2025 Cadillac Escalade vs 2024 Land Rover Defender

The 2024 Land Rover Defender presented a unique blend of classic and modern design elements. Its boxy profile was reminiscent of older models, yet it incorporated contemporary features like angular headlights that aligned it with the current Land Rover lineup. Inside, the Defender felt robust and adventure-ready, with an interior that leaned more towards durability than luxury, akin to a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco, but with softer materials. The Defender was available in three body styles: the two-door 90, the four-door 110, and the extended-wheelbase four-door 130, each offering various trims. Our test drive of the Defender 110 S, the most popular configuration, revealed a vehicle equipped with numerous standard features, including 19-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, and a panoramic glass roof, with options for premium leather and additional climate control features.

In contrast, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade embodied the pinnacle of Cadillac luxury, stepping in as the modern successor to the Fleetwoods and DeVilles. The updated design further distinguished it from its platform-sharing siblings, the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon XL. The most notable exterior change was the new front end, aligning the gasoline Escalade with Cadillac's EV lineup, featuring large vertical headlights and 24-inch wheels. Inside, Cadillac worked to mask its shared platform origins, introducing a 55-inch display that spanned the dashboard, enhancing the high-tech feel. The Escalade offered various trims, including the performance-oriented Escalade-V, with interior options ranging from synthetic leather to semi-aniline leather, and curated motifs for a personalized touch. Our Premium Luxury Platinum test model impressed with its Whisper Beige upholstery and wood trim, showcasing a level of finish unexpected from a mainstream automaker.

The 2024 Land Rover Defender offered a range of powertrains, starting with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the P300, delivering 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Our P400 test model featured a mild-hybrid turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six, producing 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. Two supercharged 5.0-litre V8 options, the P500 and P525, offered 493 hp and 518 hp, respectively. All engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time active four-wheel drive. The Defender's towing capacity varied, with the six-cylinder and eight-cylinder models capable of towing up to 3,500 kilograms, while the four-cylinder could tow up to 2,500 kilograms. The most powerful V8 accelerated the Defender from zero to 96 km/h in 5.1 seconds, but its off-road capabilities were where it truly excelled, with features like adaptive air suspension and Terrain Response 2 system.

For the 2025 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac dropped the Duramax turbodiesel option, leaving the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 as the sole engine choice, producing 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The Escalade-V continued with a supercharged 6.2-litre V8, delivering 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. All models featured a 10-speed automatic transmission, providing a balance of low and high ratios for efficient driving. In Canada, most models came standard with four-wheel drive, while the Escalade-V had a performance-focused all-wheel drive system. Magnetic Ride Control damping was standard on all but the base Luxury trim, but even with optional air suspension, the Escalade's handling couldn't match that of a unibody SUV. The V8 provided quick acceleration, but the brakes lacked confidence, with an optional Performance Upgrade Package offering Brembo calipers for improved stopping power.

The 2024 Land Rover Defender balanced luxury and functionality, with soft-touch materials and practical features like grip handles and rubberized floors. Seating capacity varied from five to eight, depending on the configuration, with the Defender 110 offering an optional third row best suited for children. The Defender 130 provided more space, with three seats in the third row, but still limited for adults. Cargo capacity differed by model, with the Defender 130 offering up to 2,155 litres with all rear seats folded. The Defender 110's two-row version provided 962 litres behind the second row, while the three-row configuration offered 1,953 litres with both rows folded. The two-door Defender 90 had up to 1,650 litres with the rear seats folded, featuring practical hard plastic surfaces in the cargo area.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade, available in short and long-wheelbase configurations, offered ample interior space. The long-wheelbase ESV model extended the wheelbase by 33.5 centimetres, enhancing cargo space and third-row legroom. Seating for up to eight was available, or seven with second-row captain’s chairs. The Escalade boasted the most first-row headroom in its class, though second and third-row headroom lagged behind competitors. Cargo capacity in the standard-length model reached 3,412 litres with all seats folded, while the ESV model offered up to 4,043 litres. Towing capacity was competitive, with the standard-wheelbase Escalade capable of towing 3,675 kilograms, though it lacked some of the towing features offered by rivals like the Lincoln Navigator.

The 2024 Land Rover Defender featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and an 11.4-inch touchscreen, which, while smaller than some competitors, suited the Defender's utilitarian nature. The system included navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, satellite radio, and a 10-speaker Meridian stereo. The straightforward setup blended refinement and utility, with home buttons for easy navigation of features.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade combined traditional engineering with cutting-edge technology, featuring a 55-inch display spanning the dashboard, incorporating a digital instrument cluster, infotainment touchscreen, and front-passenger touchscreen. A 19-speaker AKG audio system was standard, with a 36-speaker version available. The Escalade retained standalone wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a hard button for vehicle operation. The interface was user-friendly, though voice recognition lagged behind competitors. The optional Executive Second Row Package added luxury features for rear passengers, including 12.6-inch screens and massage seats.

The 2024 Land Rover Defender came with a comprehensive suite of standard driver assistance features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Additional safety tech included traffic sign recognition, automatic high beams, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a 360-degree parking camera system. However, the lane-departure and lane-keeping assist systems were overly sensitive, potentially causing unexpected interventions.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade offered standard driver assist features such as adaptive cruise control, blind-zone steering assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and braking, traffic sign recognition, and a 360-degree camera system. GM-specific features included a vibrating Safety Alert Seat and Super Cruise, a hands-free driving system. Super Cruise had improved since previous tests, though the transition to manual control in construction zones was abrupt. Current crash test ratings were unavailable at the time of writing.