First Drive: 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ – Bigger Really is Better When it’s All-Electric

Cadillac is betting it can electrify upscale buyers with an assortment of EVs. That includes its new range-topping Escalade IQ which Headlight.News had an opportunity to drive in San Francisco this past week. The 2025 model takes the familiar flagship to new levels of luxury while delivering plenty of range – at 460 miles – and performance. Better yet, there are both standard and extended-length options. Here’s our review of the 2025 Cadillac Escalade.

Few automakers are making nearly the commitment to battery power as Cadillac, General Motors’ flagship brand set to roll out five separate all-electric models by year-end. During a visit to San Francisco earlier this month I was able to log time behind the wheel of the two new models that will bookmark the luxury marque’s electric line-up, the entry-level Optiq and the flagship Cadillac Escalade IQ.

The latter EV picks up on a familiar nameplate, but beyond targeting the most exclusive luxury buyers, the IQ package has little else in common with the more familiar gas and diesel-powered Escalade. It starts out with an all-new, skateboard-style platform, adds a new, more aero-sleek design and a plush and lavishly appointed interior.

The IQ model also gets an all-new battery-electric drivetrain that musters up more power and performance than the gas-powered Escalade V-Series. What potential buyers may find particularly appealing, however, is the EV’s 460 miles of range. Here’s our review of the 2025 Cadillac Escalade.

What’s new

While it’s a few months late to market, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ proved itself more than worth the wait. The three-row EV offers all the features we’ve come to expect from the conventional version of the ‘Slade: starting with a bold, in-your-face design and a lavishly appointed cabin. As before, it’s offered in both standard and extended-length ESV trim.

The twin-motor drivetrain delivers some impressive numbers, at 750 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque. That’s more than the current Escalade-V gas model. Then there’s that 460 miles of range. That should more than calm the nerves of potential EV buyers suffering from range anxiety. And Caddy claims you can add another 100 miles in as little as 10 minutes using a public quick charger.

The new Escalade IQ is loaded with high-line features, as you’d expect, with a focus on the latest technology. That includes a 42-speaker AKG sound system, standard hands-free Super Cruise and a pillar-to-pillar digital instrument panel. I was particularly impressed by the IQ’s new 4-wheel-steer system which allows the massive beast to turn in a tighter circle than sibling brand Chevrolet’s old Bolt EV.

Exterior design

It’s big and audacious and, yet, at first glance you know this isn’t the familiar Cadillac Escalade, the gas model having only recently gone through a major upgrade.

It starts with a dramatic new shape that has undergone extensive work in the wind tunnel. For a vehicle this big, getting the aerodynamics right becomes critical – and paid off with its contribution to the Escalade IQ’s impressive range. The overall look is sleeker and more aggressive than the gas model and, to my eyes, a lot more modern.

Up front, the EV boasts a distinctive face with new vertically oriented lighting that picks up some of the cues first seen on the Cadillac Lyriq, including the angular stripes on the Cadillac Shield Grille.

A new, nearly all-glass roof is a nice new touch, as is the optional black-out upper. The aggressive look of the new design is further enhanced by Escalade IQ’s 24-inch wheels and 35-inch tires. The dynamic appearance is particular enhanced when you switch to “Low Ride” mode which drops the big rig by a full 4 inches.

As with the conventional Escalade, IQ is offered in a variety of trims and buyers can opt for either the standard or extended-length IQL package which is stretched five inches. In that version third-row passengers gain four more inches of legroom and another inch of headroom.

More Cadillac EV News

• Caddy’s 1st Electric Performance Model, the Lyriq-V, is Coming
• The Shape of Things to Come? The Cadillac Opulent Velocity Concept
• First Look: 3-Row Cadillac Vistiq EV

Interior Design

The cabin is easily as luxurious as traditional Caddy buyers might expect, though the new Escalade IQ adds markedly more high-tech touches. It features a 55-inch, pillar-to-pillar digital instrument panel with what I found to be a particularly well-executed user interface.

There’s seating for up to seven, depending upon the package you choose. I expect many buyers to go with the Executive Package which serves up two Business Class center-row seats that include their own screens and pop-out tray tables. For the $9,500 upgrade you also get the ultimate 42-speaker AKG audio package. The downside is that this option makes entering the third row an exercise in human origami. Access is far easier with the conventional second-row bench.

As you’d expect, the Escalade IQ offers plenty of cargo space, even with all three rows up. And there’s a full 12.2 cubic feet more in the frunk – or as Caddy calls it, the “e-trunk.” A particular nice touch is a slide-out cargo shelf.

Powertrain

The twin-motor drivetrain is more than a match for the current V-Series version of the gas-powered Escalade pumping out a full 750 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque when you hit the performance boost button on the steering wheel. Otherwise, it pushes out 680 hp and 615 lb-ft.

(You can also choose from a variety of different drive modes to go into Sport or to handle inclement weather conditions. )

Despite the EV’s heft – more than 9,000 pounds, depending upon configuration – the Escalade IQ will hit 60 in just 4.7 seconds. It also can haul up to 8,000 pounds.

In standard-length configuration, the Escalade IQ delivers an impressive 460 miles of range. Surprisingly, the longer, heavier IQL sacrifices just 5 miles range. But here’s the secret: the IQ is listed as a 2025 model, the IQL as a 2026. The longer package gets some upgrades, including a new Dolby Atmos sound system. But it also has tweaks to the drivetrain. A Caddy source confided that the standard wheelbase model will get similar upgrades for 2026 – including a yet-unspecified increase in range.

Caddy claims the IQ can add 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes using a public DC quick charger rated at 350 kW. It isn’t yet saying what it takes to bring the 205 kWh lithium-ion battery pack from a 10 to 80% state-of-charge, nor how long it will take with a conventional home charger rated at 240 volts. Buyers will have the option of either an 11 or 19.2 kW home charger.

Driving impressions

You sit high when you climb into the new Escalade IQ. It gives you a commanding view of the world and an imposing presence, if the reaction of other drivers was any indication.

The cabin should meet the most demanding expectations of luxury buyers, both in terms of the features at your fingertips, and the power available through your right foot. Despite its mass, this is one quick – and surprisingly nimble beast. I was surprised by how stable the 2025 Cadillac Escalade drove through some of the twisty corners as I took it for a long run through the hilly terrain south of San Francisco. It helps that the huge battery pack actually translates into a lower center of gravity than the conventional Cadillac Escalade.

I was equally surprised by the way the IQ negotiated the crowded and often twisty streets of San Francisco. Credit the SUV’s new 4-wheel-steering system. It allows the rear wheels to turn by as much as 7.2 degrees. As a result, IQ’s turning circle is a mere 39.8 feet, slightly less than the compact Chevy Bolt EUV. The system’s rear wheels turn in phase with the front wheels at low speeds. At higher speeds, however, they turn in the opposite direction – or out of phase – to improve handling.

Technology

The Escalade IQ is, without a doubt the most tech-laden vehicle Cadillac – or parent General Motors – has ever delivered to showrooms.

The new AKG sound system is a pure delight, especially when equipped with Dolby Atmos. That system provides the most accurate and compelling placement of instruments and vocals I’ve ever heard. Unfortunately, Atmos is not available on the Escalade IQ at launch as a 2025 model. It does appear on the 2026 IQL and will be added to the standard-length version for the coming model year, as well.

The other impressive tech feature worthy of note is the latest version of GM’s Super Cruise. The hands-free system is, to my mind, the best Level 2+ technology available, significantly better than either Tesla’s AutoPilot and Full Self-Driving or Ford’s BlueCruise. And GM is in the process of upping the number of roads it can be used on – which will soon reach about 750,000 miles in the U.S. and Canada.

Super Cruise comes standard on Escalade IQ – as does an extensive array of advanced driver assistance systems

Final thoughts

At a starting price of $129,990 – including a $2,290 delivery fee – the Escalade IQ doesn’t come cheap. By comparison, the standard gas-model starts around $92,000. But that is for a far less well-equipped model. With comparable equipment, the gap is less than $10,000. That said, load the electric SUV up with every box checked, including the Executive Seating package and you’ll nudge $159,000.

Those figures are well out of my reach, I must sadly admit. But for those with deep pockets and a desire to travel in style while opting for something more environmentally friendly, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ and 2026 IQL are clearly worth checking out.

The Escalade IQ is not just the biggest all-electric offering you’ll find but a truly well-executed work, both from the design and technology perspective. It’s also a surprisingly pleasant vehicle to drive, despite its mass.