2025 Cadillac Escalade vs 2025 Jeep Wrangler

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade continued to embody the essence of old-school Cadillac luxury, having evolved significantly since its debut as a 1999 model. It stood as the largest and most expensive Cadillac, aside from the low-volume Celestiq EV. The updated design for 2025 further distinguished the Escalade from its platform-sharing siblings, the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon XL. The most notable exterior change was a new front end that aligned the gasoline Escalade stylistically with the Escalade IQ and other Cadillac EVs. The headlights were redesigned as large vertical bars, complemented by smaller horizontal daytime running lights. At the rear, the Escalade retained its tall, vertical taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillac tailfins. For the first time, 24-inch wheels were available, enhancing the vehicle's imposing presence.

Inside, Cadillac made significant efforts to differentiate the Escalade from other GM full-size SUVs. The 2025 model featured a 55-inch OLED curved display that spanned the entire dashboard, replacing the previous 38-inch version. The interior offered a range of luxurious materials, including real leather and semi-aniline leather options. The Premium Luxury Platinum model boasted an illuminated Cadillac crest and grille surround, while the Escalade-V featured Jet Black leather with carbon fiber trim. The Whisper Beige upholstery and wood trim in the Premium Luxury Platinum test car were impressively finished, making it hard to believe the SUV shared a platform with a Chevy.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler Sport S, encountered during a rental experience in Hawaii, presented a stark contrast to the Escalade. The black-on-black color scheme was less than ideal for the tropical climate, but the Wrangler's design allowed for open-air driving, mitigating the heat. Jeep offered the 2025 Wrangler in various trims, including Sport, Sport S, Willys, Sahara, Rubicon, Rubicon X, and Rubicon 392. The Rubicon 392 stood out with its powerful 470-horsepower 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine and a six-figure price tag. The Wrangler's interior was functional, with a focus on durability and utility. Despite its nearly $50,000 sticker price, the Sport S model's interior featured gray fabric dashboard trim, metallic accents, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The Wrangler's design drew upon themes of American freedom, with its roots in a World War II military vehicle and its capability to traverse diverse terrains.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade offered a naturally-aspirated gasoline 6.2-liter V8 engine, producing 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. While the diesel option was dropped, the V8 remained a solid choice, though it fell short of the Lincoln Navigator's twin-turbo V6 in terms of power. The Escalade-V, however, featured a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, delivering an impressive 682 horsepower and 653 pound-feet of torque. All Escalade models were equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission, providing a balance of low and high ratios for efficient driving. Rear-wheel drive was standard, with four-wheel drive optional on most models. The Escalade-V boasted a model-specific all-wheel drive system designed for performance driving. Magnetic Ride Control damping was standard on all but the base Luxury grade, enhancing ride quality. However, the Escalade's handling couldn't match that of a Range Rover or BMW X7, and its brakes lacked confidence without the optional Brembo six-piston front calipers.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler offered a choice between a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a six-speed manual transmission and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The four-cylinder engine produced 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, offering slightly better fuel efficiency than the V6. During a week-long evaluation in Hawaii, the four-cylinder Wrangler achieved an average fuel economy of 19.2 mpg. The Wrangler's standard four-wheel drive, high ground clearance, and generous approach and departure angles made it well-suited for off-road adventures. However, its ride was rough, and the steering felt disconnected. The Wrangler's three-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA was a concern, emphasizing the need for caution when driving laterally across slopes.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade was available in both short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase configurations, with the latter offering increased cargo space and third-row legroom. The Escalade ESV, with its extended wheelbase, provided 41.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 94.1 cubic feet behind the second row, and 142.8 cubic feet behind the first row. The standard-length model offered 25.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, 72.9 cubic feet behind the second row, and 121 cubic feet behind the front seats. The Escalade's towing capacity was 8,100 pounds for the standard-wheelbase model and 8,000 pounds for the ESV. While it met segment expectations, it lacked some of the towing features offered by competitors like the Lincoln Navigator.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler's high ground clearance and narrow door openings made entry and exit challenging. The Sport S trim level featured comfortable front seats with cloth upholstery, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. Rear-seat legroom was adequate, but taller passengers needed to be cautious of the plastic hooks on the front seatback panels. Storage space was limited, with small items often ending up in cupholders. Cargo access was cumbersome, requiring the tailgate to be opened and the hardtop's rear window lifted. The Wrangler offered 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 72.4 cubic feet by folding the back seat down.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade featured a 55-inch door-to-door display, incorporating a digital instrument cluster, central infotainment touchscreen, and front-passenger touchscreen. Climate controls were managed by a tablet-like touchscreen below, along with a rotary dial. A 19-speaker AKG audio system was standard, with a 36-speaker version available. The Escalade retained standalone wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a hard button for vehicle operation. The optional Executive Second Row Package included 12.6-inch screens, dual wireless device chargers, and upgraded seats with massage and headrest speakers.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler's Uconnect 5 infotainment system featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio preparation. The Sport S model came with an eight-speaker stereo, with a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system optional. Jeep Connect offered navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, Adventure Guides, and GPS Trail Logs for off-road navigation. The Convenience Group pack added a 7-inch digital display between the analog gauges, passive entry, and a remote engine starting system.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade came equipped with standard driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control, blind-zone steering assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, and a 360-degree camera system. The Escalade also featured GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving system, which had improved since previous tests. However, crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler introduced side curtain airbags as standard equipment for the front and rear seats. Advanced driver assistance systems were optional, with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert available on most trims. Forward collision warning with automatic braking was standard on the Wrangler Sahara. The Wrangler received a four-star frontal-impact rating and a three-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA. The IIHS awarded the Wrangler a Good rating for side-impact protection and a Marginal rating in the small overlap frontal-impact test.