2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ

Cadillac is taking some bold steps with its 2025 Escalade IQ, planting the iconic luxury SUV nameplate badge it pioneered onto an all-new, clean-sheet, fully electric luxury people mover. It’s a significant departure from the current gas-powered Escalade — a move from a truck-based, body-on-frame full-size SUV to a smaller, three-row crossover-style SUV on GM’s Ultium electric vehicle platform. But it now posits the question of whether or not traditional Escalade customers will respond to a smaller vehicle that tones down the bling in favor of a more sophisticated, streamlined look that’s more evocative of the latest Range Rovers or even crosstown rival Lincoln.

All-New, But Some Escalade Elements Still Persist
Of course, Cadillac hasn’t entirely abandoned the Escalade aesthetic. The massive grille might not be real (or chromed) anymore, but it’s still huge and flanked by the signature light blades that have defined the Cadillac look for more than two decades now. The Escalade IQ also incorporates the signature LED light show that every new electric Caddy seems to feature. The tail lights are an evolution of the Escalade’s traditional big, vertical lights that have previously stretched from the roof to the bumper, but they’re now broken into two elements to bring it more in line with other unique Cadillac taillight treatments as seen on the Lyriq mid-size SUV and the Celestiq flagship hatchback sedan. Wheels sized 24-inches are wrapped in 35-inch tires, keeping the bling alive from a rolling stock sense.

The rest of the new Escalade IQ looks like a sleeker Lincoln Aviator than a traditional boxy, angular Cadillac SUV. The super-long hood allows for cargo storage in lieu of an engine in what Cadillac calls the “eTrunk” — or what the rest of the industry casually refers to as a frunk. It’s an oddly shaped storage area that’s long but not deep; you won’t be putting groceries in it like you can in a Ford F-150 Lightning, but it’d work for a suitcase or two (or, more likely, a pair of golf bags). The liftover height is extremely high, as is the liftover for the rear hatch, thanks to the Escalade IQ’s double stack of 24 Ultium battery modules.

A Slick Interior Devoid of Buttons
The interior features a dramatic, 55-inch curved two-piece display screen across the dash, equal the size of the one in the Celestiq that also incorporates two speakers on either side to allow for a full-width stretch across the wider SUV’s cabin. It looks properly futuristic, bright and colorful, but it’s accompanied by a small touch panel low on the center console that also controls a number of functions since it’s going to be a bit of a stretch to reach the curved panel for some drivers. There are no buttons to be found aside from the window and lock switches on the doors, as everything else is touch sensitive or controlled by buttons on the two-spoke steering wheel.

I wasn’t able to sit in the likely hand-built prototype at an advanced showing near the brand’s headquarters in suburban Detroit, but a few things stuck out about the new Escalade IQ’s interior. First, it’s not as spacious as the current Escalade’s, which makes sense given the smaller footprint and the high floor needed to accommodate the battery pack. The rear seats are particularly curious: The Executive Second-Row Seating Package that the demonstration model came equipped with had two captain’s chairs mounted higher than the front seats, and headroom looked scant. The head restraints of the captain’s chairs nearly touched the ceiling, which is a fixed-glass panoramic roof panel. There is a third row behind these seats, but it looks small, without much in the way of legroom.

I’m also concerned about outward visibility from the front seats. The hood is extremely long and the dash is quite high, but the front seating position seems a bit low given where the rearview mirror is mounted. There’s a massive plastic panel containing all manner of cameras and sensors that provides a significant obstruction on the windshield, as well. I’ll have to reserve judgment until we’re allowed to sit in the driver’s seat, but the packaging and passenger space give me pause at first look.

It’s Gonna Be a Beast
It might not be as big as the current Escalade, but you’d better believe the Escalade IQ is almost certainly going to be as heavy. It’s probably not going to be quite as massive as the GMC Hummer EV SUV, which uses a similar battery pack and weighs nearly 9,000 pounds, according to some outlets. But with up to 750 horsepower, up to 785 pounds-feet of torque and an estimated 0-60 mph time of less than five seconds, according to Cadillac, it’s going to be a beast to drive.

There’s a lot of unsprung weight with the huge tires and wheels, but Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 will almost certainly keep things smooth and level. Cadillac says the new Escalade IQ can also do some trucky things, such as tow up to 8,000 pounds. And like the Hummer EVs, the Escalade IQ will also feature standard four-wheel steering, which will give it some stunning maneuverability.

Cadillac says the new Escalade IQ will start around $130,000 (including the destination charge), which is more than the $81,000 starting price of the current gas-powered Escalade as well as the $59,000 Lyriq.

The good news is that the new Escalade IQ seems to be a proper premium product, much like the current Escalade has become. The designs, materials quality, and the look and feel of the thing definitely puts it in some rarefied company, but it also brings it into a new set of competitors that include the Mercedes-EQ EQS SUV, Rivian R1S and upcoming Lucid Gravity. How it actually stacks up against these rivals will have to wait until later in 2024, as the Escalade IQ is going into production that summer, so we’re a way out from seeing exactly how it will defend its iconic name.