Archive Drive: 2002 Cadillac Escalade vs. 2003 Lincoln Navigator vs. 2002 Mercedes ML500!

[This story first appeared in the June 2002 issue of MotorTrend Magazine] If, 10 years ago, we'd have told you that at least three premium-luxury carmakers would be trafficking in trucks and sport/utility vehicles, you'd have laughed us right off the newsstand. Well, Cadillac, Lincoln, and Mercedes-Benz build and sell SUVs, and they're dead serious about it. In fact, the two domestic marques offer both a truck and a sport/utility, and each is working on a second-tier sport/utility as we speak.

Along with this market segment’s exponential growth has come a similarly timed increase in the demand for luxury-branded goods. In other words, people want nice stuff with lots of features, along with perceptions of quality, capability, and status. Put these two trends in a blender, and the result is premium SUVs. Besides toughness and real four-wheeldrive capability, lux-truck buyers are demanding powertrain refinement and ride comfort, plus the same types of entertainment options, safety features, and burled walnut trim that luxury cars offer. These three luxo/utilities are good examples of the breed.

Cadillac’s Escalade, based on the same rugged full-frame platform as the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC’s Yukon, comes with a powerful 6.0L/345-hp engine, a slick full-time all-wheel-drive system, and a computer-controlled suspension. Checking in with an import perspective on go-anywhere luxury is the more tightly proportioned ML500 from Mercedes. With half-a-ton-less mass to manage than its domestic competitors, and a sophisticated, willing 5.0L/288-hp V-8, the 4874-lb ML proved the agile hot rod of this trio. All-new inside and out for 03, the Lincoln Navigator—platinumplated sibling of the Ford Expedition—arrives with a totally reengineered chassis featuring independent rear suspension, standard four-corner air ride, and an industry-first power-folding third-row bench that tucks into the floor. The Caddy was all-new last year, and the ML received a substantial update for 2002.

These SUVs are among the cream of the crop in terms of power, passenger capacity, cargo room, ride comfort, and feature content. But grand dimensions can be a double-edged sword. Premium sport/utilities are generally awkward to maneuver and park on narrow city streets; park-distance sensors in the Caddy and the Lincoln help some, and the Mercedes is a bit less affected due to its smaller package size. Low-ceiling garages or car washes can take expensive bites out of roof racks or even sheetmetal, if clearance margins are forgotten.

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Another segment downside is high fuel consumption. Big fuel tanks provide decent range, but with city mileage between 12 and 14 mpg and EPA highway numbers of 15 to 17, you'll reach for your wallet often—and all three like the taste of more expensive premium unleaded.

We put this upmarket trio through its paces, on- and off-road. Then we pressed every button and tested every goody. Here’s what we discovered:

Go/Stop/Turn

It goes without saying that customers expect a $50,000 luxury sport/utility to come equipped with a premium engine-and-transmission combination. Two of these powertrains measure up well; the other, not quite as much. Our overall favorite combo is the Cadillac’s. The 6.0L V-8’s 380 lb-ft of torque, and virtually undetectable shifts from the four-speed 4L.60-E HD automatic, make even the 5809-lb Escalade feel lively. This powertrain is also low-rev quiet and exceptionally smooth. The ML’s 24-valve 5.0L V-8 and five-speed automatic perform more like those in a luxury sport coupe. A deep dip into the throttle elicits a pleasing growl and perfectly sorted up- or downshifts. It, too, is outstandingly smooth. With so much less mass to move, the Mercedes was quickest of the trio, with a 6.85-sec 0-60 run. That looks good against the Cadillac’s 7.45 sec and the Lincoln’s just-decent 10.0-sec performance.

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A tiny nit in the ML powertrain is a hint of high-pitched whine when coasting. Beyond the Lincoln’s just-average acceleration, we didn’t favor its 5.4L DOHC V-8’s sound quality—or lack thereof. Around town or under light load on the highway, it’s reasonably quiet. When it’s time to propel the more than 6000-lb Navigator into traffic, several drivers commented it sounds like it’s straining. In the powertrain’s plus column, the transmis sion’s quiet and smoothness seem much improved over those of the previous Navigator and a recently sampled Blackwood pickup.

Dazzling progress has just been made in terms of heavy-truck brake performance. With electronic brakeforce distribution, standard anti-lock, and large four-wheel discs, all these trucks stop in a hurry, despite their high weights. The Cadillac and the Mercedes tied for second with an excellent fade-free 132-ft halt from 60 mph. And the big Lincoln—heaviest of the group—surprised us with a Mustang GT-like 129-ft stop on a dampish test track. All three manufacturers appear to have done their homework and passed this test with flying colors.

Handling is a relative term when the players have better than 8 in. of ground clearance, are 200 in. long, and can weigh more than three tons. All three corner reasonably, given their overall size and passenger/cargo capacity. The Mercedes feels the sportiest, more so the faster it goes. The Cadillac has light, precise steering. One editor’s notes complimented its nimble feel, saying “it drives smaller than it is.” But the Navigator, despite its new independent rear suspension and freshly installed rack-and-pinion steering, drives big. Of course, it is big. But we put the blame on power-steering calibrations that makes the steering wheel feel sluggish, even during a 70-mph lane change.

The Mercedes, as expected, took the laurels through our timed 600-ftslalom with a solid double-nickel pass. The others were not far behind, most likely due to their wider tracks. The Escalade notched a close second place by running the cones at 54.0 mph. The Navigator, which is almost 8 in. wider than the Mercedes, took third with a respectable 53.8-mph performance; the previous-generation Navigator could manage only a 52.2-mph run, so there’s been improvement here.

Four-Wheeling

How real is this premium trio’s four-wheel-drive capability? Actually, the limiting factor on narrow off-road trails is often size. Because of their wide bodies and long wheelbases, none of these beasts is a real rock-climbing trail dog—though we doubt that’s on the agenda of their target audience anyway. Fortunately, all were equipped with power-folding mirrors. We did worry about tearing off the Lincoln’s low-hanging, powered running boards on super nasty terrain, though it wasn’t a problem. All proved quite unstoppable in Michigan’s axle-deep snow and cold, sticky mud.

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The Escalade is equipped with fulltime all-wheel drive, which employs a viscous coupling; there are no levers or switches and no low range is offered. The system’s operation is essentially transparent; power flows seamlessly whatever the conditions. Normally, the torque is split 38/62 front to rear. This gives the truck a rear-drive steering character we really like. The viscous coupling allows it to continuously adjust the amount of power sent to the front or rear axle, depending on where grip is.

Lincoln’s ControlTrac system uses an electronic controller that monitors front and rear driveshaft speeds in order to detect slip, and it can send up to 100 percent of the engine’s power to the front axle if the rear wheels are spooling on ice. Unlike its competitors, the Lincoln has a real transfer case, offering two-wheel-high, automatic all-wheel-drive, four-wheel-high, and four-wheel-low settings. This allows the driver, via a rotary switch on the dash, to make some decisions about how and where power is distributed. Those serious about off-roading will appreciate that a bunch. Several drivers noticed a slight lag as the ControlTrac system sensed wheel slippage and then hooked up on snow and icy surfaces, but once in motion, the Navigator positively consumed snowcovered trails and icy inclines.

Like the Cadillac’s, the Mercedes’ 4WD system is virtually transparent, even in knee-deep snow. Even on its lower-profile tires, the ML plowed through snowdrifts and motored along trails with lightly packed, bumper-high white stuff. A handy off-roading feature is super-low transfer-case gearing that can be activated by a dash-mounted switch. Under normal conditions, the M-Class’ full-time four-wheel-drive system provides a 48/52 torque distribution. It operates in conjunction with a four-wheel traction-control system, called Automatic Slip Regulation, that senses wheelslip and automatically applies the brakes to slow the slipping wheel. Never get near the rough stuff? Both Lincoln and Cadillac offer 2WD variants of the Navigator and Escalade.

Unlike lighter-duty crossovers, most of which are based on unibody platforms, these three have full truck-style frames that handle most of the beaming and torsional loads. Most automakers consider a full frame the best layout for heavy towing and big cargo loads. A comparison of factory tow numbers reveals that the Cadillac is rated highest at 8500 lb, the Lincoln is next at 8300 lb, and the Mercedes is capable of towing a more modest 5000-lb trailer.

Ride Review

Taking full advantage of the additional isolation provided by their separate frames, and using significantly more sophisticated shocks and carefully calibrated spring rates, these SUVs approach the rolling quiet and ride of premium sedans. Among this trio, we agreed that the trophy for overall ride quality, be it on highway or on weather-busted two-lanes, is earned by the Cadillac. This wouldn’t be obvious from looking at suspension specifications. The Mercedes and Lincoln have more complex, and allegedly more sophisticated, independent rear suspensions, while the Escalade’s tail rolls on a simple fivelink live axle. But Cadillac engineers got the details right. The front torsion bars and the rear coils are nicely managed by electronically controlled shocks and a ride-control computer that monitors sensor inputs 1000 times per second. It all works in a very polished way. Cadillac also adds a hydraulic self-leveling system in the rear to maintain headlight aim and ride height.

Lincoln pulled out all the stops and completely reengineered the Navigator’s frame and suspension for 03. The benefits over the old Navigator are obvious on rough or smooth roads; there’s far less of the shudder and rumble of the previous vehicle. On the highway, the mighty Lincoln tracks along as if on rails, oblivious to powerful crosswinds. Changes in road grain and concrete highway expansion joints are silently swallowed and digested. The air bladders and upper and lower control arms at all four corners, plus the giant 18-in. Michelins, do a great job here. This suspension also works nicely during cornering. Rough bends with potholes that had the Cadillac’s rear axle stepping out barely upset the Lincoln’s.

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Like the Navigator, the M-Class has upper and lower control arms at each corner, employing torsion bars up front and coil springs in the rear. Mercedes has chosen a firm, well-damped ride character for its SUV. Ultimate plushness has been sacrificed in the name of more wheel and body control. In some ways, its ride reminds us of an ’80s sport sedan with a touch of extra body roll. Detroit’s badly patched, weathertorn expansion joints posed serious challenges for the Mercedes suspension, causing strong shudders to ripple through the bodywork. This overall tautness may also be partially attributable to the stiff, short sidewalls of the 275/55R17 tires fitted. On smooth roads, however, the ML500’s ride quality is outstanding.

It's What Inside That Counts

Premium sport/utilities now have nearly every luxury and safety feature that the best sedans have—and these three have a few tricks even top-drawer cars can’t match. As mentioned, all can electrically fold their power mirrors. The Lincoln motors out its optional ($925) running boards, powers open the rear liftgate, and electrically adjusts its pedals. All three have power-heated front seats; the Navigator can also cool its front buckets. Oddly, none has a power-adjustable steering column, employing conventional levers instead.

The styling inspiration for the Lincoln’s instrument cluster and dash was Clearly the classic ’61 Continental. This design is clean and offers a nice heritage-inspired touch. But some of the functional items fall short. The delicate-looking speedo and tachometer are tough to read in strong light. Several drivers were concerned that the dash’s painted-on satin finish won't hold up well. Finally, the articulating door that conceals the radio controls seems a needlessly busy touch. It also forces the radio face into a recess just out of convenient reach.

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On the plus side, with 104.4 cu ft of interior volume, there’s practically an echo inside. The powered, three-passenger third-row seat seems like a gimmick—until you have to remove the third row from the M-Class or the Escalade. Unquestionably, the Lincoln’s third row is the most comfortable in cushion space and legroom. Storage for small items throughout the vehicle is not a problem. The front console bin is way deep and wide. And our tester had two-passenger secondrow buckets with a second huge bin between the seats. Lincoln also offers the option of a three-passenger second-row bench. The Navigator seats seven or eight, depending on the second-row choice. The icing on the Navigator’s luxury cake is an optional ($1295) DVD player mounted on the headliner between the front and rear seats. But its fold-down screen inhibits the rearward view when it’s open. We appreciate that Lincoln is using a finer grade of carpeting and leather in the new Navigator.

Some drivers like the sporty look of the Escalade’s aluminum-trimmed gauges and its trip computer; others compared the look to that of a cheap diver’s watch. All agreed everything is easy to read and that the extra information about engine hours, coolant temperature, oil pressure, transmission temperature, and voltage could be handy when towing. Like the Lincoln, the Caddy has a beautiful leatherwrapped wooden wheel with a smooth, rich feel. The Escalade’s Bose sound system and in-dash six-dise CD changer provide awesome sound power and tonal clarity that easily match home systems. Our testers couldn’t agree whether the Cadillac or the Lincoln had softer seat leather (only in a premium SUV shootout would this be at all relevant). The Cadillac’s third-row seat is split in half and can fold up off the cargo floor. That’s a good stowage compromise, but we’d give the convenience nod to the Lincoln. The Escalade also provides less shoulder and legroom for third-row passengers than in the Navigator, despite the factory measurements. The Caddy gets a DVD player next year, by the way.

The M-Class is a different story. Its interior, despite this year’s much welcome tweaks to the center-stack controls, appears dated. Its business like black-face gauges, black-leatherwrapped steering wheel, and gray plastic dash remind us of the interior in the ’96 E-Class sedan—not bad, just a little yesterlook. Yet, it still works well in this rugged sport/utility environment, especially if you’re not a

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big fan of the dramatic, organically flowing interior designs Mercedes is installing in the rest of its lineup. The controls are well positioned, and the gauges easy to read, day or night. Our drivers particularly like the sporty perforated gray leather on the seats. The front buckets require few adjustments for decent comfort, and the second-row bench is comfortable for three riders, if perhaps a bit flat. What about that two-passenger third row? Mercedes tells us only about 10 percent of M-Class vehicles are equipped with its optional rear bench. That’s probably because it’s really suitable only for small children and costs an extra $1180.

Although the Cadillac’s OnStar can be used for operator-assisted navigation, only the Mercedes has a GPS based system with a color screen and moving map to follow. It’s not the easiest we've used, but the Mercedes system is relatively easy to program for local and long-distance destinations. And it proved quite useful during our meandering drives on Michigan’s back roads. With the seats down, the ML offers 81.2 cu ft of cargo volume. Do we need to point out that’s more than 20 cu ft less than the two domestic players? Actually, it’s 0.1 cu ft shy of the 02 Ford Explorer’s volume.

Safety

All three players provide the front-line safety benefits of excellent four-wheel-disc braking systems, four-wheel drive, high mass, and deep crush zones for passenger protection. Beyond that, some offer the latest in airbag technology and phone-based emergency-alert setups. But the differences in each vehicle’s safety details are worth noting.

Standard fare on the Escalade includes front- and side-impact airbags, an ultrasonic rear-parking system, traction control, and stability control called StabiliTrak. This system monitors steering angles, individual wheel traction, wheel speeds, brake application, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, and yaw rate to avoid over- or understeer instability. Standard equipment also includes the aforementioned OnStar system, which automatically calls an emergency operator when an airbag is deployed and then provides location assistance with its global positioning system.

Dual-stage front airbags and safety belts with crash pretensioners and energy-management retractors are standard on the Navigator. Engineers added a headliner airbag, called the Safety Canopy, which is inflated for up to six seconds in the event of a rollover or side impact. This protects first- and second-row passengers from head injury and ejection from side windows. Optional AdvanceTrac, a stability-control system, reduces engine power and applies the brakes to help recover vehicle control, if instability is detected. The other safety tweaks include an optional tire-pressure monitoring system and ultrasonic and radar-based parking assist.

Mercedes equips the M-Class with dual-stage front airbags, side-impact bags in the front doors, and a 6-ft-long headliner air curtain that works like the Lincoln’s Safety Canopy. Also standard are anti-lock brakes, traction control, and a stability-control system called Electronic Stability Program. It senses a spin or slide and applies any or all of the four brakes independently to keep the vehicle heading in the steered direction. TeleAid is the Mercedes telematics package that can be used for valet services, remote diagnostics, and emergency door unlocking. Like OnStar, it can automatically call an operator and provide precise vehicle location via its GPS transponder in the event of a crash severe enough to pop an airbag. Fortunately, despite icy roads and 5° F temperatures, our winter road test crew avoided hard decelerations that might have involved the passive safety devices.

Choosing a winner isn’t as easy as “who has the best leather, wood, and chrome.” For some, brand preference will be the deciding factor, whatever we say. Cadillac and Lincoln have been at war for 75 years, and most loyal buyers wouldn’t think of crossing that line. For those who insist on an upscale import badge, the Navigator and Escalade may be irrelevant (though we hope you shop more open-mindedly than that).

If, in your case, “it’s about driving” and heavy-duty passenger, cargo, and towing missions are rare, the ML is the $50,260 answer. Its trim, midsize SUV proportions, great power-to weight ratio, superb handling, and excellent all-wheel-drive system make it the choice.

If space/cargo/towing criteria rate higher on your list, you'll want to head straight for the Lincoln or Caddy. The newly remodeled Navigator is a smoother-riding, better-handling, more sophisticated piece than the previous-generation truck. With the right engine—perhaps a V-10?—it could dominate this segment. In spite of the Lincoln’s excellent new IRS and innovative power assists, the Cadillac Escalade remains the better choice. It’s a slick, quiet, high-content luxury sport/utility that gets the big jobs done, is priced right, and is ultimately more satisfying—and fun—to drive than the Navigator.

Design Purpose....And Image

The strongest reaction against the lozenge-like sameness of Japanese and American sedans and coupes is the rush to buy sport/utility vehicles. There are those who bemoan America’s enthusiasm for SUVs, but their voices are drowned out by the general enthusiasm and genuine pleasure of hundreds of thousands of satisfied SUV buyers, people just like you and me.

Sport/utility vehicles aren’t beautiful. They don’t try to be beautiful. Sheer size tends to dominate in establishing the look that will best express what they are and what they do. They look big. They look strong. They look comfortable. They look safe. Many look like fun. As it turns out, all these design cues are accurate. They’re all these things, the mix of attribes varying from vehicle to vehicle.

The Mercedes-Benz ML500, most directly descended from the AMG ML55 and similar in appearance to the basic Mercedes ML320, looks like a minivan with a Mercedes front end plus trick wheels and fat tires. No one cares. It’s a Mercedes-Benz and, as such, it’s a hot item. Its minivan looks don’t accurately advertise its character. It’s fast and fun to drive.

The Lincoln Navigator looks like a Ford Expedition. It’s a fancy Ford Expedition, loaded with luxury features, but it lacks the playful spirit of the Mercedes, and it seems to have been designed so that no one will overlook its size. It seems huge, especially when booming up behind you in fast traffic. It doesn't project friendliness or good humor to the occupants of vehicles sharing its road. Drivers of Expeditions and Navigators alike look a little grim.

The Cadillac Escalade’s appearance is dominated by a wide, toothy robot grin. Despite this eerie “I’m in control” smile, the rest of the Escalade design tells you it’s sophisticated, refined, competent, and expensive. The public’s continued enthusiasm for SUVs and the success of the Escalade and its sibling, the EXT pickup, among some of America’s most visible celebrities, dictate that Cadillac will be led back to health and prosperity by the most unlikely Cadillacs in 100 years, and the Escalade smiles all the way to the bank. —David E. Davis, Jr.

Second Opinion

If Ford’s Lincoln Navigator were the only sport/utility vehicle on the planet, we'd undoubtedly love it. We're impressed by the improvement in this latest iteration, but, unfortunately, there is the Cadillac Escalade, which has simply raised the bar beyond the Navigator’s reach. The Cadillac, even with a solid rear axle, offers ride, handling, and roadholding superior to that of the Lincoln, despite its new independent rear suspension. Clearly, GM engineers have done their homework on this Escalade. It offers levels of refinement and sophistication hitherto unseen in vehicles of this type.

The Mercedes-Benz ML500 is odd man out here, in that it’s both smaller and less luxurious than the two American SUVs. To its credit, it feels quicker and more agile than the other two, and it is. If there were a sports-car category for SUVs, the ML500 would rule that niche. It won't do the heavy lifting that we've come to expect from these big bruisers, nor will it accommodate similar crowds of people and pets, but it is fun to drive. With very large tires, relative to the size and weight of the vehicle, it practically begs to be thrown into corners, and its compact exterior dimensions make it easier and more reassuring to drive in tight, twisty places.

All three of these vehicles are burdened with third seats. This rush to provide extra seating far back in the stern sheets seems motivated by some marketing need to make the more profitable sport/utilities into “minivan substitutes.” The third seat in a Chevrolet Suburban or Ford Excursion is bad enough, but the third seat in the Tahoe-size Escalade or the even smaller Mercedes ML is just not a place where you want anybody to sit, unless theyre being punished for something. The power-folding third seat in the Navigator is brilliantly executed—mainly in the ease and simplicity of making it disappear; we don’t want to sit back there.

These are more like badroad vehicles than off-road vehicles. Their sheer bulk—especially their width—and lack of serious off-road hardware limit their usefulness in deep mud and dark woods. This is okay, however, because their owners are seldom apt to go off-road, except accidentally, when they're fumbling for a cellphone or trying to snip the end off a cigar while hurrying along some winding suburban avenue. —David E. Davis, Jr.

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2002 Cadillac Escalade

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2003 Lincoln Navigator

2002 Mercedes ML500