2027 Cadillac Escalade Drops Base 1SA Trim, Now Starts Above $100,000

The 2027 Cadillac Escalade is now on sale with a shorter trim list and a higher entry price. Cadillac dropped the entry-level Base 1SA and the rear-wheel-drive versions of the Platinum Luxury and Platinum Sport. GM Authority reported that regular production was scheduled to begin on September 8, 2026, at GM's Arlington Assembly plant in Texas, and the 2027 configurator went live on Cadillac's site a week later.

The result: the cheapest new Escalade is now the Luxury with two-wheel drive at $102,700, or $105,595 with the $2,895 destination charge. The 2026 Base model started at $91,100, so the price of entry rises by $11,600. CarBuzz notes this is the first time the Escalade has started above $100,000.

The 2027 lineup and prices

Cadillac told CarBuzz the lineup was simplified to match customer demand. The same changes apply to the standard Escalade and the longer Escalade ESV. Starting prices on Cadillac's site, before destination:

• Luxury, two- or four-wheel drive: from $102,700 (up $600 from 2026)
• Sport, two- or four-wheel drive: from $103,300 (up $600)
• Platinum Luxury, four-wheel drive only: $124,200
• Platinum Sport, four-wheel drive only: $124,700
• Escalade-V, all-wheel drive: $169,300 (up $1,300)

The Platinum comparison is less direct, because the cheaper rear-drive Platinum versions are gone. Against the 2026 four-wheel-drive Platinum models, which CarBuzz lists at $125,795 and $126,295 with destination, the 2027 prices are $1,300 higher.

Powertrains carry over. The Escalade uses a 6.2-liter V8 rated at 420 hp and 460 lb-ft, and the Escalade-V keeps its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with 682 hp. The 3.0-liter diesel ended after the 2024 model year.

Other changes for 2027

• Paint. Sandstone is new. Aegean Stone and Magnus Metal Frost are gone, leaving seven exterior colors, according to GM Authority.
• Digital Key. The 2027 Escalade is set to support using a phone as the key, but GM plans to switch the feature on later through an over-the-air update. GM Authority urges caution, since GM has announced Digital Key for other models and not delivered it.
• Badging. Like other 2027 Cadillacs, the Escalade no longer wears numeric torque badges.
• A new home. GM plans to move gas Escalade production from Arlington to its Orion Assembly plant in Michigan. Carscoops quoted GM finance chief Paul Jacobson on the transfer, and GM Authority expects 2027 to be the last Arlington model year.

Buyer brief

What it means for buyers

• On a budget, look at 2026 stock. A leftover 2026 Base 1SA, at $93,995 with destination when new, is now the only way to buy a new Escalade for under $100,000. Ask dealers what remains and compare equipment carefully, because the Base model has fewer features than the Luxury.
• Want a rear-drive Platinum? It exists only as a 2026. In warm climates where four-wheel drive adds little, a 2026 rear-drive Platinum may be the better value while dealers still have them.
• Don't buy for Digital Key. Treat it as a possible future update, not a feature you can count on at delivery. Keep the physical fobs.
• Like Aegean Stone or Magnus Metal Frost? Those colors are also 2026-only.
• Current owners are unaffected. The trim changes do not touch service, parts or warranty for earlier Escalades, and the planned move to Michigan does not change dealer support.