2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ: A Bold Step into the Electric Future
San Francisco – The Cadillac Escalade has long been synonymous with luxury, commanding presence, and a premium driving experience since its debut in 1999. Favored by dignitaries, A-list celebrities, and families alike, its appeal has been its ability to transport both large groups and their gear with effortless grace.
Cadillac has carefully refined the Escalade’s design over five generations. Now, the biggest change yet arrives with the 2025 Escalade IQ – an all-new, all-electric version.
This electric SUV boasts a substantial battery pack, offering 750 horsepower and an impressive 460 miles of driving range on a full charge, exceeding those of other electric SUVs. Based on my experience at a recent media event in San Francisco, the 2025 Escalade IQ exceeded my high expectations.
It’s not just stylish, it’s also packed with advanced technology and provides a supremely comfortable ride. The vehicle handles even rough pavement with ease and remains surprisingly athletic on winding roads.
However, with a starting price around $130,000, it raises the question of who will choose the IQ over its gas-powered sibling. The gasoline model offers a similar level of refinement at a significantly lower price.
The Upsides and Downsides
Electrification has its benefits, including improved athleticism and a smaller carbon footprint. However, even for affluent buyers, the high starting price of the Escalade IQ could be a barrier.
Pros:
- Exceptional 460-mile driving range
- Smooth, authoritative acceleration
- Well-balanced ride and handling
- Spacious, premium interior
- Loaded with high-tech features
Cons:
- Expensive
- Some key functions are hidden within on-screen menus
- No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
- Third row is difficult to access with the Executive rear seats
Price and Trim Levels
Cadillac currently offers the 2025 Escalade IQ in four trims: Luxury 1, Sport 1, Luxury 2, and Sport 2. Prices begin at $127,700 before a $2,290 destination charge. The difference between the Luxury and Sport trims is mainly the exterior styling. Luxury models feature bright metallic accents, while Sport models feature dark trim and wheels.
- 2025 Escalade IQ price:
- Luxury 1: $127,700
- Sport 1: $128,200
- Luxury 2: $147,700
- Sport 2: $148,200
The Escalade IQ comes well-equipped with standard features. These include a 55-inch curved digital dashboard, Super Cruise hands-free driving, and four-wheel steering. The “2” trims add more luxuries, such as massaging front seats, power open-and-close doors, a night-vision camera system, and a 38-speaker AKG sound system – up from 17 speakers on the lower trims.
Options include a rear-seat entertainment system ($1,995), a black-painted roof ($1,100), and an Executive Seating Package ($9,495) that includes second-row massaging seats, fold-out tray tables, and a rear center console. Six paint colors are offered, including Summit White and Black Raven (no cost), Flare Metallic and Deep Space Metallic ($625), Black Cherry Tintcoat ($1,225), and Midnight Steel Frost ($5,925).
Due to its price, the Escalade IQ is currently ineligible for the $7,500 Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit, which only applies to electric SUVs under $80,000.
Design and Styling
Cadillac has done a fantastic job with the Escalade IQ’s styling. Its proportions are familiar and clearly borrow from its gas-powered counterpart, from the hood to its boxy flanks. The design incorporates unique and well-executed elements. The rear roofline has a more graceful angle and integrates a new design take on the Caddy’s vertical taillights, which likely helps with the SUV’s aerodynamic performance. The shield grille emphasizes the IQ’s width and broad shoulders, mirroring the sleek design of the Cadillac Lyriq.
The dashboard is nearly identical to the standard Escalade, which is excellent because it’s a stunning design. It includes 55 inches of door-to-door digital displays, supported by a tablet-like climate control screen between the dash and center console. The model I drove had a wood-like panel that complemented the crisp aluminum trim across the air vents and AKG speakers.
Performance
The Cadillac Escalade IQ uses a massive 200-kWh battery pack and two electric motors that produce a combined output of 680 horsepower in Normal mode and 750 horsepower in Velocity Max mode. All-wheel drive is standard, as is four-wheel steering and an adaptive air suspension.
Acceleration is quick. When you floor the pedal from a standstill, the Escalade IQ swiftly takes off, reaching 60 mph in a manufacturer-estimated 4.7 seconds. With a few stopwatch runs, I recorded 5 seconds flat. The IQ offers smooth and linear throttle response, which made it easy to navigate San Francisco’s stop-and-go traffic.
Velocity Max is enabled by pressing a V button on the steering wheel. It adds extra performance to the Escalade IQ in addition to the Sport mode.
Although the Escalade IQ is already quick, other luxury electric SUVs are faster, including the Rivian R1S, Tesla Model X, and Lucid Gravity. However, those models are also smaller.
Ride and Handling
While not what you would call nimble, the Escalade IQ handles remarkably well for a large SUV, especially one weighing about 9,000 pounds. The IQ felt planted and composed while navigating winding roads near Half Moon Bay. Its adaptive air suspension worked effectively to manage side-to-side body motions. I’ve driven vehicles that are much lighter that don’t feel as sure-footed or comfortable.
The steering feels responsive, though lightly weighted in Tour mode. It gains heft when switched to Sport, allowing for more confidence when maneuvering the SUV. The four-wheel-steering system reduces its turning circle to a modest 39.4 feet at parking lot speeds, nearly matching the compact Chevy Bolt EV. Parking and tight spaces are surprisingly easy to navigate.
The Escalade’s regenerative braking system is finely tuned and can bring the EV to a complete stop when you lift off the accelerator or use the Regen On Demand paddle on the left side of the steering wheel. “Normal” levels of assistance are available, and you can turn off one-pedal driving for a coasting experience similar to a gas-powered vehicle.
Range, Charging, and Fuel Economy
The Cadillac Escalade IQ offers an estimated driving range of 460 miles on a fully charged battery – greater than any electric SUV on the market, with the Lucid Gravity and Rivian R1S at 450 and 410 miles, respectively.
Although the EPA has not yet weighed in on the Escalade IQ’s fuel efficiency, it’s reasonable to expect estimates similar to the Chevy Silverado EV’s 63 to 70 MPG-equivalent, given the similarity of the battery pack and powertrain.
Cadillac claims that the Escalade IQ can add up to 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes using a 350-kW DC fast-charging station. It can add between 14 and 37 miles of range per hour charged using a 240-volt outlet. Full charging on a typical 120-volt household outlet would take days.
The 2025 Escalade IQ uses a traditional CCS charging port, but the Tesla-style NACS port is expected for the 2026 model year.
Interior
The Escalade IQ’s front interior is similar to the standard, gas-powered Escalade – a blend of innovative technology and high-end materials. The dashboard employs three screens giving you a combined 55 inches of seamless digital content, with a tablet-like display below for the climate controls and other functions. Although technology is the main draw, the materials used make you want to spend more time inside.
The model I drove featured synthetic leather upholstery, a woodgrain pattern across the dash, and crisp metal accents. The materials felt sturdy and well-assembled, and the generous use of sound-deadening material in the IQ provides for a whisper-quiet ride. A panoramic sunroof lets in a fair amount of light—including UV protection—which kept me from feeling like I was cooking under the sun’s rays.
One minor critique is the use of piano-black plastic on the center console. It’s a fingerprint magnet. The test vehicle’s Harbor Blue synthetic leather looked a bit underwhelming, compared to the Camelia upholstery that brightens up the ambiance.
Space and Comfort
The Escalade IQ is a three-row SUV with seven seats. Standard equipment includes heated and ventilated front seats, a heated second row, a power-folding third row, and a heated steering wheel. Upgrades include massaging front seats, a ventilated second row, and the Executive Seating package, which incorporates second-row massaging seats, a rear center console, fold-out tray tables, and a rear-seat entertainment system.
Plenty of head-, elbow-, and legroom is available in the driver’s seat, as well as supple cushioning and adjustable seating. The second row is similarly spacious. The third row accommodates adults but is better suited for kids.
Accessing the back is easy in the standard model, thanks to tilt-and-tumble second-row seats. However, in models with the Executive pack, the power-sliding seats offer little room to move through.
Cargo Space
The Escalade IQ offers 23.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind its third row, 69.1 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 119.2 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. It has 40 cubic feet more than the Rivian R1S and slightly more than the Lucid Gravity. A long-wheelbase Escalade IQL arrives in 2026 with up to 125.2 cubic feet of storage space.
Additionally, the IQ’s eTrunk (frunk) provides an extra 12.2 cubic feet of storage below the hood – enough for a modest grocery haul. Cadillac offers an accessory cargo tray for this space, making it easier to get items at the back.
The Escalade IQ can tow up to 8,000 pounds when properly equipped. The R1S can manage 7,700 pounds, while the Gravity can tow up to 6,000 pounds.
Interior Technology
The Escalade IQ’s curved 55-inch digital dashboard is made up of three screens: an instrument cluster, an infotainment touchscreen, and a multimedia touchscreen for the front passenger along with a touchscreen for adjusting climate controls, driver assists, and other functions. The system is highly configurable, which allows you to tailor the display to your needs.
The virtual assistant responds to “Hey Google” to adjust settings from the radio and navigation system to the seat heater intensity. The Escalade IQ also delivers a 38-speaker AKG stereo.
The passenger-side screen lets you stream YouTube and Hulu and browse the internet. It’s polarized to prevent the driver from watching.
Driver-Assistance and Safety Technology
The 2025 Escalade IQ offers numerous advanced safety features. Many are standard, including Super Cruise, a semi-autonomous highway driving mode. Super Cruise handled well on the freeways. Standard driver-assistance features include:
- Surround-view camera system
- Hands-free park assist
- Blind-spot monitoring with turn signal-activated cameras
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Forward collision warning
- Forward and reverse automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and bicyclist detection
- Adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist
- Super Cruise (hands-free highway driving on specific roads)
- Head-up display (shows driving and navigation information in the windshield)
- Rear-camera mirror (streams a view of what’s behind the vehicle to the rearview mirror)
- Adaptive headlights
- Traffic-sign recognition
- Driver-attention monitoring
- Safety alert seat (vibrates to warn of potential hazards)
Available features include a forward-facing night-vision camera system.
The Competition
The Escalade IQ competes with other three-row luxury EVs, including
- Rivian R1S
- Lucid Gravity
- Tesla Model X
- Volvo EX90
- Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
In addition to these, the IQ is still competing against its own gasoline-powered Escalade, that is available at a lower, more palatable price point.
Why the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Matters
The Escalade IQ represents a significant shift for Cadillac. The brand is using its best-known nameplate, and according to me, the Escalade IQ delivers. While it might not be the brand’s bestseller, the Escalade IQ provides Cadillac with a flagship electric SUV to attract buyers.
The Basics
- Vehicle type: three-row luxury electric SUV
- Starting price: $127,700
- Powertrain: dual electric motors
- Transmission: single-speed automatic
- Drivetrain: all-wheel drive
- Power: 680 horsepower (750 in Velocity Max mode)
- Torque: 615 pound-feet (785 in Velocity Max mode)
- Acceleration: zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds
- Battery capacity: 200-kWh
- Battery type: lithium-ion nickel cobalt manganese aluminum (NCMA)
- Driving range: 460 miles
- Charging speed: up to 100 miles in 10 minutes (350-kW DC fast-charging)
- Seating capacity: seven
- Frunk cargo capacity: 12.2 cubic feet
- Rear cargo capacity: 23.7 / 69.1 / 119.2 cubic feet (behind third row / third row folded / all rear seats folded)
- Towing capacity: 8,000 pounds
- Overall length: 224.3 inches
- Width: 94.1 inches (including mirrors)
- Height: 76.1 inches
- Wheelbase: 136.2 inches
- Ground clearance: 6.9 inches
- Curb weight: roughly 9,000 pounds
- Final assembly: Detroit, Michigan
- Availability: currently on sale
