Forget everything you thought you knew about the Cadillac Escalade; this SUV is an absolute monster. The 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series is a game-changer for General Motors. In fact, it makes for quite the challenge to just about any SUV on planet earth. The V-Series does everything right, from complete luxury to vicious performance, and everything in between. All of these promises come at a huge price, however, both in terms of MSRP and fuel consumption. The question is, is the 2023 Cadillac Escalde-V good enough to justify a $150,000+ price tag? We drove it for a week to find out.

The 6.2-Liter Supercharged V8 Is A Monster

We've all known and loved the Escalade for nearly 23 years. The larger-than-life SUV has always been a comfortable, luxurious, and spacious vehicle that spares no expense. Things are different when you add the "V" emblem to the Escalade, and the 6,217-pound SUV becomes almost as quick as the Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo we recently reviewed. This is due to the monstrous 6.2-liter Supercharged V8 engine that sits under its giant hood. This is almost the same engine in the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, but the Escalade's sports a larger supercharger, 2.7-liter compared to the CT5-V's 1.7-liter to be specific. We reviewed another vehicle from the V-Series lineup in the 2023 CT4-V, and while it impressed us, this is a whole different ball game. The 6.2-liter Supercharged V8 works collaboratively with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with tuning specific for the Escalade-V. Together, the V-Series delivers 682 horsepower and 653 lb-ft of torque. The immense amount of power and torque go straight to all four wheels, all the time.

The V-Series Brings Serious Aggression To The Escalade

In addition to the aggression from the 6.2-liter Supercharged V8 engine, the V-series continues that theme in exterior styling. In the rear, you will see openings that fit the quad exhaust outlets seamlessly. As you make your way to the front, you can't help but notice the Escalade's confident stance, with a sporty touch from the red Brembo and Edge Red brake calipers. The V-Series brings exclusive 22-inch wheels, which works brilliantly with the red calipers. The front has Cadillac's beautiful mesh grille, which works extremely well with the thin headlights. This exterior design is a well-balanced mixture of sophisticated elegance and athletic cues. It isn't easy to improve on an already beautiful design, like the 2022 Escalade Premium we recently reviewed, but the V-Series adds just enough to distinguish itself from the rest of Escalade trims.

Related: Here's The Cadillac Escalade Widebody Design That Makes The Escalade-V Look Puny

You Can't Get Enough Of This Interior

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V brings a cabin that can easily challenge any and all SUVs on the market. While GM once offered less-than-ideal material, the V-Series Escalade certainly isn't home to any of these material. Up front, you have the curved display, which combined measures 38-inches. Cadillac claims this OLED display has twice the pixel density that you can find in a TV with 4K resolution. The system also offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and while you think every vehicle should, most still require cables. The digital gauge cluster is home to more than just the speedo. You can have it display Augmented Reality, which shows you what's in front of you.

You can also turn it into night vision. The middle row comes as pilot seats, with a screen in front of each. This is not to say the rear passengers get more luxury features than the front. Between the driver and the passenger sits a sizable fridge, which you can turn off and use as your normal center console storage. The cabin of the Escalade-V has more features than this review can fit. Overall, it is quite the cabin, and it will guarantee no complaints from anyone that rides in it.

Related: 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V Is America's Response To The Aston Martin DBX 707

The V-Series Brings The Fun In Driving

Upon starting the '23 Escalade-V, a true beast is awaken. The exhaust is loud, deep, and just truly beautiful. The only issue is, it is really loud, and there is no silencing it. Yes, it is quieter in Tour mode, much quieter than Sport mode. However, it's still not considered quiet in any way, shape, or form. Sport mode brings a ton of fun to the driving experience, from a lowered suspension, to pops and bangs upon deceleration. It is truly something special to go just over four seconds 0-60 mph in an SUV as large as this, and as heavy as the Escalade.

The engine and extremely responsive 10-speed automatic transmission distribute the power extremely well across the entire RPM range. The supercharger delivers around 10 psi of boost as it spins up to 13,500 RPM. According to GM, this supercharger features four-lobe rotors, which helps deliver low-end torque, and maintain it throughout the band. Despite the massive 653 lb-ft of torque, we didn't experience any wheel slippage. The power goes to the all-wheel drive system, which distributes it perfectly between the front and rear. This distribution can change based on road conditions and driver's throttle output. In all cases, they send the torque to all four wheels, all the time. The result is perfect traction, and intense launches.

Related: How The 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V Responds To The 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT

In Sport mode, the adaptive suspension tightens, and it lowers the entire ride. This makes for a truly unique driving experience, with very little chassis slop or body roll. Quite the experience being in a 6,200+ pound SUV that knocks on the door of a sports car, especially in the acceleration department. This SUV truly offers the best of both world in terms of luxury and performance. In Tour mode, the V-Series drives like your average Escalade, on clouds. You may be thinking that this entire SUV seems too good to be true? Yes, in a way it is. The Escalade-V is, as you may imagine, a gas-guzzler. We averaged 12 mpg once we started behaving, this includes a lot of freeway driving with cruise control. The second problem is its $150,000+ price tag. Which leaves us with one question: is the 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series worth all of that hyper?

The Escalade-V Is An Enthusiast's Dream Come True

We live in a time when internal combustion engines are becoming a rarity. Enthusiasts get their fix from the instant torque of electric motors, but the deep roars of large V8s are becoming extinct. Well, the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V is a statement. This is a very expensive SUV, but it leaves SUVs like the Lexus LX 600 in its dust. The reality is, the Escalade-V can't off-road like the Lexus, but no other SUV will give you thrilling feelings like this V-Series would. As for the price tag, it is quite expensive, but it's a limited car, and we know it's probably a farewell to a generation of internal combustion engines that will never come around again. This simply means that the Escalade-V is worth every penny. If you thought you've seen it all, wait until you drive this monster.