20 GM Vehicles That Were Way Ahead of Their Time (But Nobody Was Ready)

17. 1999 Cadillac Escalade

The 1999 Cadillac Escalade marked GM’s bold entry into the world of luxury SUVs, creating a new template for American prestige vehicles. At launch, its upscale approach and hefty proportions were met with skepticism by traditional luxury buyers.
Yet, the Escalade soon defined a segment that would take over American roads in the next decade.
As Forbes explains, the Escalade’s early days were misunderstood, but its impact is now unmistakable.