Cadillac has gone hybrid in a big way with the Escalade Hybrid.  I make it a point to test drive and review any hybrid vehicle on the road because I want to encourage people to look at hybrids as a serious option, and I want to encourage auto makers to continue to invest in hybrid technology.  So I went to a Cadillac dealer in Chicago, Patrick Cadillac, to take a spin in the Escalade Hybrid.

The first thing that is obvious is that this vehicle is an Escalade.  Nothing you can see will tell you otherwise (except for a lot of badges and logos that say “Hybrid).  It possesses the same luxurious design and swanky attitude as the regular Escalade, but with major differences under the hood that make the vehicle a real winner when it comes to going green.

The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid shows an overall 33% improvement in fuel economy.  And it is amazingly city-friendly, managing to best the city fuel efficiency of the MINI Cooper S.  The city fuel efficiency of this hybrid is nearly 70% better than than its non-hybrid brother.  That’s a major, major difference helped quite a bit by the Escalade hybrid’s ability to run on electric-only power at speeds up to 25 mph.  It’s great news for drivers who spend a lot of time stuck in traffic or navigating stop-and-go city streets.

On to the road.  As soon as I pulled out of the Chicago Cadillac dealership, I was impressed with the responsiveness as I accelerated into traffic.  Sure, the hybrid version loses some of the giddy-up the traditional Escalade features, but with hybrids, acceleration isn’t really the point.

And other than the slight drop-off in acceleration , I can’t tell the difference between the way the hybrid drives and the way the regular Cadillac Escalade drives.  On the inside the major difference is the navigation-integrated fuel-efficiency information display that tells the driver how optimally the engine is performing at any given time.  This is something that is both fun and important, as a driver will enjoy watching gallons of fuel being saved before her eyes and be able to adjust driving style to increase fuel efficiency.

As I pulled back into the Chicago Cadillac dealership, I made sure to look at my mpg for my nearly 30-minute test drive.  I managed 20 mpg, and I probably could have done better if I had not horsed around at a couple of stop lights to see how fast I could take off.

Here is a good, quick video review from Cars.com’s Mike Hanley:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vHh_tbPReI&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999]

If you’re looking to purchase a Chicago Cadillac Escalade but are concerned about fuel economy, you’ll want to take a close look at opting for the Escalade Hybrid.  You’ll enjoy it every bit as much as a regular Escalade but save big money on gas, and most importantly, greatly reduce your impact on the environment.