2025 Cadillac Escalade vs 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was a striking vehicle with a design that captured attention on the streets. Its exterior styling was reminiscent of a long sedan, despite being an SUV, with a long hood and low ground clearance. The design drew inspiration from the classic Seville, featuring a long wheelbase, short tail, and wide track. The front of the LYRIQ was adorned with vertical light bars and nine LED headlights that performed a light show upon unlocking. The grille varied across trims, with the Sport trim showcasing a dark triangular motif. The LYRIQ's wraparound taillights and vertical lights on the fenders created a bold presence, while the interior boasted luxurious details like leather-wrapped seats, polished controls, and a sweeping 33-inch OLED display. However, the floating center console was a design misstep, offering little functionality.

In contrast, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade embodied old-school luxury with its updated design. The exterior featured a new front end that aligned it with Cadillac's EV lineup, with large vertical headlights and tall taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillac tailfins. The Escalade offered 24-inch wheels for the first time, enhancing its imposing presence. Inside, Cadillac worked to differentiate the Escalade from its GM siblings, introducing a 55-inch display that spanned the dashboard. The interior was available in various trims, with options for real leather and curated motifs. The Premium Luxury Platinum model impressed with its Whisper Beige upholstery and wood trim, showcasing a level of refinement unexpected from a mainstream automaker.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ, despite its sporty appearance, prioritized comfort over performance. It excelled on the interstate, offering a calm and poised ride with a dual-motor powertrain delivering 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. The standard setup was a single rear motor with 340 hp and 325 lb-ft. The LYRIQ's 102-kilowatt-hour battery provided a claimed range of 314 miles with RWD and 307 miles with AWD, though real-world testing showed closer to 260 miles. Charging was efficient, with the battery reaching 80 percent in about 30 to 35 minutes. However, the LYRIQ's handling was hindered by its weight, resulting in understeer and uninspiring steering feel. The absence of handling-enhancing features like torque vectoring and magnetic dampers was noticeable.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade, on the other hand, offered a naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine with 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The Escalade-V variant boasted a supercharged V8 with 682 hp and 653 lb-ft. All models featured a 10-speed automatic transmission, providing smooth shifts and efficient highway cruising. The Escalade offered RWD as standard, with 4WD optional, and the Escalade-V had a performance-oriented AWD system. Magnetic Ride Control damping was standard on most trims, but the Escalade's handling couldn't match that of luxury competitors. The V8 provided strong acceleration, but the brakes lacked confidence, though a performance upgrade package with Brembo calipers was available.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced challenges in build quality and functionality. Misaligned rear fenders, a loose charging port, and a problematic pull-out tray were notable issues. The glovebox was inconvenient to access while driving, and the floating console offered limited space. The rotary selector for the touchscreen was less intuitive than direct touch, and drive mode selection required navigating multiple menus. Despite these drawbacks, the LYRIQ provided generous headroom and legroom, though cargo space was limited at 28 cubic feet behind the seats and 60.8 cubic feet when folded.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade offered ample interior space, with both short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase configurations. The Escalade ESV provided additional cargo space and third-row legroom. Seating for up to eight was available, with options for second-row captain's chairs. The Escalade excelled in first-row headroom and legroom, though competitors offered more space in the second and third rows. Cargo capacity was impressive, with the standard model offering 25.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and up to 121 cubic feet with seats folded. The ESV further expanded cargo space, making it a leader in the segment. The Escalade's towing capacity met expectations, though it lacked some towing features offered by competitors.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ featured a 33-inch OLED screen with three sections, offering touch-enabled controls for lighting and trip information. The infotainment system ran Google Maps and Google Assistant, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The Super Cruise system provided excellent hands-free driving capabilities, with a helpful colored bar on the steering wheel indicating system status. The 19-speaker AKG stereo delivered impressive sound quality.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade combined traditional engineering with advanced technology. The 55-inch display spanned the dashboard, incorporating a digital instrument cluster, infotainment touchscreen, and front-passenger touchscreen. Climate controls were managed via a tablet-like touchscreen, with a rotary dial for additional functions. The Escalade offered a 19-speaker AKG audio system as standard, with a 36-speaker version available. The interface was user-friendly, with standalone wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The optional Executive Second Row Package added luxury features for rear passengers, including screens, wireless chargers, and massage seats.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS at the time of writing. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and Cadillac's Safety Alert Seat. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera system, and rear emergency braking.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade came equipped with a comprehensive suite of driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control, blind-zone steering assist, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. The Safety Alert Seat provided warnings through vibrations, and Super Cruise offered hands-free driving on mapped roads. While crash-test ratings were unavailable, the Escalade's safety features were extensive.