The Escalade defines American luxury, but Cadillac is elevating things for 2025. As part of this effort, they’ve unveiled a “mid-cycle major” facelift that brings the elegance and grandeur of the Escalade IQ to the gas-powered model. The changes are immediately apparent as the luxury barrage adopts an Escalade IQ-inspired front fascia with vertical headlights and slender turn signals. They’re joined by a larger grille that sports a unique look depending on the trim. Light has become a central design element for Cadillac, so it’s not surprising to see an illuminated front crest come standard. However, the V-Series and Premium Luxury Platinum go even further with an illuminated grille surround.
Moving further back, there are updated
22-inch wheels and newly available 24-inchers. The latter are available in
three designs and are the largest wheel ever offered on an Escalade. Interestingly,
the Escalade will be offered with power open-and-close doors. The driver’s door
can be programmed to automatically open as you approach and there are sensors
to prevent it from smashing into nearby obstacles. Once inside, you can simply
tap on the brake pedal and the door will close. The other three doors can also
be powered to give chauffeurs or parents a break. Updates to the rear end are
subtle, but there are new taillights as well as a repositioned Cadillac crest.
Designers also updated the bumper and exhaust tips, while tweaking the trim.
There’s also a revised color palette that includes three new options: Aegean
Stone, Deep Sea Metallic, and Latte Metallic.
Cadillac’s
interior design team swung for the fences and hit a home run with an all-new
interior that echoes the Escalade IQ and the ultra-luxury Celestiq. It’s
dominated by a pillar-to-pillar curved display that combines a 35-inch driver
display with a 20-inch front passenger display. They’re joined by a lower
command screen, which provides easy access to key vehicle settings. Buyers will
also find a new steering wheel, a column-mounted shifter, and a 128-color
ambient lighting system. We can also see higher-quality materials and a more
modern design. While the standard interior is a big leap forward, customers
should check out the new Executive Second Row package. It adds a center console
with a rear command center, dual wireless smartphone chargers, and retractable
tray tables. The package also includes dual 12.6-inch displays and massaging
seats with headrest-mounted speakers.
There are new
Renaissance Red and Jet Black / Sheer Gray interiors. Escalade-V buyers, on the
other hand, will find exclusive seats and plenty of carbon fiber trim. Rounding
out the highlights are standard Super Cruise as well as Android Auto and Apple
CarPlay. They’re joined by a 19-speaker audio system, although an AKG Studio
Reference system with up to 40 speakers is also available.
As you may have noticed, we referred to
the 2025 Escalade as gas-powered and that’s not a mistake as the luxury SUV
drops the 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-six. As a result, all models are now
powered by a 6.2-liter V8. Mainstream versions are rated at 420 hp and 624 Nm of torque, while the supercharged Escalade-V
packs 682 hp and 885 Nm of torque. Regardless of
the engine, both are paired to a ten-speed automatic transmission.
The gas engines aren’t the only things
that carry over as buyers will find an independent front and rear suspension,
air ride tech, and Magnetic Ride Control. The latter comes standard on all
trims except the entry-level Luxury. The 2025 Cadillac Escalade will go into
production late this year and pricing will be announced closer to launch.
