2025 Cadillac Escalade Facelift Masterfully Rendered, Escalade IQ Design Cues Galore

Spied on quite a few occasions testing in Michigan, the facelift is twinned with the all-new Escalade IQ as far as exterior styling and interior layout are concerned. Their platforms, however, do differ.

The internal combustion-engined sport utility vehicle rocks T1XX underpinnings from the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, whereas the zero-emission sibling flaunts the BT1 platform of the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, and – of course – GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV.

The BT1 is a development of the BEV3 for unibody applications, and thus far, it's been proven to 1,000 horsepower and roughly 1,000 pound-feet (1,356 Nm) in the GMC Hummer EV 3X. The rather imposing Cadillac Escalade IQ is good for 750 horsepower and 785 pound-feet (1,064 Nm).

The IQ's high-tech interior and futuristic exterior have been grafted to the 2025 model year Escalade by pixel artist Halo oto, thus giving us a better look at what's hiding under the camouflage of manufacturer-plated test mules and prototypes. Although so many screens may put some customers off, remember that the Escalade is a four-wheeled magnet for people who love to show off.

Undoubtedly distracting, the pillar-to-pillar displays of the upcoming Escalade IQ measure a staggering 55 inches. A rear command screen also needs to be mentioned, which is likely coming to the internal combustion-engined Escalade as well. As for the front- and rear-end styling, the IQ-inspired cues will definitely bring new customers to the brand, the kind of customers that would have otherwise checked out the Navigator or Wagoneer.

Under the hood, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade will continue to sport a 3.0-liter turbo diesel inline-six lump and two distinct small-block V8s. Rather than the 5.3er of the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, the Escalade and more practical Escalade ESV pack the LT1-derived L87 naturally-aspirated V8 and a truck-specific take on the LT4 of the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.

The supercharged mill packs a stupendous 682 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 653 pound-feet (884 Nm) at 4,440 revolutions per minute, numbers that sadly pale in comparison to the Cadillac IQ's Velocity Max setting. Truth be told, a small block combined with a 2.65-liter supercharger is the better pick in terms of aural pleasure.

That being said, the next-generation Escalade is also getting small-block muscle. Back in January 2023, the Detroit-based automaker confirmed $918 million for no fewer than four manufacturing sites in the US, of which $854 million will be used to prepare said facilities for the sixth-gen small block. In addition to pickup trucks and body-on-frame SUVs, the ninth-gen Corvette is also expected to make use of at least one member of the sixth-gen family for the Stingray, which currently boasts the 6.2-liter LT2.