This thing towers at 6'4" with tiny windows and an art-deco-meets-armored-car vibe that'll either make you feel powerful or ridiculous, there's no middle ground. It's built for families who need serious space and buyers who want the biggest luxury statement GM makes, but the sheer size means you're piloting a land yacht with the visibility of a tank. One owner considering the Escalade V for LA-to-Tahoe road trips shows the appeal: room, comfort, and V8 power for long hauls. But the design draws laughs and tailgating suburban-mom stereotypes in equal measure. If you want maximum space and don't mind the fuel bills or the stares, it delivers. If you value nimbleness, efficiency, or subtlety, look elsewhere.
Nissan's plush two-row crossover rides like a luxury SUV but carries a ticking time bomb under the hood: the CVT transmission grenades itself between 60k-120k miles with alarming regularity, even when religiously maintained. The 2015-2024 models charm owners with their V6 power and living-room comfort until that $4k-8k replacement bill arrives. The all-new 2025 ditched the V6 for a turbo-4 nobody wanted, added buggy tech, and promptly sat unsold on dealer lots with massive incentives. If you're buying used, budget for a CVT replacement as a when-not-if expense. If you're considering the redesign, you're beta-testing Nissan's desperation play. Skip this unless you're leasing short-term or love gambling on transmissions.