2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ First Drive Review

In the long history of bizarre vehicle names the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ isn’t the worst offender, but it’s definitely up there.

For those who don’t know, those two letters affixed to the end almost as an afterthought tell of how this behemoth is powered. That would be of the emissions-free variety, with a massive battery pack bookended by electric motors nestled beneath the interesting proportions of this SUV.

Of course, retaining the Escalade moniker makes sense considering the brand equity that’s been built with it over the past quarter century and counting; and the IQ designation is supposed to tie this flagship model to the likes of the existing Lyriq, as well as the upcoming Optiq and Vistiq, all of which have the same sort of power source. But based on the number of you reading this right now and wondering what the brand’s brain trust was thinking, Cadillac probably could’ve kept it all just a little simpler.

Graciously, that naming gaffe isn’t a red flag for what the rest of the Escalade IQ delivers. While electric vehicles (EVs) like this one face an uncertain future — at least in the short term, and in this part of the world in particular — Cadillac has built one worthy of its name. Well, at least part of it.

The Ultium Warrior

Since its inception in the late 1990s the Escalade has turned into something that transcends the auto industry, with the combination of its size and sense of luxury cementing this SUV’s place in popular culture. It’s been heard in songs and seen in movies, music videos, and television shows, becoming a fixture in popular culture. In short, it’s an American icon.

It’s fitting, then, that the Escalade IQ rides on an EV architecture that’s as American as it gets in terms of its capabilities. While the so-called Ultium platform is the same one that underpins the Chevrolet Equinox EV compact crossover, it also forms the foundation for the over-the-top GMC Hummer EV, which happens to have more in common with this king-size Caddy. In fact, they share electric motors — at least two of them; the Hummer can be had with a third — along with a monstrous 24-module lithium-ion battery pack.

In the case of the Escalade IQ, it offers a usable capacity of 205 kWh, which is more than twice as much as the Lyriq’s (102 kWh). However, that doesn’t mean the driving range has increased at the same rate — although the Cadillac-estimated 740 km the bigger of the two batteries delivers is more than most EVs on the market are capable of, including the Lyriq that’s good for anywhere from 488 to 525 km, depending on configuration and equipment.

There’s an electric motor at each end of the battery beneath the Escalade IQ, meaning it has all-wheel drive. They make a combined 680 hp and 615 lb-ft of torque, which is almost as much as the supercharged V8 under the hood of the outrageous Escalade-V generates. When even more output is needed, the selectable “velocity max” mode uncorks a total of 750 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque.

Those are outlandish numbers, but this roughly 4,100-kg (9,039-lb) EV doesn’t feel especially swift with the pedal pressed to the floor. Oh, sure — it’ll get up to 100 km/h from a standing start in just about five seconds, which is plenty quick (that’s barely off the pace of the Escalade-V, for what it’s worth). Instead, electric propulsion perfectly punctuates the premium experience the Escalade IQ encapsulates, with a silky sensation to the way it accelerates that internal combustion simply can’t match.

A Little Too Smooth

The dimmer switch effect, whereby how much (or how little) torque is needed is dialled up or down seamlessly, is the kind of characteristic that lends itself so well to luxury motoring. Without mechanical interruption from an engine and transmission, however imperceptible it may be, the Escalade IQ has an effortlessness that belies its weight in the best ways.

The same is true of its handling, which doesn’t feel nearly as unruly as you might expect for such a massive vehicle. In fact, it’s downright nimble for an SUV of this size, with the standard rear-axle steering helping to shrink the outsized dimensions whether on a winding road or negotiating a tightly packed parking garage. The ability to drop the air suspension into so-called “low-ride mode” should help in those scenarios, too, slouching the ride height even lower than entry/exit level at speeds as fast as about 56 km/h to keep it from scraping ceilings. (Plus it looks pretty cool, too.)

On that note, the Escalade IQ rides on an adaptive air suspension and also uses magnetorheological dampers, a combination that delivers mixed results out on the open road. While the setup brilliantly manages body roll, it has a tendency to float and bob like a fishing boat caught in another craft’s wake, particularly across a series of heaves in the surface below or when cruising along precast concrete highways. The solution is to toggle the suspension from tour mode into sport, although the massive 24-inch wheels are more noticeable that way.

All the Amenities

Graciously, the cabin is as luxurious as you might expect — and it can be made even more so with the $9,000 executive rear seating package that’s available with the Luxury 2 and Sport 2 trims that ring in at an identical $179,999 before tax but including a non-negotiable freight charge of $2,500. While the captain’s chairs that are part of it don’t come with any extra legroom (don’t forget there’s still a third-row bench behind them), they more or less mirror the ones up front with their massage settings, plus they feature fold-out tray tables like you’d find in a plane.

Otherwise, there’s all sorts of good stuff in those trims or the more affordable Luxury 1 and Sport 1 that are priced at $159,899 before tax. That includes an impressive 21-speaker stereo — the upgraded trims increase the speaker count to 38, while the executive package adds two more to each rear headrest for a total of 42 — as well as a 55-inch dash-wide digital display.

Not only does that incorporate driver instrumentation and central infotainment under a single curved panel, but there’s a separate screen in front of the passenger seat that’s polarized so it can be used to play videos via YouTube while the vehicle is in motion without distracting the driver. (A subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot is standard.) Of note, the Google-based interface doesn’t come with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility, which means smartphone connectivity isn’t as seamless as it is in other SUVs — including the gas-powered Escalade.

The Escalade IQ also comes with a full advanced safety and driver-assistance suite, including hands-free highway driving help. Dubbed Super Cruise by parent company General Motors (GM), the system works on more than 1.2 million kilometres of pre-mapped roadways, managing throttle, braking, and steering — it will even automate lane changes to pass slow traffic if enabled. Of the very few systems like it, Super Cruise is in a league of its own for its disarming nature, which is as true here as it is with other GM products.

Awkward Elegance

Beyond all the features it’s been filled with, the Escalade IQ’s cabin looks every bit as upscale as a six-figure EV’s should. Of course, there’s all that screen real estate, including a console-mounted control display; plus there’s the beautiful blue leather inside this tester that’s as supple as it is stylish. The trim pieces are elegant, too, including the aluminum speaker covers everywhere you look, including ones in the headliner that help create an immersive audio experience.

Since EVs are a bit like full-scale radio-controlled cars, with all the parts that make them go stuffed underneath, there’s a low mass that needs to be hidden. Hence the proportions of the Escalade IQ, which are equal parts awkward and elegant. Ultimately, it’s the glass-to-sheet metal ratio that looks a little weird, with a greenhouse that’s narrow next to the massive body panels it’s paired with. But then it manages to share enough similarities with the gas-powered Escalade that it’s as familiar as it is funky.

In fairness, this isn’t the only EV to suffer from this sort of simultaneously stretched and squeezed styling, with the recently introduced Porsche Macan Electric boasting similar characteristics. It’s also easy enough to look past considering the other design elements here, including the eye-catching front and rear lighting and the enormous 24-inch wheels it rides on. Beyond being big for the sake of it, those wheels help to hide all that bulk beneath the vehicle — just be sure to set aside a healthy budget for replacement tires.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ drives exactly how you might expect an all-electric Escalade to, and that’s not lazy journalism — it’s a genuine compliment. While it could benefit from a drive mode between tour and sport, which would better balance the ride quality between soft and stiff, this massive EV doesn’t necessarily feel that big from behind the wheel. Now factor in the amenities it offers, and this Escalade feels like it’s every bit the evolution of the icon it’s supposed to be.