Cadillac continues to push the Escalade to a more stylish and luxurious position. Of course, there’s plenty of power too, thanks to the recent addition of the Escalade V. For 2025, Cadillac has given the Escalade a hefty midcycle update that brings on even more tech, refined styling, added luxury, and a truly dizzying amount of speakers. And don’t worry, the Escalade V gets the updates too.
The 2025 Escalade is taking styling cues from the IQ side of the family. The nose has similar elements to the Celestic and the Lyriq. There’s a light-up Caddy Crest as standard, but the V and the kind of goofy named premium luxury Platinum models have a fully illuminated Grill surround.
Cadillac is adding some color to the lineup with three new available choices: In a GN Stone, Deep Sea Metallic, and Latte Metallic. Those should all parallel with the magnificently matched mass of available 24-inch wheels. That’s such a hilariously large wheel size, yet you know some designer somewhere is pushing for 26s. We are nearing our first production donk.
Inside the Escalade, we’ve gone even deeper down the luxury path. You can now spec a red leather interior that pairs with open-pore wood, or there’s a black and gray leather and fabric mix that pairs with gloss wood. On the V, you get carbon fiber trim, which is still very funny to me.
There’s no added lightness in a vehicle that weighs just a few hundred lbs more than a new BMW M5. Speaking of heavy, the Escalade goes hefty with the tech. I hope you like screens because we’re dealing with 55 inches worth up front. It’s two screens behind a singular display: there’s a 35-inch ahead of the driver and then into the center, while the passenger has a 20-inch display. Then you can add in the 11-inch touchscreen display in the lower portion of the center.
You want more screens? With the executive second-row package, you get a pair of 12.6-inch displays. You also get stowable tray tables, massaging seats, dual wireless phone charging spots, a rear control center, and speakers in the headrest.
Those speakers, mind you, are just a few of the many, many, many that Cadillac has found space for inside this Escalade. The 2024 model may do with a mere 36 speakers with the top-shelf AKG sound system. That number rises to 40 when you select that fancy second-row setup. That is a cul-de-sac’s worth of speakers, and that’s if you’re in a fancy neighborhood.
Other bits of fancy for the newest Escalade include a full-color head-up display as standard on all trims above the base model. Night vision is offered, and it’s standard on V and platinum models. And finally, the Escalade is now offered with automatic open and closing doors. This is standard on V and platinum models, and you can press a button to open all four doors or to close them. Additionally, you can have it set up so that the driver’s door will automatically open as you approach with the key fob in your pocket.
In terms of power and performance, all trims above the base model come standard with Magnetic Ride Control 4.0. There’s a 6.2L V8 under the hood, which produces 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, and it’s backed up by a 10-speed automatic.
Escalade V remains a school bus rocket ship, of course, with its supercharged 6.2L V8. This one makes 682 horsepower, 653 lb-ft of torque, and a downright hilarious amount of noise. The 2025 Cadillac Escalade enters production later this year. No word yet on price, but I’d assume a spread starting somewhere in the $80,000 range for the base model, while the top-spec V will easily crest $150,000.
