2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ First Drive: Blasting Celine Dion In This Larger Than Life EV

As I was Supercruising my way down the freeway in the all-electric Escalade IQ, never really feeling its enormous 24-inch wheels making contact with spring-thawed crater-like potholes as its 10,000-pound structure took in the beating, I wondered who this vehicle was really for.

The IQ is obviously very expensive. It’s also as large as a Ford Super Duty pickup truck, and loaded with the sort of tech, ambient lighting and amenities you’d normally find in a Vegas limousine taxi. But who has this much money to spend on a vehicle that’ll depreciate faster than it takes a 350-kW fast-charger to charge its battery? A three-row, full-size electric SUV equipped with an Executive second-row package that essentially renders the third row obsolete? Celine Dion, that’s who.

Just like the IQ, Celine knows how to make an entrance. She’s larger than life, louder than loud, and all about giving you a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience. Like this electric Escalade, Celine is the embodiment of “the show must go on”. So, as I embraced the slew of opulent features this Cadillac had to offer, I blasted The Power of Love in the IQ’s crystal-clear, 36-speaker AKG audio system, and pretended I was Celine’s personal chauffeur for an entire week.

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ First Impressions: Massive And Modern, But Still Clearly An Escalade

While the regular, gasoline-powered Escalade preserves a conservative, square-jawed look, the IQ goes about its design in a more contemporary fashion. While still essentially a large block on wheels, its edges are smoother, the overall shape has more roundness to it and the truck looks significantly more modern. Yet, it’s still instantly recognizable as an Escalade.

It’s also enormous, tipping the scale at more than 10,000 pounds (an estimate based on its sister models). The IQ is 12 inches longer than a regular, standard-wheelbase Escalade. It’s one inch wider and rides on a wheelbase that’s 15 inches longer. Cadillac will even sell you a longer, L version.

A lot of the design, however, is reliant on the truck’s LED lighting, which beautifully decorates the front fascia while fooling the eye that what you’re looking at are grille elements. In reality, they’re nothing more than a series of small LEDs hiding behind a large slab of plastic. So, in order to fully appreciate the IQ, it’s best if you keep those headlights on.

While on the topic of exterior lighting, the IQ’s entire rear section is similar to Cadillac’s more recent electric vehicle (EV) offerings; vehicles like the OPTIQ and VISTIQ SUVs. The symbolic vertical LED taillights have been broken up into two separate sections, with the bottom one finishing off in a hockey stick fashion towards the front. It definitely gives the IQ a more elegant look, but from some angles, those taillights also look sort of weird. Overall, though, I like the way this thing looks, especially painted in the Flare Metallic color you see here.

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Exterior Dimensions

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ: Differences Between The U.S. And Canadian Market

Both the U.S. and Canadian markets sell the Escalade IQ in the same four available trim levels: Luxury 1, Sport 1, Luxury 2, and Sport 2, and both markets sell it with standard dual-motor all-wheel-drive. Both markets also sell the same six paint colors, while optional packages are basically identical. That includes the $8,870 ($9,000 CAD) Executive second-row seating package my tester was equipped with.

U.S. Versus Canada Lineup Breakdown And Starting MSRP (model tested in bold)

Driving Impressions And Performance: How Can Something This Large Be So Fast?

Like its internal combustion engine (ICE) sibling, the IQ is all about big numbers. Underneath its Escalade outfit hides a common architecture with the GMC Hummer EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and GMC Sierra EV. It’s the GM Ultium Large Platform, with a battery capacity that’s twice the size of a Tesla Model S’ at a staggering 205 kWh. The total combined output when engaging the Velocity Max mode is 750 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque. When things are rolled back to its default setting, that output drops to 680 hp and 615 lb-ft. Cadillac says the IQ will hit 60 MPH from a standstill in 4.7 seconds. Let that sink in for a moment.

Sure, the IQ may not come with the same aural soundtrack as the Escalade-V, which is actually a tad quicker than this to 60 MPH at a claimed 4.3 seconds. But that’s fine, as the IQ bends the laws of physics, suddenly shrinking underneath you, and feeling a lot more playful than something this big ought to be. I’m not saying this is a nimble machine, nor does it provide any sort of feedback. It’s all very numb, actually. But it’s the level of athleticism here that boggles the mind.

Stomp the accelerator from a standstill, and the IQ squats down and lounges forward with maximum force. You’d better be hanging on tight to that steering wheel, because this EV will tug and pull if you’re not paying attention. Yet, enter a corner too quickly with it, and there’s never a sense that excessive weight is an issue. It’s all composed, compliant, and reactive.

The IQ actually feels more like a very large hatchback than the semi-body-on-frame rig it actually is. Brakes are also brilliant, with a firm bite when things start getting out of control, which, again, is mind-blowing considering what they’re in charge of slowing down. GM’s always excellent and adjustable regenerative braking helps enhance the braking performance. And yes, you can actually drive the IQ using only one pedal.

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Technical Specifications

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Energy Consumption, Range, And Charging

Like its Ultium siblings, the IQ is equipped with an 800-volt architecture, allowing it to fast charge at a rate of 350 kW on a compatible charger in optimal conditions. The onboard charger for level 2 home charging can vary between 11.5 and 19.2 kW depending on your home setup. Range, according to GM, is rated at 460 miles. Oh, here’s another larger-than-life fact about the IQ: it’s exempt from EPA testing and labeling because its Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) exceeds 10,000 pounds.

As for me, I recorded a 2.5-km (1.6-mile) per kWh average after 800 km (497 miles) of driving. This equates to 513 km (319 miles) of real-world range. However, my sole attempt at fast-charging the IQ on a 180-kW unit at 12 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Farenheit) for 18 minutes resulted in disappointing results. The truck barely hit 120 kW, and dwindled towards the 100-kW mark the rest of the time, with only a very slight increase in speed towards the end of its charging cycle.

EPA And As Tested Energy Consumption And Range

Interior Design And Comfort: Welcome To The Nightclub

Perhaps where the IQ makes much more of a statement than its gasoline equivalent is in its interior. Never mind the massive leather seats front and rear loaded with massaging and ergonomic features, or all four doors that can be electronically operated from a distance. The IQ’s showpiece is when the sun goes down as its ambient lighting enhances its already jet-set interior. Meanwhile, the AKG sound system sounds like it was sourced out of a discotheque.

It’s all very retromodern in there, too, with a dashboard, steering wheel and door designs that integrate queues from old Cadillacs. The dashboard, underneath a giant 55-inch curved display that spans the width of the cabin from pillar to pillar (more on that later), is essentially a large slab of what appears to be marble. It’s designed a bit like a shelf, or, as a friend who rode along joked, a bar. Sadly, you don’t need to manipulate that slab long to notice it’s actually just plastic. It also annoyingly cracks and bends when you fiddle with it, which had me questioning my test unit’s nearly $200,000 (CDN) price tag.

The Executive seating package for the second row definitely enhances the experience. Both passengers have access to a slew of massaging features and seat adjustments, as well as the ability to operate some of the vehicle’s settings, such as ambient lighting. They also each get a retractable table from the center storage compartment.

But if you plan on utilizing your IQ’s practicality, you might want to skip the Executive package due to how it obstructs third-row access. Getting those big thrones out of the way will require patience as you hold down a tiny button hidden behind the C pillar. And once tilted forward, those seats don’t give you much room to slide yourself through. Furthermore, third-row passengers will quickly get annoyed by how the tall Executive second row blocks most of their forward visibility.

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use: Screen Galore! But With Some Limited Possibilities

If you’re not a fan of screens in cars, then I suggest you look elsewhere. In total, the IQ I was driving had five of them, with the main one on the dashboard actually composed of three separate screens, totaling eight. It’s a lot to take in, but you quickly wrap your head around it. Here’s a quick rundown of what each screen does:

Main 55-Inch Curved Display

This is the classic layout that most carmakers flock to. That large screen encompasses the infotainment system in the center, the instrument cluster on the left, and an auxiliary screen on the right for the front passenger. The latter can be connected to a separate device for projection purposes. When not in use, it displays basic information, like the IQ’s energy consumption and available range.

Generally speaking, this is an easy setup to operate, either through touch controls or the available rotary knob dial. Cadillac also puts quick physical keys at your disposal to quickly access vital menus such as audio or navigation. This is GM’s latest native Google infotainment interface that requires you to sign in using a Google account. Once this is completed, you can directly download your apps onto the system like you would on any other device. YouTube, for instance, can be downloaded onto the central screen for viewing when parked. Unfortunately, those streaming apps cannot be sent to the car’s other screens for your passengers to enjoy, which is a huge letdown.

Two Smaller Central Screens

Both front and rear passengers have access to a smaller, tablet-like screen to operate some of the IQ’s key functions, such as the climate control system, ambient lighting, seat features, regenerative braking performance, the electronically-operated doors, ambient lighting, and even the available crab walk feature thanks to rear-wheel-steering.

Rear Entertainment Screens

Finally, a set of rear entertainment screens were put there for your passengers to connect to an external device via an HDMI port in order to view a movie, a TV series or play a video game. Those screens also allow you to independently sync a pair of headphones. When not connected to anything, they display basic information about the car, similar to the front passenger screen.

Cargo And Storage Space: Front Or Rear, There’s Plenty Of Room

One benefit of having the Executive package was that I decided to basically ignore the third row altogether, and lowered it flat to grant me more cargo space. This was perfect for carrying the dog around, as I knew I could also rely on the IQ’s front trunk (frunk) for the remainder of my cargo. Interestingly enough, although the IQ is a bigger SUV than the regular Escalade (25.5 cu-ft/72.9 cu-ft/120.5 cu-ft), it doesn’t necessarily offer more cargo space, either when its rear seats are in place or not. That being said, the presence of a front storage compartment allows the IQ to make up for its cargo space deficit.

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Cargo Space

The New King Of SUVs Is An EV

The Escalade nameplate has a lot resting on its shoulders. It’s Cadillac’s best-selling vehicle, but also its flagship. With that comes the reputation for being the biggest and baddest SUV on sale. Thanks to its collection of big numbers and an overly ostentatious presence, the Escalade is the undisputed king of SUVs.

Does the IQ have what it takes to carry that crown? From the numbers alone, it sure can. My example also attracted a lot of attention and stares, so the IQ definitely has road presence. It also loses none of the bling and party animal vibes of its sibling. If anything, electrification has elevated the Escalade nameplate’s level of refinement and performance, while enhancing its luxury experience. Only time will tell if buyers will embrace it. But the IQ sure carries that crown well, as it’s a Titanic SUV. If Celine Dion were looking to upgrade her personal fleet, then the IQ would be a worthy candidate.