It's easy to consider the Cadillac Escalade a superstar because of its flash and reputation, but after my experience in the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV, I'm convinced it's more like a diva. This SUV is ginormous, and I was interested to see how it really worked as an everyday family hauler. However, the Escalade ESV didn't really care what I thought. It was going to do whatever it wanted.

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV hits the high notes like singer Katy Perry — it gets there but works awfully hard to do so.

The three-row Escalade ESV, which is 20 inches longer than the Escalade, drove like a mansion on wheels and felt like one when we were in it. With its V-8 engine, driving on the highway was awesome as long as the road was mostly straight. Parking lots were difficult and I couldn't imagine running errands in the Escalade ESV without parking far away from the other cars so I wouldn't worry about the Escalade ESV's butt hanging out of the spot.

This SUV lacked some significant (and expected) family-friendly features, too. The Escalade ESV was interested in pampering me, but it had to be done its way or not at all. Some might argue that's not really pampering then.

With a starting MSRP of $66,080, the Escalade ESV isn't for the faint of heart. My test car, a top-of-the-line Premium Edition with four-wheel drive, cost $88,295. Let's just get the obvious out of the way: The Escalade ESV with four-wheel drive gets an EPA-estimated 13/18 mpg city/highway. Ouch. So much for the kids' college fund.

• Exterior
• Sense and style
• Interior
• It's the little things that count
• Safety