Cadillac Escalade vs Hyundai Ioniq 5

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade maintains the momentum of one of the most recognizable SUV nameplates. The current-generation Escalade was introduced as a 2021 model, but for 2025 it gets a refresh that includes styling changes and a redesigned dashboard display. The all-electric 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ joins the lineup as well, but that’s covered in a separate review. This gasoline Escalade competes against full-size luxury SUVs like the BMW X7, Infiniti QX80, Land Rover Range Rover, Lexus LX, Lincoln Navigator, and Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class.

Verdict: If you’re willing to spend extra on a well-optioned example, the Escalade is a credible luxury vehicle. But its platform’s shortcomings can’t be erased.

It would appear to be the calendar, not the competition, that has the Ioniq 5 due for a mid-cycle refresh. We liked it when it burst onto the scene as an angular oddball in a sea of soft-lined sameness, and it has only improved over the last few years.

Verdict: Hyundai makes minor but welcome changes and avoids tweaking the many things that were working well, successfully making a good thing better.