I can think of a few.
Let’s forget the eco-conundrum that a full-size SUV hybrid presents here for a second and lets look at the Escalade itself.

I would understand why an Escalade sells so well (as well as a luxury SUV would sell these days) if it were a car-based crossover, but in its current form, it just doesn’t make sense to me. It will never be a competent off-roader because its non-defeatable Stabilitrak system will slow you to a craw (literally) on the dirt roads and it lacks a low-range so steep grades on off-road trails are out of the question, and it will never be as comfy on-road as its competitors because of the limitations that a live-axle in the rear presents. Why would GM pour their funds into incorporating a hybrid powertrain into an engineering anomaly like the Escalade? Its neither a proper SUV, nor a crossover.

Forget the fact that most SUV owners love the “not that you would, but you could” feeling they get about taking their vehicles off the pavement (even though most most will never go off-road). The Escalade effectively kills any of its credible off-road prowess with the popular 22-inch wheel option and no low-range gearing. So in reality, this makes the Escalade a truck that has been diluted by the manufacturer to the functions of a…dare I say it? Station wagon.

But why bother making a ladder-frame, live-axle luxury station wagon? The market has more than enough car-based unibody crossovers for the consumers to choose from. No wait, better question.
Why would anyone buy this?

Well, I feel better.

“These peoples’ needs haven’t changed”

And these people’s needs haven’t ever gone un-met. These kind of people are the not the first in line when logic is being handed out.

“… There’s negative karma around SUVs…”

Can’t imagine why. Besides, how could any harmless GM executive know anything about bad karma.

I liked the power folding rear bucket seats for about 10 minutes. And the rear hatch for another 10. Its HUGE. It gets 12 miles per gallon. The hybrid supposed to get 20. Probably more like 13. Horray.

It’s just that the market for this car is vanishingly small. The number of people who are concerned with being sort-of green and would buy SUV despite that and would consider the Escalade over another product is not huge. Even positioned as the “top of the line” Escalade isn’t going to generate a lot of sales.

Why GM refuses to admit this is beyond me.

Yes, Lutz was right that rich people don’t really care about gas prices, but that’s not the point. Rich people are also few and far between, compared to the middle class, and are extremely fickle in what they buy: not exactly a smart market to be throwing development dollars at.

He’s referring to (potential)customers that are agonizing over Dodge Aspens, GM big rig’s, and Lincoln SUV’s. For the most part they’ve pretty much given up on selling to the Euro SUV crowd.

There is still a large (yet getting older every minute) market of people that if given the opportunity want to move up from their Buick’s to a Caddy. People like my dad who is adamant that Chevy’s only come from America.

As lame as the marketing speak around this vehicle sounds, living in Los Angeles I know for a fact there is a lot of stupid money out there.

Just wondering. I kind of think Cadillac Burberried itself with the Snoop Deville.

To be charitable, Mr. Howell obviously left off the part of the sentence before the comma, which should read “to buy an Escalade”.

Otherwise there are dozens of reasons not to buy this.

Also, I find it astonishing that a spokesperson from a company which has one of the worst image problems in the business should even be talking about image.