Due to it hit showrooms in the fall as a 2009 model, the new Cadillac Escalade Hybrid features all of the premium luxury associated with its name, but with a much smaller carbon footprint. Classified as a 2-Mode hybrid, the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid boasts roughly 50% better fuel efficiency than its predecessors with an EPA fuel efficiency estimate of 20 mpg city/21 hwy,

Really earning their green stripes under the hood, GM has done more than just knock a few bucks off the gas tab. In addition to cylinder deactivation [referred to by GM as “Active Fuel Management” ] late-intake technology, 42-volt electrically powered variable steering, and a regenerative braking system, the Escalade Hybrid also features a 300-volt battery pack mounted under the driver’s seat which powers the vehicle’s interior accessories and drive train. In addition to its energy-conserving technology, the Escalade Hybrid also features a pretty impressive 6.1L 332-hp V8 engine,  6-sp automatic transmission, and a 6,000 lb towing capacity – thus effectively instructing the Toyota Prius to go [aggressively fornicate] itself.

With a [reasonable, all things considered] base price of $55,990, the Escalade Hybrid also provides drivers with a center-dash mounted, full color, DVD/Navigation screen, allowing for real-time management of the Escalade’s dual hybrid modes. Although normally we’d deduct points from a luxury vehicle with faux-wood interior accents, but it’d be in poor form for a hybrid vehicle to sport enough wood [snort] to make the Sierra Club cringe – so we give the Escalade Hybrid a pass.

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