The Cadillac Escalade IQ is heading to the market for the 2025 model year, marking a significant step forward for this big and luxurious Cadillac SUV.
The new Escalade IQ looks different from the traditional full-size gas-powered SUV, giving this new all-electric SUV a change of, well, everything. The IQ is the first all-electric Escalade, and it brings a name to the mix that we’ve admired for many years.
This new full-size electric SUV brings design elements from the Lyriq and Celestiq together to give us an incredible new vehicle. There’s an L-shaped motif to this SUV, starting at the D-pill and working your way forward with the A, B, and C-pillars nearly disappearing from sight.
This Caddy doesn’t share with Chevy
Traditionally, it’s easy to draw a line from the Cadillac Escalade to the Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Chevy Tahoe. That’s not the case with this new electric version of the Escalade. This impressive new SUV will start at around $130,000, taking its place as a stand-alone luxurious vehicle with an entirely new build. The Escalade IQ should have more than 750 horsepower and 450 miles of driving range. The only thing shared with the GMC and Chevy brands is the Ultium electric vehicle platform, which has served GM well so far.
Big power is the foundation of this Caddy
The new Cadillac Escalade IQ utilizes the 24-module Ultium battery pack that delivers more than 200 kWh and offers the capability to add 100 miles of driving range in only 10 minutes at a DC fast-charger with the right power settings. This added range makes powering this big SUV much easier and faster than similarly sized vehicles. Although most people will still charge at home, the at-home power delivery is nearly 37 miles of range per hour, which won’t refuel this SUV completely overnight, but that won’t matter much.
Is this new electric SUV bigger than the gas-powered Escalade?
The new Escalade IQ is longer, in overall length at 224.3 inches and longer in terms of wheelbase at 136.2 inches, than the traditional Escalade ESV. This new electric model is also wider at 85.3 inches. This means you’ll find a lot more room inside the cabin than the traditional Escalade. The new IQ rides on a set of 24-inch wheels that look small underneath this behemoth. Expect the benefits of the MagneRide dampers and air springs that could raise and lower the Escalade IQ by one and two inches, respectively.
This big Caddy turns sharper than expected
The massive size of the new Cadillac Escalade IQ doesn’t make many think it will have a tight turning radius, but this Caddy has a few tricks up its proverbial sleeve. The IQ has a rear-wheel steering system that enables this large SUV to turn in a 39.4-foot diameter, which is a little less than the shorter standard Escalade, which turns in 39.7 feet. The longer Escalade ESV needs 43.3 feet to turn an entire circle.
As you might expect, the CrabWalk feature from the Hummer EV is part of the mix as well, making it easy for this luxurious electric SUV to head out on some trails and move diagonally on the trails. In this Cadillac SUV, this feature is called Cadillac Arrival Mode. This feature might not be nearly as useful in the Escalade IQ as it is in the Hummer EV.
An amazing interior awaits you in the Escalade IQ
When you step inside this massive electric SUV, you’ll see a long screen across the dash, which controls everything. This screen stretches 55 inches diagonally and has two screens. These two screens measure 35 inches for the driver and 25 inches for the passenger. This new setup supports Google Built-In integration, which means Apple CarPlay is no longer supported in this new Cadillac electric SUV.
Below the massive screen, you’ll see another 11-inch touchscreen where you can adjust the climate settings and ambient lighting to enjoy controlling your environment. Every Escalade IQ model comes with a set of second-row captain’s chairs and a 60/40 split-power third row, providing more than enough room for your entire family. At higher trims, you’ll find 40 speakers with AKG on them, providing amazing sound quality throughout the cabin.
Where can you keep your stuff?
The rear seats fold and store to make it easy to open the cabin for cargo, but the most impressive cargo storage area is the eTrunk under the front hood, where the gas-powered engine used to reside. This area measures 12 cubic feet, giving you plenty of room for your gear.
Could the new Cadillac Escalade IQ be the luxurious full-size electric SUV you love to drive?
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