2025 Cadillac Escalade, The Escalade is Cadillac’s large-and-in-charge luxury flagship. It’s a bold, tech-laden, three-row take on the full-size SUV formula. In 2025, it will receive stylistic updates that align its design with the brand’s EV lineup (see the Escalade IQ and Lyric). The regular Escalade’s main mission is to transport up to eight people in modern luxury, despite its traditional body-on-frame architecture being adapted from the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban. The Cadillac Escalade is up there with the best of the best, going toe-to-toe with formidable competitors like the Lincoln Navigator, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and the Lexus LX600. They all have the same blend of amenities, price, and size. It may be heavy, but it provides confident handling and a plush ride that will keep passengers comfortable. The dash-spanning curved OLED display is back, and it stretches across the entire dash. If you need more cargo room behind the third row, go for the extended-wheelbase ESV model. It comes with a 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8 as standard, but if you never recovered from selling your Camaro ZL1, you can opt for the Escalade-V and enjoy the growl and thrust of its 682-hp supercharged V-8.

2025 Cadillac Escalade! What’s New in 2025?

The Escalade’s exterior has been redesigned with a bold new look. The grille is larger and features new patterns, squinting daytime running lights sit below the hood crease, horizontal LED headlamps are now standard, and an illuminated grille surround is available. The rear has new, improved taillights, a fresh lower bumper cover, and subtle trim tweaks. The 2025 model also introduces the largest wheels ever offered on an Escalade: 24-inch rims. The new colours are Deep Sea Metallic, Latte Metallic and Aegean Stone. The interior has also been enhanced with a larger, 55-inch curved dash display, an increase from the previous 38 inches. The steering wheel has been redesigned and there are two new interior colour packages: The new colours are Renaissance Red and Sheer Gray. The V-series boasts more carbon-fibre accents and unique quilted upholstery. Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free driving technology, is now standard across the entire lineup. The diesel 3.0-litre inline-six is no longer available with the Escalade.

2025 Cadillac Escalade, Engine & Performance

Cadillac’s biggest and best SUV is powered by a standard 420-hp 6.2-litre V-8 that pairs with a 10-speed automatic transmission and rear- or all-wheel-drive. The previous diesel powertrain, which was underpowered and provided poor fuel economy, has been replaced for 2025. If you’re an Escalade fan who needs a little more speed, the V is the only choice. This beast of a vehicle is powered by a supercharged 6.2-litre V-8 engine that produces an impressive 682 horsepower. The supercharged V-8’s power and baritone burble left us impressed. The Escalade rides on an independent rear suspension, just like its siblings, the current-generation Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban and GMC Yukon. This provides additional third-row legroom, which was compromised in the previous generation due to the solid rear axle. The higher-end trims also come with air springs and adaptive dampers. The SUV’s suspension has been modified to improve handling, but the Escalade-V still doesn’t match the agility of rivals such as the Mercedes-AMG GLS63 or the BMW Alpina XB7.
It’s been a while since we tested an Escalade, but the long-wheelbase 2021 Escalade ESV with the V-8 engine sprinted to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds. We put an Escalade-V to the test recently and it delivered. Its 682-hp supercharged V-8 propelled the humongous SUV to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds, hanging on to clear the quarter mile in 12.7 seconds at 111 mph.

2025 Cadillac Escalade Interior

The Escalade is the Cadillac flagship, and it raises the bar on in-cabin luxury. The base Luxury trim uses faux leather, but all other trims get the real thing. The Platinum models get extra-soft semi-aniline hides. The leather-covered dash and door panels, aluminium speaker grilles and adjustable interior ambient lighting provide an unmistakably upscale appearance. However, some switchgear is shared with lesser GM models. You can choose between a standard and long-wheelbase ESV model. The latter offers more legroom for third-row passengers and additional cargo space.

2025 Cadillac Escalade Comfort

Cadillac has outfitted the Escalade with the best electronics on the market. The digital dashboard is the star of the show. It features three curved OLED displays that layer on top of one another to create an impressive 55 inches of combined digital real estate, a significant upgrade from the previous model’s 38 inches. As before, the gauge cluster dominates the driver’s side, while the rest of the screen is taken up by the CUE infotainment system. The tech features don’t stop there. You’ll also find an augmented-reality navigation system and an available rear-seat entertainment package that includes two 12.6-inch displays with streaming capability. You get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to mirror your smartphone, and a Wi-Fi hotspot is available. Audiophiles will love it no matter which Escalade model they choose. Cadillac has partnered with the Grammy-winning audio and acoustics company AKG to develop the Escalade’s standard and optional sound systems. The Luxury, Sport, and Premium Luxury models come with a 19-speaker Studio Sound setup as standard, while Platinum trims get the AKG Studio Reference system with 36 speakers – 40 if you add the second-row Executive package.