2025 Cadillac Escalade

If anything embodies a contemporary Cadillac, it’s the Escalade. More than just a large luxury SUV, the Escalade has become part of modern culture — a symbol of success, and one that’s particularly American. You almost expect it to play “The Star-Spangled Banner” whenever you toot the horn.

There’s a lot to the Escalade, from its highly capable truck-based body-on-frame roots, to its superb technology, to its cosseting cabin. It even offers a bigger version, the ESV, with still more room.

The all-electric 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ is reviewed separately.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of full-size luxury SUVs, including the Cadillac Escalade.

This fifth generation of Escalade made its debut for 2021, so now’s the time for a revamp. Subtle styling revisions at the front and rear are just appetizers for the interior’s main course. The 2025 Escalade’s cabin gains a full-width digital dashboard. An AKG audio system becomes standard, likewise the excellent Super Cruise partial self-driving feature. An Executive Second Row package joins the extras list. There are new colors available inside and out, plus the option of huge 24-inch alloy wheels. And the turbodiesel engine has been discontinued for the big Caddy.

There are two popular variants, depending on whether buyers choose the regular-length Escalade or the longer ESV. The former is the Sport Platinum with 4-wheel drive, the latter is the Premium Luxury with 4-wheel drive. We’d suggest considering the Premium Luxury Platinum as it brings so much of what the Escalade SUV is all about.

Other full-size luxury 3-row SUVs include the Lincoln Navigator, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and not-quite-as-massive Mercedes-Benz GLS — all priced similarly to the Escalade.

Before buying a new Escalade SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Resale values are about average for the class. Remember, recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

We have no complaints about the Escalade’s standard 420-horsepower V8, which has always supplied responsive and smooth acceleration whenever we’ve needed it. That figure sits well enough next to the Lincoln Navigator’s 440 horsepower. Despite its substantial size and weight, we’ve also found the Escalade SUV remarkably easy to drive and wonderfully comfortable, eating up highway miles in a serene manner, while the lofty ride height results in excellent outward vision.

For anyone who thinks their life is incomplete without the ability to accelerate six of their closest friends from standstill to 60 mph in a ridiculously fast 4.4 seconds, the 682-horsepower Escalade-V should do the trick.

Fuel Economy

Big, powerful SUVs aren’t expected to sip fuel. The Cadillac Escalade achieves 16 mpg in combined city/highway driving — that’s with rear-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive. The Lincoln Navigator manages 18 mpg combined and the Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 4Matic runs to 21 mpg combined. If anyone cares, the Escalade-V is rated at 13 mpg combined.

The Escalade is a practical luxury SUV thanks to its vast interior space. Second-row comfort is enhanced by a pair of captain’s chairs that also provide easy access to the third row. If eight seats are required (rather than the usual seven), a 3-position second-row bench is a no-cost option.

We’re impressed by the high quality of the Escalade’s cabin — this is a serious luxury SUV with an interior that matches its pricing. For 2025, things reach an even higher level with a full-width digital dashboard that includes an instrument cluster, infotainment touchscreen, and a 20-inch display for the front passenger. Even more remarkable, it’s a standard item throughout the lineup.

Below this is an 11-inch central touchscreen with controls for functions like the climate system and ambient lighting. In addition, the Escalade offers drivers a head-up display. The center console raises its stowage game by relocating the transmission shifter to the steering column.

Cadillac also brings an Executive Second Row package with massaging captain’s chairs, fold-away tables, wireless device charging, and 12.6-inch displays. New color schemes this year are Renaissance Red leather. Or Jet Black and Sheer Gray leather and fabric. The Escalade-V gains more carbon fiber, along with diamond-stitched Jet Black perforated leather.

The standard-length Escalade has 34.9 inches of third-row legroom, stretching to 36.6 inches in the ESV. That’s less than the Lincoln Navigator and Jeep Grand Wagoneer, but we still found these rearmost seats roomy enough.

Cargo space behind the third row of seats is 25.5 cubic feet in the standard version and a massive 41.5 cubic feet in the ESV. That’s more than the Navigator, a little less than the Grand Wagoneer. The Escalade’s third-row seats also power-fold down to make a flat load area.

The influence of Cadillac’s electric vehicles has a bearing on the restyled-for-2025 Escalade. Particularly with the deployment of LED lighting, which goes from horizontal to vertical. The grille’s Cadillac crest is illuminated, along with the grille surrounds of the Premium Luxury Platinum and Escalade-V models. Cadillac put giant 24-inch alloy wheels on the options list, the largest ever offered for an Escalade. Fresh paint choices this year are Aegean Stone (a deep green/gray), Deep Sea Metallic (blue, with a hint of gold), and Latte Metallic (light bronze). Overall, these changes add to the Escalade aura which, we have to say, works for us. We think this full-size luxury SUV does an excellent job of looking distinctive and sophisticated.

Super Cruise
In our experience, Super Cruise is one of the best hands-free, partial self-driving systems. This year it becomes standard across the Escalade range. Super Cruise works on hundreds of thousands of miles of compatible roads in North America.

55-inch digital dashboard
Like the Mercedes-Benz Hyperscreen in its electric vehicles, this impressive piece of technology is home to three separate displays. It’s standard equipment and gives the Escalade a futuristic vibe.

AKG audio
This is a well-respected name in sound recording and Cadillac fits an AKG audio system to every new Escalade. The standard setup has 19 speakers, higher trims get 36, and now (for 2025) there’s a 40-speaker option in the Executive Second Row package for a deeply immersive listening experience.

Magnetic Ride Control
Also known as an adaptive suspension, it provides excellent comfort while enhancing control. This is one of the reasons why we’d recommend going for at least the Premium Luxury trim.

Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist
We’ll always appreciate a little help when docking a battleship or parking a full-size SUV. This optional feature will handle steering, shifting, and braking duties for parallel and perpendicular spaces alike.

Power-operated doors
Not just soft-closing, these doors can open and close when activated by a button on the door handle, or from inside the Escalade. The driver’s door will open when the driver approaches with the key fob. This is standard in the upper trims.

The main engine in the 2025 Escalade lineup is a 6.2-liter V8 making an ample 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The high-performance Escalade-V variants have a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 generating a mighty 682 horsepower and 653 lb-ft of torque. Both engines connect to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is the default configuration, with 4-wheel drive available as an option (all-wheel drive is standard with the Escalade-V).

Maximum towing capacity is 8,100 pounds, achieved by a rear-drive/standard-length Escalade. For reference, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer can pull 9,850 pounds.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

Cadillac’s new-vehicle warranty lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This is typical for the luxury sector. There’s also a powertrain warranty and roadside assistance of six years or 70,000 miles. And the first scheduled maintenance visit is free.

Safety Ratings

The Escalade took four stars out of a possible five overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety equipment includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, and a 360-degree camera system.