2025 Cadillac Escalade-V Test Drive Review – Ridiculously Impressive

There are two things you need to know about the 2025 Cadillac Escalade-V. First? It’s utterly, wonderfully silly. Think adolescent in its behavior, borderline farcical even, with the way it carries itself. Sure, it’s fast, but the roar from its exhaust is more like a scrappy Camaro Z28 chasing glory at a local drag strip than a traditional luxury SUV. If you remember nothing else about Cadillac’s flagship, remember this: it’s ridiculous. And by ridiculous, I mean absolutely glorious.

The second thing is a little trickier to wrap your head around. The Escalade-V makes zero conventional sense. It’s loud, it’s expensive, and it’s unapologetically over-the-top. To appreciate it, you need to reset your expectations — forget luxury SUV norms, forget standard Escalade logic. If you want a first-class Cadillac experience, you get an Escalade. If you want that same first-class experience but with a side of teenage rebellion — the kind that wakes up the HOA at 2 a.m. — then the Escalade-V is your ticket, provided your wallet can handle it.

What Is It?

The Escalade-V isn’t exactly new — it’s been around for a few years — but 2025 brings some noteworthy updates. All Escalades receive a minor facelift that subtly reshapes the front end, but the real headline is the completely redesigned interior, now brimming with screens. For the first time, Cadillac equips it with 24-inch factory wheels, and while there are a few optional upgrades on the high-performance V model — like the Radiant Red paint on my tester for $1,225 — almost every luxury feature comes standard.

For my drive, I wasn’t interested in testing Super Cruise or enjoying a back massage while scanning for deer with the night-vision system. My goal was to see if this three-ton, modern performance SUV could actually deliver a grand touring experience worthy of its bold, V-badged pedigree. That meant heading to the Leelanau Peninsula in Northern Michigan, deep in wine country, where winding roads along the Lake Michigan shoreline demand a careful balance of poise, comfort, and raw power.

Exterior Looks: Baller Status – With Just A Hint Of ‘Tude

Having driven the more pedestrian Escalade trims, I expected the V to turn a few more heads. Imagine my surprise — and slight disappointment — when it mostly blended into the crowd of SUVs on American streets. The Escalade-V certainly has presence, led by its bold black mesh grille, but that’s really its main visual statement. Sure, the quad exhaust tips and prominent V badges hint at performance, but only enthusiasts paying close attention will catch them. Cadillac leans toward a more restrained look for its performance SUV, which I actually appreciate. At this price, though, I suspect buyers might not mind a bit more flair.

Even so, the Escalade already stands out as the sharpest-looking GM full-size SUV, and the 2025 facelift only enhances that. Slimmer headlights and a deeper grille give the front end more presence, while the massive 24-inch black wheels manage to look perfectly in proportion rather than overbearing. Paired with the Radiant Red paint and heavily tinted windows, the Escalade-V projects just the right amount of attitude — sophisticated yet subtly menacing. That is, unless you leave it in V mode while cruising through town — but we’ll get to that later. For now, know that this SUV looks balanced, commanding, and downright impressive from nearly every angle.

Interior & On-Board Technology: Maximum Digital, But Not Intimidating

Sure, everyone’s dying to hear about the Escalade-V’s booming engine, but honestly, its revamped interior might be the real star of the show. This is true across all Escalade trims, but the V adds some extra flair with carbon fiber accents and digital red highlights stretching across a massive 55.0-inch screen that spans the entire dash. Previous models had three separate displays, but now the driver and center screens merge into 35.0 inches of seamless real estate, while the remaining 20.0 inches are dedicated entirely to the passenger for entertainment.

That’s not all. Sitting atop the chunky center console is another touchscreen controlling the heated and cooled front seats — including multiple massage settings — along with climate controls and a range of vehicle-specific features like headlights. The interface is fully touch-operated, with satisfying haptic feedback for every adjustment. And to keep rear passengers entertained, the V comes standard with two 12.6-inch screens mounted on the front headrests. Pair them with headphones, and middle-seat riders can stream YouTube, Hulu, play games, and generally stay fully occupied on longer drives.

The result is a fully digital cockpit, but it never feels cold or minimalist like a Tesla. Nor does it resemble a futuristic space capsule like a Hyperscreen-equipped Mercedes. It’s ultra-modern yet welcoming, intuitive, and far from intimidating. There are just enough physical controls to keep things straightforward, though a few extra buttons for essentials like headlights or temperature control would be handy. At least there’s a drive mode dial to toggle easily between Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice, Custom, and V modes — plus a dedicated big red V button that instantly engages full V performance. From behind the wheel, it’s a great place to be.

For second- and third-row passengers, the story is a bit different. Space is plentiful — arguably some of the best in any full-size SUV, allowing seven adults to ride in genuine comfort. But the second-row screens block forward visibility, and in the third row, the massive C-pillar limits side views. If your passengers don’t mind what’s happening outside, it’s fine. Otherwise, claustrophobic family members might prefer the first two rows… or, depending on your sense of humor, maybe the third row is just the right spot for them.

As a driver, my biggest gripe with the Escalade-V’s cabin is the carbon fiber trim. It stretches across the dash in front of the massive screen, crowns the doors, and wraps around the center console near the cupholders. But instead of feeling premium, it’s excessively glossy, encased in clear plastic, and looks cheap — a surprising misstep in a vehicle approaching $200,000. On bright days, it reflects sunlight heavily, sometimes becoming a genuine distraction while driving.

Infotainment: Clean, Clever, But A Bit Clunky

Because the Escalade’s massive new screen sits so far forward, Cadillac’s multi-function control knob in the center console becomes the go-to for navigating the infotainment system. After nearly three weeks across various 2025 Escalades, I still haven’t fully mastered it. The dial rotates left or right, can be pulled in different directions to move through menus, and pushed down to make selections. Sounds simple, but switching between navigation and audio sources can get confusing at times.

Thankfully, the touchscreen still works as expected, so if you don’t mind leaning forward, tapping what you want is easy. The display is crisp and responsive, though I did notice occasional lag. Feature-wise, there’s little that’s truly new. Cadillac’s AKG Studio sound system, with its myriad of speakers, fills the cabin beautifully. The infotainment bundle includes everything from games to news, music, and Google built-in, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remain standard for seamless smartphone integration.

Performance: Supercharged Freight Train

Finally — the moment you’ve been waiting for. Spoiler: the Escalade-V is seriously fast. It should be, considering the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 cranks out 682 horsepower. It’s also loud — shockingly so — which is a far cry from the normally restrained Escalade. Sure, you can dial down the noise with V-mode customization, or even engage stealth mode if you prefer quiet cruising. But let’s be honest: that burly engine and its rebellious exhaust note are the V’s pièce de résistance. If you’re not planning to enjoy it, you might as well save $50,000 and stick with a standard Escalade.

Take full V-mode on the highway, for example. My apologies to the family in the Honda Odyssey with five mountain bikes on the back — you kept accelerating and slowing down, and honestly, that bike rack looked sketchy enough that I had to pass. Once I did, I completely forgot that in V-mode, this thing screams like a NASCAR car at full tilt and backfires like a gun range every time you lift off the throttle. I promise, it wasn’t personal — it’s just what the Escalade-V does.

Performance Impressions

The Escalade-V is quick, but maybe not as instant as you’d imagine. Cadillac claims a zero-to-60 mph sprint in 4.4 seconds, and a few unofficial stopwatch runs got me just under five — so the official number seems legit. The thing is, the V8 has to move a lot of mass: 6,361 pounds in the standard model, and a whopping 6,519 pounds if you opt for the longer ESV. That means you won’t get the stomach-flipping punch you might expect from a nearly 700-horsepower engine.

To put it in perspective, floor the gas in V-mode and here’s what happens:

• Angry V8 noises erupt

• Rear squats down

• Gravity wave number one hits (mild)

• Louder angry V8 noises follow

• Gravity wave number two hits (not mild)

• Loudest angry V8 noises yet

• Pops between the 1-2 shift

• Bystanders searching for a Corvette because, seriously, no SUV should sound like this

And fuel economy? Fuggedaboutit. I averaged around 17 mpg cruising the highway, but hitting the twisty roads near Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes dropped it to roughly 13 mpg — right in line with the EPA’s 11 city, 17 highway, 13 combined ratings. If you resist temptation and drive gently, you might squeeze close to 20 mpg, but anyone dropping six figures on a performance SUV probably isn’t worried about fuel numbers.

Ride and Handling

Here’s where the Escalade-V shows a bit of its limits. It gets its own dampers and V-specific calibrations for the standard Magnetic Ride Control suspension. But that system is already excellent in the regular Escalade — and in the Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon where it’s optional — so the difference isn’t night and day. Crank everything up to maximum attack and you’ll notice slightly tighter steering, a more sensitive brake pedal, a bit less body roll through corners, and yes, it’s loud. But no matter what, the Escalade’s massive bulk is impossible to ignore every time you turn. This isn’t a supersized GT car.

That said, it’s still impressive for a monster SUV. You can carry a brisk pace through corners without feeling seasick, and when you hit the six-piston Brembos, the V hauls itself to a stop like a cargo plane landing on an aircraft carrier. It doesn’t want to stop that fast, but somehow, it manages. In many ways, the V reminds me (and likely many other Gen Xers) of middle age: it can move quickly and jump around, but it’s far too heavy to do so with complete abandon. The upside? You barely feel any bumps, even with the suspension dialed up. So there’s that.

Pricing & Verdict: It Doesn’t Make Sense, But I’m Glad It Exists

Here’s where things get a little wild. The Escalade-V I drove had a sticker price of $163,215, including destination, but Cadillac’s website now lists the exact same model at $171,220. Sure, you can name plenty of high-performance SUVs that are faster or more thrilling to drive — the BMW Alpina XB7 and the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat immediately come to mind. Both cost less than the Escalade-V, but neither matches its level of comfort, and the Durango is easily outclassed when it comes to luxury.

In reality, nothing quite matches the Escalade-V’s combination of luxury, comfort, and performance. Even the Bentley Bentayga or Rolls-Royce Cullinan can’t touch it in terms of interior space and horsepower — and those bruisers come with an even higher price tag. It’s easy to scoff at Cadillac’s sky-high sticker, but once you experience the Escalade-V, it’s clear this SUV occupies a category all its own. To truly appreciate it, you have to suspend a little disbelief.

You’re not paying $171,220 for the ultimate performance SUV — and that’s the point. The Escalade-V isn’t designed to be a backroads hero, nor will it lure die-hard enthusiasts away from BMW or Porsche. It’s a massive, unapologetic muscle machine for those who don’t take themselves too seriously. It’s a rowdy bull for thrill-seekers, yet it can transform into a polished, elegant carriage for black-tie affairs when needed. In short, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade-V doesn’t make sense — not at this price, and maybe not at any price.

But then again, the best things in life rarely make sense. And maybe that’s exactly what makes this outrageously silly SUV so ridiculously, wonderfully good.