2024 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2025 Cadillac Escalade

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus presented a sophisticated and streamlined exterior, available in Premiere, Reserve, or Black Label trims. Its design featured a new grille with LED lighting extending through it, illuminating the Lincoln star logo, creating a stunning visual effect. The rear mirrored this horizontal aesthetic with a full-width animated LED light bar and dual exhaust ports. The interior was equally impressive, highlighted by a full-width screen that served as the crown jewel. High-quality materials, ambient lighting, and textures like open-pore wood and fine leather adorned the cabin, although the piano key shifter style was a traditional Lincoln element that some might not favor. An optional Jet Appearance Package added two-tone paint, black exterior trim, and unique interior bits for an additional $3,000.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade, meanwhile, embodied old-school Cadillac luxury with its updated design, distinguishing itself from its platform-sharing siblings, the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon XL. The exterior featured a new front end with large vertical headlights and smaller horizontal daytime running lights, while the rear maintained tall, vertical taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillacs. Available in standard and long-wheelbase ESV body styles, the Escalade offered various trim levels, including the performance-oriented Escalade-V. Inside, Cadillac enhanced the screen-centric interior with a 55-inch display spanning the dashboard. The Escalade provided a luxurious experience with options like Renaissance Red leather and open-pore wood trim, while the Premium Luxury Platinum model boasted Whisper Beige upholstery and wood trim, showcasing impressive craftsmanship.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup delivered smooth power application and unobtrusive shifts. For an additional $1,500, buyers could opt for a hybrid setup, boosting output to 310 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, with an EPA-estimated 30 mpg in combined driving. The hybrid also offered a range of over 600 miles. All Nautilus models featured all-wheel drive and five drive modes, with the hybrid utilizing a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that avoided typical droning issues.

In contrast, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade dropped the Duramax turbodiesel option, leaving the naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine as the sole choice, delivering 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The Escalade-V variant boasted a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. All models featured a 10-speed automatic transmission, ensuring smooth and efficient power delivery. Rear-wheel drive was standard, with four-wheel drive optional on most models. The Escalade-V had a performance-oriented all-wheel drive system. Magnetic Ride Control damping was standard on all but the base Luxury trim, providing adaptive damping for improved ride quality, though the Escalade's handling couldn't match that of a BMW X7 or Range Rover.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus offered power-adjustable, heated, and cooled front seats across all trims, with the Black Label model featuring Lincoln's 24-way Perfect Position front seats, renowned for their comfort. The rear seats provided 43 inches of legroom, accommodating taller passengers comfortably. The Lincoln Rejuvenate feature combined massage, lighting, and screen images to create different moods. Cargo space measured 36 cubic feet behind the second row and 71 cubic feet with the seats folded down in the Premiere trim. The Nautilus was available only with seating for five, prioritizing cargo space over a third row.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade, available in short and long-wheelbase configurations, offered seating for up to eight or seven with second-row captain's chairs. The long-wheelbase ESV model provided additional cargo space and third-row legroom. The Escalade boasted the most first-row headroom in its class, though second and third-row headroom lagged behind competitors. Cargo space in the standard model was 25.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 121 cubic feet with the seats folded. ESV models offered even more space. The Escalade's towing capacity reached 8,100 pounds for the standard model, slightly less than some rivals.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus featured a striking 48-inch curved display, with customizable sections for weather, audio, and more. An 11.1-inch touchscreen handled basic infotainment duties, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. However, adjusting vents through menus was distracting, and unlabelled steering wheel controls required getting used to. The inclusion of Google Maps, Alexa Built-in, and over-the-air updates enhanced the tech experience, while wireless charging and USB ports were standard.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade combined traditional engineering with a high-tech interface, featuring a 55-inch door-to-door display. A 19-speaker AKG audio system was standard, with a 36-speaker version available. The Escalade retained standalone wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a hard button for vehicle operation. The smaller control screen offered haptic feedback, though physical knobs were preferred. The optional Executive Second Row Package added 12.6-inch screens, massage seats, and headrest speakers, elevating the luxury experience.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came equipped with the Lincoln CoPilot 360 suite of ADAS features, including lane-keeping assist, park assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking. The hands-free Blue Cruise 1.2 technology was available on all trims, with a trial period for lower trims and standard on the Black Label. The 2023 Nautilus received high safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, though the 2024 model had not yet been rated.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade offered standard driver-assist features such as adaptive cruise control, blind-zone steering assist, and automatic emergency braking. GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving system was available, allowing for hands-free driving on mapped roads. The Escalade's safety features included a vibrating Safety Alert Seat and teen-driver monitoring. Current crash-test ratings were unavailable at the time of publication.