed in place of the Suburban’s third row of seating. Certainly, if you're torn between a Chevy Silverado and the Suburban, the Avalanche may prove to be the perfect compromise. 

Interiors

The Cadillac Escalade EXT is a luxury truck, so of course you're going to get an impressive list of very high-end interior amenities to keep you rolling in style and comfort. The base model comes with leather-trimmed seats and steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats and extra soundproofing (including triple-cushioned door seals) materials that keep the cabin whisper-still quiet.

Technology surrounds you in the cab of your EXT. Multiple USB ports are there for you to plug in your phone, laptop or other mobile devices. Bose stereo and Bluetooth hands free options come standard with the EXT. It also adds a backup camera and standard navigation system you can track with an impressive in-dash LED display. Upgrade to the Platinum edition EXT for a heated steering wheel, cooled and heated cup holders and Tehama aniline leather seats.

Even thought the EXT bills itself as a pickup, there is plenty of room to comfortably seat five adults (without anybody having to ride in the back.) One drawback: the backs seats can’t be used when the mid-gate is open in order to extend the longer truck bed. Taller drivers may find front-seat headroom a bit limiting and long-legged passengers may not want to take the backseat on any longer drives.

The Chevy Avalanche has a roomy interior that features well-padded seats for optimal comfort and adjustable front bucket seats. A large center console offers an impressive amount of storage. The Avalanche comes with a foldable back seat and removable rear glass. The seating is similar to what you'll find in the cab of a Ford F-150 and Chevy’s Silverado with room for five. The Avalanche steps it up just a bit with an optional 40/20/40 split bench that allows seating for an additional passenger.

Cloth upholstery comes standard on the base package, but you can upgrade to leather upholstery with heated and cooled front seats. Some tech features include rearview camera and parking sensors (a feature that can become a necessity as poor rear visibility is an issue with this car.) 

The Avalanche comes standard with Bluetooth hands-free technology and multiple USB ports to accommodate your in-car technology needs (cellphone, laptop, etc.) A six-speaker stereo with satellite radio may make the cab of your Avalanche your new go-to sound room. The previously mention integrated backup camera links along with your other onboard gauges to feed an in-dash display screen. Technology upgrades include navigation support, rear-seat DVD entertainment system and dual-zone automatic climate control. 

Performance and fuel efficiency

Step into the performance spec section of our Cadillac Escalade EXT vs. Chevy Avalanche comparison and in many ways, it become no contest. The Escalade EXT is just too much when pitted against the Avalanche.

The EXT is a very heavy vehicle (standard curb weight nudges up against 3 ton) but the ride stays smooth with its responsive six-speed automatic transmission. Handling is agile and controlled, even for a full-size truck.

The EXT is equipped with a powerful 6.2-liter V8 engine that delivers 403-hp. (The short-lived EXT hybrid came with a 6.0-liter V8 hybrid engine delivering 332-hp, pretty much making it the monster of all hybrids.) While this is a ton of power that you can use to tow all your toys, or just burn by the slowpokes on the freeway, it comes at the sacrifice of fuel economy, which is paltry to say the least. The Escalade EXT gets only 14-mpg in the city and 18-mpg on the highway. (The hybrid option got you something a little more respectable with 20-mpg city and 24-mpg highway.) If you were seriously considering the Escalade, fuel economy is probably not your primary concern. 

The Chevy Avalanche is fitted with a 5.3-liter V8 flex-fuel engine that produces 320-hp. Not even close the power delivered by the Escalade EXT (though that might not necessarily be a bad thing.) The fuel economy ratings for the Avalanche are 15-mpg in the city and 21-mpg on the highway (significantly higher than that of the Escalade EXT's dismal fuel efficiency ratings.) This means that the Avalanche has a lower overall cost of ownership (to mention nothing of the lower starting sticker price.)

While rarely even mentioned in the same breath as the Ford F-150 or the Ram 1500, the Avalanche's towing capacity of 8,100 pounds ranks it right up there with those two classic, full-size pickups. The 6-speed automatic transmission (which came in a shiftable option in it last few years) offers a smooth ride and allowed for excellent handling. While not elite, the power and handling of the Avalanche was better than most of the other trucks in its class and it gave owners more options for passenger use and in-cab creature comforts. 

When we were new…

As you might expect, the Cadillac Escalade EXT is considerably more expensive than the Chevy Avalanche. Its starting MSRP this last year of production ranges from the low end of $63,060 to a high end just under $90,000. (Good thing it has all those interior creature comforts. You can use it to live in when all else f ails!)

The Avalanche, in its last year of production, we offered in what Chevy dubbed its Black Diamond package. The starting MSRP for this swansong edition was $35,980 and with added options and power upgrades, the top end starting MSRP set you back just a bit over $55,000 when fully loaded.

Buying or selling?

With both of these models no longer in production, any honest comparison of the Cadillac Escalade EXT vs. Chevy Avalanche is going to have to include some mention of the current state of value for used options.

Kelley Blue Book rates these two as follows:

Cadillac Escalade EXT

• If you are looking to buy a 2013 model with low mileage, great condition and few bells and whistles in the starter edition category, you can expect to pay between $55, 231 and $57, 524 for this baby.
• If you currently own one of these models and are looking for fair market value for a sale or trade in, you can expect to get between $46,223 and $48,629 in trade-in value for it or between $48,881 and $51,524 selling it to a private party.

Chevy Avalanche

• If you’re in the market for a 2013 Black Diamond Chevy Avalanche with low miles and in great condition, you can expect to pay between $42,976 and $46, 479 for one of these.
• If you own one and it’s in comparable condition, you can expect to get between $36,549 and $38,125 in trade-in value and if you want to sell it to a private party, you can expect to get between $39,203 and $41,376

(These figures were drawn from a query to Kelley Blue Book in July 2014 for the U.S. market.)

Get prices quotes on the Cadillac Escalade EXT vs Chevy Avalanche now!

A Cadillac Escalade EXT vs. Chevy Avalanche comparison can help you decide which of the two luxury pickup trucks you should purchase. After concluding your research, use Reply! to connect with local dealers and find the most competitive price quotes in your area. Talk to dealers about special promotions and set up test drives to complete your comparison of the Cadillac Escalade EXT vs Chevy Avalanche. 

No matter which vehicle you choose, the Escalade EXT and Avalanche are both capable, comfortable and attractive vehicles with versatile uses. Whoever thought you could load a pile of dirt in the back of an Escalade, or get the best of both worlds of a Suburban and a Silverado? With the EXT and Avalanche, now you can.