Cadillac News: 2026 Escalade IQL Electric Sibling to the Escalade ESV

[G. David Felt]

Cadillac continues to deliver on their move to being the standard of the world again in luxury autos and their move to an electric product line supported by an ICE product line. Cadillac had originally set a timeline of all ICE autos to be ended by 2030 but due to slow global sales, has taken the end date of ICE luxury autos off the table and will instead stop production with EVs clearly outsell ICE.

With their recent delivery of the OPTIQ, Vistiq, and LYRIQ V EV's to the Cadillac family, Cadillac has moved forward with expanding the Escalade family having equal standard and extended length SUVs with the 2026 Escalade IQL. The IQL edition takes the best part of the Escalade IQ and adds additional passenger and cargo capacity for those that need extra space.

Cadillac has had the bestselling full-size luxury SUV in North America since 2014 and the Escalade IQL will further that lead. The Escalade IQL has been engineered to have a unique character while maximizing spaciousness for passengers in a three row configuration with ample storage throughout the cabin and in the rear.

The Escalade IQL offers class leading cargo space with a eTrunk (frunk) that holds 12.2 cubic feet of cargo and behind the 3rd row seat an additional 24.2 cubic feet. With the third row folded into the floor you then have 75.4 cubic feet of cargo and once the second row is folded a total of 125.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Cargo capacity is not the only thing as the Escalade IQL has a Max Trailering capacity of 7,500 lbs.

The Escalade IQL delivers interior space where it counts as the EV version gains four inches of additional legroom for the third-row seat passengers from 32.3" in the ICE version to 36.7" in the EV version. The third-row seat also gains an inch of headroom, 38.2" versus 37.2" in the ice model.

Carrying the tech-forward luxurious accommodations, the Escalade IQL has an available Executive second row package that  features the following:

• 12.6-inch-diagonal personal screens
• Stowable tray tables
• Dual wireless phone charging pads
• Massage seats
• Heated and Cooled seats
• 14-way power adjustable seats
• Rear command center screen

Cadillac continues to deliver on class leading technology with an enhanced in-cabin experience:

• A curved pillar-to-pillar 55-inch total diagonal display for an immersive and personalized infotainment experience with voice control, navigation, an app store and dedicated ESCALADE IQL graphics.
• Seating available for up to seven total passengers, with a power folding third-row, which folds flat for more storage
• Standard AKG 4 Studio 21-speaker audio system, with available AKG Studio Reference 38-speaker system, which increases to 42 speakers with available Executive Second Row package. The AKG audio system also features custom-tuned speakers and amplifier content.
• Dolby Atmos® for deeper depth, clarity, and detail when listening to music and entertainment
• Standard Super Cruise5 driver assistance technology on all trims (3 years OnStar Super Cruise plan6)
• Available 5G Wi-Fi® hotspot capability7 connected by OnStar, along with a comprehensive suite of OnStar safety and connected services that enhances each journey and delivers extra peace of mind
• Ample passenger entertainment options, including HD streaming and browser compatibility, so customers can log into any streaming app and watch
• The Escalade IQL also comes equipped with vehicle-to-home (V2H) bidirectional charging capabilities, which when paired with the GM Energy V2H Bundle, allows for the transfer of energy between the vehicle and a properly equipped home during times of need.

Performance is another area that Cadillac delivers on with the Escalade IQL. Cadillac-estimated 460 miles of range on a full charge and recovery of range of 116 miles per 10 minutes on a public DC Fast Charging Station.

The ESCALADE IQL enables a lifestyle with no compromise – customers can expect more space but the same iconic performance, including:

• 750 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque (with driver-selectable Velocity Max Cadillac estimate)
• 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds (with driver-selectable Velocity Max Cadillac estimate)
• A Cadillac-estimated max towing capacity of 7500 lbs
• 205 kWh battery pack
• Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 and Air Ride Adaptive suspension isolate passengers from undesirable road surfaces while providing precise steering and feel
• Isolated Precision, Cadillac’s ride and handling philosophy – quiet, smooth and effortless with a strong connection to the road
• Independent front and rear suspension
• 24-inch wheels and 35-inch tires
• Suite of standard active safety and driver assistance features
• Standard Super Cruise the industry's first truly hand-free driver assistance technology (with three years of OnStar connected service)

The ESCALADE IQL will be offered in four trims – Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury, and Premium Sport. MSRP starts at $132,695 including destination freight charge, and excluding tax, title and dealer fees. Dealer sets final price.

Get the latest updated info from Cadillac web site here: All-New 2026 ESCALADE IQL | Large Electric SUV | Cadillac

View full article

[smk4565]

This thing is just too large.

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

This thing is just too large.

When you have a family that is all over 6ft for woman, 6'3" for men, this is perfect size for large family of large people.

[smk4565]

50 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

When you have a family that is all over 6ft for woman, 6'3" for men, this is perfect size for large family of large people.

You should be able to get interior space without a vehicle being this large, it is bigger than the Ford Excursion.

The ID Buzz could fit six 6-foot people in it with ease and is smaller than this.

[G. David Felt]

8 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

You should be able to get interior space without a vehicle being this large, it is bigger than the Ford Excursion.

The ID Buzz could fit six 6-foot people in it with ease and is smaller than this.

ASSumption is what makes ASS out of people. ASSumption is what the ID Buzz is a FAILURE at. 6ft is not my 6FT 6" size. You are making the wrong assumption that a vehicle that is large is not needed. German car companies seem to have in the last few decades FAILED at making roomy autos for the large folks.

To ASSUME everyone is the same leg length, body length, shoulder width, etc. is an ERROR that fails to acknowledge that we are all different sizes. 

You SOUND like the folks that see me fuel up and say I can fit in a compact and should not be driving such a large auto.

Let me ask you this:

What is your inseam? This is the measure from the floor to your crotch. Mine is 40", I have long legs and as such seats have to go back farther than most people.

What is your Shoulder width? Mine is 58", which makes airplane seats that are 28" wide a pain for me to sit in no different than most auto's.

To Assume EVERYONE can fit in smaller cars just because some says a bunch of 6 footers can fit in an auto ignores the various measurements that are taken and depending on where they are taken, one size does not fit all.

Yes, I KNOW that I am much larger than most people. I know I have never fit in mid-size or smaller autos till I bought the 2024 EV9 which has far more room inside than my 2006 Escalade.

Does EVERYONE need an Escalade IQL, no, but then we do live in a democracy where last I heard it was a choice. You have a choice to drive a Mercedes just as I have a choice to drive a Cadillac and Kia.

Just so you can see, here is a picture of my wife who is 5'8" tall and myself at 6'6" tall. While my wife is considered tall for Korean, she is considered normal size. I on the other hand am not normal or average size.

[smk4565]

It is still a matter of packaging.  I have not been in an Escalade EV since I don’t know how roomy it is, it better be huge in there.  But i have been in some SUV’s were the 3rd row is basically useless, I think the Volvo EVX90 or whatever it is called is like that.  
 

And this might be an EV issue, the need to shrink the battery so it doesn’t eat cabin space.  And that might take years.

[ccap41]

10 hours ago, smk4565 said:

It is still a matter of packaging.  I have not been in an Escalade EV since I don’t know how roomy it is, it better be huge in there.  But i have been in some SUV’s were the 3rd row is basically useless, I think the Volvo EVX90 or whatever it is called is like that.  
 

And this might be an EV issue, the need to shrink the battery so it doesn’t eat cabin space.  And that might take years.

For somebody who claims all his 6ft+ people fit into an EV9 comfortably, I don't see how this much larger is necessary when an EV9 is plenty of room already. 

[ccap41]

12 hours ago, G. David Felt said:

What is your Shoulder width? Mine is 58"

Your shoulders are not 58" wide. you're trying to say you're nearly FIVE FEET WIDE?!? There is no way you're that wide based simply off of the numbers, but also because of the picture you posted, you're nowhere close to 5 feet wide. 

If I had to put a guess to it, ~16" per shoulder and maybe 8" for your neck and that's still "only" 40 inches, which still seems like a little bit of a stretch. 

[Robert Hall]

7 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Your shoulders are not 58" wide. you're trying to say you're nearly FIVE FEET WIDE?!? There is no way you're that wide based simply off of the numbers, but also because of the picture you posted, you're nowhere close to 5 feet wide. 

If I had to put a guess to it, ~16" per shoulder and maybe 8" for your neck and that's still "only" 40 inches, which still seems like a little bit of a stretch. 

Human Shrek is a biggun'...

[G. David Felt]

4 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Your shoulders are not 58" wide. you're trying to say you're nearly FIVE FEET WIDE?!? There is no way you're that wide based simply off of the numbers, but also because of the picture you posted, you're nowhere close to 5 feet wide. 

If I had to put a guess to it, ~16" per shoulder and maybe 8" for your neck and that's still "only" 40 inches, which still seems like a little bit of a stretch. 

When I go to big n tall store, they measure my shoulder to shoulder with the measuring tape it comes out 58 for the size coat I have to wear. 

I could be misunderstanding, but I thought the way they measure a person for shoulder width in the clothing industry was used by the auto industry in how they refer to shoulder width in an auto.

4 hours ago, ccap41 said:

For somebody who claims all his 6ft+ people fit into an EV9 comfortably, I don't see how this much larger is necessary when an EV9 is plenty of room already. 

True, I can sit in all 6 seats in my EV9 comfy. Yet the difference is that behind the third seat in the EV9 is a small cargo space, much like a regular Escalade/Yukon/Tahoe has a small cargo space. Once you go to the full-size Suburban, Yukon XL or Escalade ESV. You gain the room needed for suite cases or other cargo that would normally go for a full family if on a road trip or going to the airport.

Escalade IQL I see being used by chauffer / private car services as well as big families that need cargo space on top of people hauling space.

[ccap41]

51 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

When I go to big n tall store, they measure my shoulder to shoulder with the measuring tape it comes out 58 for the size coat I have to wear. 

I could be misunderstanding, but I thought the way they measure a person for shoulder width in the clothing industry was used by the auto industry in how they refer to shoulder width in an auto.

I understand that but take a tape measure and pull it out 58", there is no way your shoulders are 58" across. 

You're probably thinking of your overarm measurement, which is a circumference measurement around your shoulders, not a left to right measurement. Which, at 58 inches, at least that's a real size. It could also be your chest size, but that's also a circumference measurement. Either way, you are not 5 feet wide. Just think about how wide that is for a second and it'll make more sense. 

51 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

I could be misunderstanding, but I thought the way they measure a person for shoulder width in the clothing industry was used by the auto industry in how they refer to shoulder width in an auto.

Just for some perspective, if you and a twin sat next to each other in a vehicle, the vehicle would need to be TEN feet wide. 

Your EV9 is 78 inches across on the outside, and 62 inches of shoulder room in the front seats. I'm sure your wife has more than 4 inches of space with you in the driver's seat. 

Edited 3 hours ago by ccap41