The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ doesn’t stray from the internal-combustion formula that put “Escalade” on the map decades ago. It’s huge, with plenty of space inside and an appropriate amount of swagger on top of endless tech-forward features. As a fully-electric model, the Escalade IQ is also a range champion. Cadillac claims about 460 miles on a charge, with some outlets achieving up to 550 miles in their testing.
Range isn’t cheap, of course, in dollars or pounds. The Escalade IQ has a 205 kilowatt-hour battery, one of the biggest in the industry. And that gives it a curb weight of roughly 9,100 pounds – more than the maximum takeoff weight of some small planes and certainly not “sporty.”
Regardless, I was determined to make the Escalade IQ fly through corners. Cadillac wanted to support a road rally that I hosted in Athens, Ohio, but couldn’t locate a suitable Blackwing sedan for the trip. With the Escalade IQ offered instead, I kind of giggled to myself and accepted, figuring it would be a great road-tripper and, if nothing else, be a good story once I got off the highway.
The 350-mile journey from Washington, D.C. to Athens confirmed that the Escalade IQ is indeed a highway star. The seats are comfortable (though the massagers could be stronger, a first-world complaint if I’ve ever made one) and the ride at highway speed is well-damped. SuperCruise, GM’s hands-free Level 2 driver assistance technology, continues to be one of the best in the business. And Cadillac’s claim of 460 miles between charges is valid, despite my driving like I was sitting on a lit cigarette as I (rapidly) covered the miles.
Waking up on Saturday morning, though, I was still nervous about chucking the big electric brick through a three-hour road rally that covered some of Ohio’s twistiest roads. I was leading a group full of sports cars. Could the Escalade IQ pull it off, or would I be disappointing a group of drivers at my own event?
It’ll Be Like Autocrossing A Dually Pickup Truck
Those were the words my friend and fellow automotive journalist Aaron uttered when I told him I was using that Escalade to lead that drive group. I’m no stranger to pushing Escalades, ironically, as I’ve hucked two different Escalade Vs around back roads in Minnesota and (gently, as a pace truck) around Gingerman Raceway in Michigan.
The Escalade IQ is about as fast as the supercharged, gas-powered Escalade V in a straight line. And much like the V, Cadillac made it Very Fast but added no other performance features to help with turning or stopping.
I approached the road rally with optimism, knowing I could at least use the Escalade IQ’s 750 horsepower to set big gaps on the straights, giving the fast group a chance to play catch-up. I figured the IQ would be a mess through corners, given it weighs as much as a mixed-use retail facility and isn’t marketed as an especially sporty thing.
My moderate-speed pace laps of Gingerman in the Escalade V culminated in an OnStar call. Thankfully, the Escalade IQ didn’t find my driving habits quite as worrisome. And yes, despite the obnoxiously-high curb weight, the electric ‘Slade can absolutely boogie if you’re willing to just … believe in it.
The Helpful Bits
Despite not being performance-oriented, the Escalade IQ does have some tricks up its leaden sleeves. Every Escalade IQ includes four-corner air springs, which lower the vehicle in Sport mode and theoretically pump up their spring rates as well. Those pair to GM’s latest Magnetic Ride Control dampers, which can adjust their damping rates up to 1,000 times per second and stiffen up in Sport mode. Finally, every Escalade IQ gets four-wheel steering, allowing the rear wheels to provide up to seven degrees of counter-steer at lower speeds and reducing the turning circle to almost that of a Toyota Camry.
The IQ’s battery also plays a role in handling. Mounted low, it weighs as much by itself – about 2,900 pounds – as my E36 BMW 325is racecar.
Though regenerative braking is an EV highlight, fourteen-inch rotors are employed at each corner, ready to step in when your foot demands more stopping power than regen can provide.
So then, on paper, this … might not be so bad? I was optimistic and still kind of nervous. I knew I could dial my driving back to meet the IQ where it was, though the brakes were my top fear. I’ve driven plenty of high-horsepower EVs that felt under-braked, as engineers rely on regen and save cost on braking hardware to the detriment of outright performance.
Turns Out The Escalade IQ Can Handle
Cadillac’s engineers deserve a round or three on me. The Escalade IQ handles far better than it should, and better than its gas-powered counterpart, too.
That heavy battery keeps the center of gravity low, so despite feeling heavy, the big IQ is remarkably happy to be pitched through a corner. The MagneRide dampers and four-corner air suspension reduced body roll to a manageable degree, while the rear-wheel steering keeps the arm-flailing to a minimum.
Acceleration is quick but not brutal, despite the 750 horsepower on tap. They’re only available in “Velocity Max” mode, otherwise you’re working with a mere 680. Regardless, flooring the accelerator results in torque steer and a squirmy steering wheel, one I had to actively fight a few times as I (legally, safely) passed slower-moving traffic. The sensation added character to the Escalade IQ and felt a bit unnerving.
My braking fears were unfounded. Regenerative braking did the bulk of the work, with the friction brakes stepping in as needed. Again, engineers did a great job, blending the two generally seamlessly. If there was fade, it had been calibrated out of the pedal feel, and I had confident stops all day long.
It’s Not All Perfect, Though
Yes, the Escalade IQ is surprisingly impressive when pressed into sports-truck duty. As an overall package, though, I found a few nits to pick. They’re small complaints, but I do expect relative perfection from a $156,000 vehicle.
While the Escalade IQ was comfortable over low-speed bumps, the front suspension consistently made some knocking sounds that reminded me of bad control arm bushings on my old, high-mileage BMWs. I’ve experienced this sensation in a few Chevy Silverado EVs, with which the Escalade IQ shares a platform, and while everything feels tight, the noise is disconcerting.
The second row seats were moved by a few balky manual levers, the same ones you’ll find in a gas-powered Escalade and thus, the same ones you’ll find in a far-cheaper Chevy Tahoe. Yes, Cadillac offers an Executive Seating Package, but why do buyers who want three useful rows of seats get penalized?
Finally, while I’m not as avid a hater of the “no CarPlay” decision that GM has made with their electric cars, Cadillac offering a superbly-bangin’ 36-speaker AKG sound system and then providing no easy way to stream Apple Music in Dolby Atmos (or heck, even lossless) is a big letdown. Spotify doesn’t have the bitrate, and Apple Music via Bluetooth doesn’t cut it.
It’s The Best Escalade Yet
Despite my qualms, I firmly believe the Escalade IQ is Cadillac’s best Escalade to date. We can all define “luxury” differently, but the absence of noise, vibration, and harshness is one way to experience luxury. Cadillac combines an utter lack of NVH with the best hands-free driver assist, other simple yet advanced technology, a good ride, and great seats. What more does a luxury buyer need?
The fact that this Escalade is also a bit flingable is just the cherry on top.
Top graphic image: Jake Thiewes
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Speaking of seats, I have an Escalade V and I really wish Cadillac would recognize that not all of us want executive seats and some of us don’t even want Captain’s chairs! If you have little children, a bench is way more useful!
Yup, my Golf fits 3 people in the back and weights less than half of this Tahoe Ev w/ leather
What an absolute overweight behemoth! Ridiculous…EV junk appliance w/ a million screens
I appreciate the brief review Jake and Autopian, so thanks for that. I do like getting a feel for cars way outside my own personal interest/area, and this one is slightly more interesting than a multi-million dollar hypercar, so there’s that.
The Escalade IQ is not horrifically ugly, so kudos to GM I suppose. A 205 kWh battery? A 9,100 pound curb weight? $156,000., which is three times the price of a new VW Golf R, which is itself (to me) overpriced?
I’m sure someone will buy it, or more likely lease it… probably those Youtube millionaires and/or wannabe rappers that live up the hill from me in the McMansions by the lake.
Jeez!
Golf can fit three people in the back, EV Tahoe w/ leather only 2
The taillights look like they’re in the wrong location.
Personally, I don’t see the issue with the manual controls for the rear seats? If it’s just reclining and forward/backward, I think those are the only controls they really need, and coincidentally the best two controls for being manually-operated, especially in the back seat where “memory seats” are a non-issue.
“Those buttons on the steering wheel all better be physical,” I say, knowing I will likely never get to be in one of these
$156K for seat controls out of a Tahoe. That’s the issue.
While I agree that manual is fine, the finish should be better. It’s one of the little things that helps justify the increase in costs.
Happy to hear that this cruise ship can whip around corners pretty well. I’m sure the 4 wheel steering helps a ton too. Also the lack of a squircle is refreshing.
I have never driven one, nor will I likely ever, but I intensely dislike the whole idea of this thing.
My beef is with the weight.
If this hits a person, they’ll be a cloud of red mist. If this hits a person on a bicycle, same thing. If it hits a motorcycle, red mist plus motorcycle parts. For something that weighs about 9500 lbs, a person can be killed at a strike speed of 18MPH. That’s slower than the speed in a school zone. I’m willing to bet this truck can hit that speed in about 2 seconds or less. Now give it to a person who is a lousy driver and is probably looking at their phone most of the time.
Other fun: in the us the testing done for side impact uses a 3300lb sled. That alone is a problem since the (reported) average weight of a car on the roads today is closer to 4000lbs. Average weight of current SUVs (which make up the majority now) is 5000lbs.
Given that nothing on the road today has been safety tested against the average weight, they don’t stand a chance when you have something that is 2x the average weight that could issue a murderous amount of energy in a side impact collision.
I hope that the automatic emergency braking systems are extremely aggressive on something like this. Given that the type of people who have $150k to throw around on a car probably don’t worry too much about money, I’m going to guess they’re not too concerned if something happens to it. Given the current level of psycopathy that seems to be in the air, I’d be willing to wager that there is a nice thick stripe of owners who would be happy to see just what happens if someone got in their way.
There should be a different class of license required for something this heavy. At least commercial vehicles require a CDL. I don’t think when the 26,000 lb limit was set, anyone really thought that “normal” cars would be creeping on on 10k lbs. Maybe it’s time for a reevaluation.
Hell, while we’re at it, may as well do retesting for EVERYONE every five years. Maybe that’d be enough.
There is a point when unreasonable risks are being taken on behalf of others who have no input into the decision. While there are plenty of examples of overpowered heavy vehicles (ie, Hummer, Cybertruck), adding another one to the mix does not make the world a better place.
Speaking only for me (driving a 3,300-pound Prius v, and previously a 5,500-pound Econoline), but I failed my driver’s test 4 times before passing. That was ~12 years and 160,000+ miles ago, and I have no tickets or accidents to my name.
Just having a stranger in the vehicle was that unnerving for me. The thought of repeating testing gives me so much anxiety. There’s got to be better ways.
I’d settle for a retraining session or using a simulator to test.
Anything has got to be better than the nothing we currently have.
My Prius and I live in fear of being smushed into oblivion. Another compelling reason to stay off the highways and toll roads.
Username checks out
Comparing the survival chances of a pedestrian or motorcycle vs full sized SUV is nitpicking, any SUV is going to obliterate either of those whether it weighs 4,000 lbs or 8,000 lbs. The real key is about mass and stopping distance, and the massive brakes and tires in these things can handle the vehicle like any other vehicle can. The weight issue becomes relevant when bad weather makes for slick roads, then all that mass makes a big difference. And if you want to talk about design decisions making for horrible pedestrian safety, that’s certainly a valid topic and concern for all full size trucks today.
I would love to see weight based licensing for non-commercial vehicles. These monsters (and RVs too) should require additional driver training!
“Here’s How The 9,100 Pound Cadillac Escalade IQ Keeps Up With Sports Cars On Backroads”
Going solely by the images I’ll guess by occupying all the pavement. Or maybe by threatening to crush anyone who gets in the way.
Coming off more as a promotional ad then a trustworthy evaluation.
Well a road race is more about a steady speed than a fast speed how quick was the vehicle? What was the average speed! You can’t mention race and never mention speed.
Sounds like this was less of a TSD rally and more of a ‘bomb-down-nice-roads-at-speed-in-a-pack-of-sports-cars-for-a-while’ rally.
Man I hate these packs of sports cars groups.
It’s scary enough with 4K lbs Porsches. We don’t need 9k lbs Cadillacs out pretending to play boy racer.
I get it it sucks having a fast car and not being able to stretch its legs. But these are farm roads where people live.
That’s the first Caddy I’ve seen in a while with swagger! Damm good looking. Now if it were shrunk about 25% so it wasn’t so huuuuuge and heavvvvy!
Check out the Vistiq! That’s basically it’s M.O.
Wait, it’s *nine thousand one hundred* pounds? Holy shit. (The other holy shit number is $156,000.)
eeeeeeeeeeeeeek 9100 lb
Does the battery pack weigh as much as a regular car like the Hummer’s?
In the article: “The IQ’s battery also plays a role in handling. Mounted low, it weighs as much by itself – about 2,900 pounds – as my E36 BMW 325is racecar.”
ok I missed it 😐
At what point will infrastructure be considered before car companies stop making cars so god damned heavy. I do not want to be caught in the middle of a suspension bridge collapsing because too many of these stupid things being on there at the same time.
Probably once 80,000 lb semi trucks and 26,000 lb box trucks aren’t on the roads anymore.
So never.
In fairness, it’s not just bridges – car parks and other similar structures may indeed experience stresses outside of the design envelope, similar to how even mild snow loads can lead to collapse (especially on poorly maintained or inspected structures).
There’s an argument to be made about general wear given the increasingly high ratio of heavy vehicles on roads, but complete collapse due to EVs/consumer trucks and SUVs seems unlikely. I wouldn’t generally worry as much about that as I would rusting rebar and spalling pillars that have been ignored for 30 years.
Those trucks don’t tend to congregate in parking structures.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_power_law
Even the weight of these things is negligible in road wear compared to semis, unless you’re talking about a back road that specifically bans semis (for example).
9100 lbs!! Holy crap.
Converts to metic… 4.1t! Wow…
Torque steer? How/why?
I had one of these as a loaner for two weeks. While it cornered better than it should have, I felt every one of its 9,000 lbs and had no intention of driving it spiritedly around corners and such. I also found the lack of convex mirrors (possibly owing to its weight class) disconcerting, as it forced me to have to lean forward every time I wanted to see what was in my blind spot or which cars were beside me at all.
Still, it was isolated and honestly did get amazing range. I was floored, though, when I stopped at one of those GM Energy stations and it took a genuine $100 to bring it from about a 6% charge to an $85% charge.
All of the blind spot monitoring in the world can’t beat a set of $10 stick-on convex mirrors. With mine properly adjusted I can glance and immediately know what is or isn’t in my blind spot, with 100% confidence.
True, but it wasn’t my car. I didn’t expect to have it so long.
I don’t enjoy relying upon blind-spot monitoring either.
Have a new Silverado EV with the same crappy passenger side mirror. It’s almost a deal breaker. Drove to LAX recently, cutting across 4 solid lanes of cars was VERY difficult, could not see $***, very poor design on GM’s part. They should replace these as customer accommodation. usually you can ensure no one is next to you by flooring it for about 3 seconds, but not in heavy traffic.
I saw these all over COTA a few weekends ago during the Lone Star Le Mans. They were being used as the official FIA shuttles for presumably drivers and other VIPs.
I was surprised that I kind of liked them at least in terms of looks. The regular Escalade doesn’t do it for me but the IQ seems more subtle, classy and well proportioned. I’m happy to hear it drives well to boot.
I feel like the EV versions of a lot of GMs are looking better than the gas versions lately.
You’re not wrong! The Blazer EV is a great looking vehicle. Equinox maybe not great, but better than the standard one for sure
I saw a Sierra EV yesterday. Weird front end, but otherwise pretty nice looking.
I don’t know what the Vistiq is a gas version of, but that thing looks great outside and in.
The closest gas analogy would be the XT6 crossover. Basically a Cadillaced up Traverse. The Vistiq has considerably more swagger than the XT6 and is far classier looking
The XT6 wasn’t quite as big as the Traverse, but the Vistiq is–yes–the direct replacement of it. Fundamentally, it’s a larger, boxier Lyriq with a third row and some other added niceties.
The IQ has a shorter rear overhang and uses the trick of the roof lowering the further back it goes. The regular Escalade has a flat roof and a rear overhang large enough to use as a porch shade. The hood slopes down to a more curved front and the vertical height of the grille is also much less on the IQ, which doesn’t make the front end look tall and narrow.
Very simple changes, but they leave a very large visual impact..
That XXL wheelbase does wonders!