| Quick Specs | 2025 Cadillac Escalade Platinum 4WD |
| Engine | 6.2-Liter V-8 |
| Transmission | 10-Speed Automatic |
| Output | 420 Horsepower / 460 Pound-Feet |
| Efficiency | 14 City / 18 Highway / 16 Combined |
| Base Price / As Tested | $90,295 / $124,515 |
Pros: Serene, Spacious, Baller Status Wherever You Go
Cons: Needs More Buttons, Poor Fuel Economy
Cadillac Escalade: Small Changes, Big Difference
General Motors graced its big body-on-frame SUVs with some mid-cycle updates for 2025. That includes the Escalade, which doesn’t look much different on the outside, but holy potatoes is it different inside. Serving as GM’s flagship SUV, the Escalade is second only to the ultra-expensive (and ultra-exclusive Celestiq) as Cadillac’s premier vehicle.
For all intents and purposes, the Escalade is Cadillac. To really understand what that means, you need to reboot your brain and think like an affluent, image-conscious shopper instead of someone seeking a neat SUV.
The big question here is whether it commands tens of thousands of dollars more than the GMC Yukon or Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban—vehicles that are just as comfortable and capable but lack the Caddy’s bling. Let’s find out.
Engine & Drivetrain: Familiar V-8, Goodbye Diesel
Amid the exterior and interior changes, the powertrain is the same as it's been for years. The 6.2-liter V-8 still burbles in the background, barely noticeable throughout the Caddy’s interior. For that matter, it’s barely noticeable outside as well, concealing its 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque through a bevy of piping and mufflers. The mill still connects to a 10-speed automatic transmission turning the rear wheels, though four-wheel drive is optional on all trim levels except the hi-po Escalade-V, where it’s standard.
Speaking of the V, it still uses the supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 making 682 hp and 683 lb.-ft. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the eco-minded 3.0-liter Duramax diesel is now gone from the lineup. Unless you shell out big bucks for the supercharged V, you’ll be living with the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter engine in every Escalade trim level.
There’s plenty of muscle to hustle the SUV along the highway without ever feeling underpowered. It’s also quite isolated for duty in the Cadillac—I drove a Suburban RST earlier in the year with the same engine, and it was just noisy enough to make you feel like an American badass in a sport-themed SUV. That essence is absent in the Escalade; sound here is unobtrusive, and automatic gear changes from the 10-speed transmission are virtually unnoticed. In other words, the Escalade behaves exactly how a luxury car should.
Technology & Infotainment: Screens For Everyone
Here’s what sets the 2025 Escalade apart from previous models. The large central display is gone, replaced by a completely new dash which incorporates a pillar-to-pillar 55-inch screen. The single unbroken pane comes straight from the Escalade IQ and technically contains three areas. One is for driver-centric information that spans the space behind the steering wheel. Infotainment functions are largely located in the middle of the screen. And a dedicated 20.0-inch display takes up the passenger side.
The driver and center systems are integrated into a 35.0-inch area, and as you’d expect, they are configurable. Cycling through various driver features is easily done through steering wheel controls, but infotainment functions will likely be done through a control wheel in the console. That’s because the display sets back into the dash quite far, making it a bit of a reach for the driver to easily use features like navigation or audio settings.
Fortunately, most of the common-use items are accessed through yet another screen, mounted at the front of the center console. This is easily within reach, and it’s where you’ll do everything from interior temperature control to seat settings, HUD adjustments, and even turning on the headlights, should you wish to override the Escalade’s automatic-lighting settings. There are optional 12.6-inch screens for second-row passengers that can stream your favorite internet channels as long as headphones are connected.
Through the various screens, passengers can do everything from browsing YouTube and checking email, to monitoring the Escalade’s current status. Meanwhile, in front, the driver can bring up an augmented reality camera that provides a lower view of the road ahead. At night, the optional night vision system literally sees in the dark and tracks movement of heat sources, alerting you if there’s a collision risk with an animal you can’t see on the side of the road.
The tech is certainly plentiful, but it can be quite overwhelming and a bit frustrating until you get used to it. Case in point: it took me five minutes to figure out how to turn on the headlights. But if you prefer a digital experience with very few physical controls, the Escalade has it in abundance.
Design: Still Large And In-Charge
The Escalade gets a minor exterior facelift, largely focused on a redesigned front fascia that incorporates new vertical lights at the corners and narrow running lights at the top. The changes are certainly noticeable, but not so much as to make it stand out definitively from last year’s model. Likely of greater interest is the addition of 24-inch wheels, now available from the factory for the first time.
The facelift brings a more upright appearance to the front clip despite the minimal changes. The lines look clean and satisfying, and there’s no missing the huge Cadillac crest in the grille. Photos don’t do this badge justice, and there are few passenger vehicles on the road where 24-inch rims look appropriately sized.
Passenger & Cargo Space: Comfortable, Capable
If you can’t get comfortable inside the Escalade, the problem is with you. Massaging seats are available for both front and second-row seats, though you don’t need them for a relaxing ride. The headrests are wonderfully supportive, and the Escalade’s second-row seats in particular are nice and wide. The third row is comfortable, too. In fact, the Escalade could have the most comfortable third-row accommodations among all SUVs, full-size or otherwise.
What’s often not talked about with the Escalade is the available cargo room. Fold the rear and second-row seats, and you suddenly have 121 cubic feet of space to work with. I doubt anyone will be loading a washing machine in the back of their $120,000 Caddy, but you certainly could.
Here’s a more practical way to comprehend that figure: You can have seven adults inside, relaxing in comfort, and still have gobs of space for an aggressive shopping trip in Beverly Hills. That’s where the Escalade shines.
Driving Impressions: Comfortably Numb
The Escalade rides wonderfully, due largely to GM’s Magnetic Ride Control suspension that’s standard on all Escalades save for the entry-level Luxury trim. Even with thin-sidewall tires on 24-inch wheels, only the largest of potholes resound with notable force. On typical highways, the Escalade just hums along without disturbance. Rougher sections are barely noticeable, never mind annoying.
That doesn’t mean the suspension is made of Jell-O. It’s composed and stable when you want it to be, compliant when it needs to be. And with soft-open/close doors, it’s even graceful when you’re stepping inside the cabin. Once moving, there’s very little road noise and no reverberation through the cabin. No wonder so many chauffeur services use these things
From a driver’s perspective, the Escalade is comfortably numb. I mean that in a good way, because that’s exactly how a six-figure luxury vehicle should drive. The size and relative silence have a way of augmenting your sense of speed, making 80 mph feel effortless. You’ll want to rely on SuperCruise to keep yourself off the literal radar of John Q officer. Fortunately, SuperCruise is still the best Level 2+ driver assist system available today.
But there’s a catch. As good as the Escalade is, it’s only marginally different than the Chevrolet Suburban RST I drove a few months ago. The key ingredients that make the Escalade such a comfortable, capable, three-row SUV are found in higher-level Tahoe/Suburban trims. That includes Magnetic Ride Control, cozy seats, neat tech, and legroom to spare. You can even get 24s on the ‘Burb… and you’ll pay a lot less for it.
Fuel Economy: Worst In Segment
Generally speaking, if you’re paying six figures for any vehicle (unless it’s an EV) you probably aren’t concerned about economy. That said, the Escalade loves to consume gasoline en masse. The EPA rates it at just 14 mpg in the city, 18 on the highway, and 16 mpg combined.
That’s the lowest among its competitors, notably when it comes to highway mileage where smaller turbocharged engines fare a bit better. It’s also far below the 2025 GMC Yukon Denali, which offers 90-percent of the Escalade experience but with the thriftier 3.0-liter Duramax diesel.
Pricing & Verdict: Not A Tahoe In A Tuxedo
Taking a practical look at the Escalade… actually you can’t look at this practically. The Platinum 4WD model featured here has a sticker price of $124,515, including Cadillac’s $1,995 destination charge. Meanwhile, a well-optioned Chevrolet Tahoe offers all of that and a very similar driving experience for around $90,000. You could get a base model Escalade Luxury for $90,295, but it doesn’t have the good suspension, the big wheels, four-wheel drive, and most of the cool tech. Why on earth would anyone pull that trigger?
Here’s where you need to reboot your brain. Buying an Escalade has nothing to do with practicality. It’s a lifestyle choice, aimed at loyal General Motors buyers who simply want the best, period. For better or worse, that’s been the GM playbook for decades, and the Escalade—albeit adorned with leather, chrome, and a few extra options—was essentially a Tahoe in a tuxedo. But that’s not the case anymore.
Whether you love or hate digital-heavy interiors, the new Escalade finally distinguishes itself from its Chevy/GMC siblings. And while I’m not a fan of touchscreening all the things, I quickly fell in love with the Escalade’s new digital look.
It could use a few more buttons for some common-use controls, and a hybrid option wouldn’t hurt either. But the 2025 Escalade earns its stripes as an attractive, capable, and feature-rich luxury SUV that current Escalade fans will love. And it just might pull a few people away from other brands as well.
Competitors
2025 Cadillac Escalade FAQs
What’s New For The 2025 Cadillac Escalade?
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade received a minor update on the exterior, notably with a redesigned front fascia and headlights. Inside, it was given a new digital interior with a large display running the entire length of the dashboard.
How Much Horsepower Does The 2025 Cadillac Escalade have?
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade has 420 horsepower from a 6.2-liter V-8 engine. This is the same engine used in all Escalade trims except the Escalade-V. That’s the performance model with a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 making 682 horsepower.
What’s The Fuel Economy Like On A Cadillac Escalade?
According to EPA ratings, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade gets 16 combined mpg with 14 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway.
2025 Cadillac Escalade Platinum 4WD
