Used car safety, rank #74 of 181
Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD Safety Rating (2017-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2017-20 Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD, a very large luxury SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2017-20 Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 27 per million registered vehicle years against a very large luxury SUVs average of 27.0, which is exactly the class average. That places it #74 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 60.3/100.
What the Cadillac Escalade ESV death rate means
At 27 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD sits exactly on the very large luxury SUVs average. The 95% confidence interval is 0 to 67.
The other-driver death rate of 69 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Cadillac Escalade ESV. It is higher than the Cadillac Escalade ESV's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for heavier vehicles. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used luxury SUVs
The safest very large luxury SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD highlighted. It ranks 1 of the 1 shown.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD (this page) | 2017-20 | 27 (0 to 67) | 60.3 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for very large luxury SUVs: 27.0 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Safety recalls for the Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
2 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering tires, fuel system, gasoline.
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Tires
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021.
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Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 27 per million registered vehicle years for the 2017-20 Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD, exactly the class average (27.0 for very large luxury SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 60.3 out of 100 and rank #74 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD driver death rate?
27 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 67. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Cadillac Escalade ESV died at a rate of 69 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2017-20 models.
How does the Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD compare with other very large luxury SUVs?
The very large luxury SUVs class averages 27.0 driver deaths per million; the Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD sits at 27. Among the 1 very large luxury SUVs compared above it ranks 1 by safety score.