2025 Cadillac Escalade vs 2024 Toyota Sequoia

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform with the Tundra pickup, and this connection was evident in its design elements such as hexagonal grilles, wheel arches, and strong fender creases. The exterior colour significantly influenced its appearance, with the Capstone model featuring more chrome and presented in Celestial Silver, giving it a somewhat dated look reminiscent of a "cop car." Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky, geometric dashboard layout, complete with physical dials and buttons for climate control and volume. The Capstone trim boasted semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered SofTex leatherette or standard leather. The Sequoia provided power-adjustable front seats across all trims and included a power-tilt and -slide moonroof, with a panoramic version available on higher trims.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade, as Cadillac's largest and most expensive offering, embodied old-school luxury with its updated design. The new front end brought it closer to Cadillac's EV lineup, featuring large vertical headlights and horizontal daytime running lights. The rear retained tall, vertical taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillacs, and 24-inch wheels were available for the first time. The Escalade offered both standard and long-wheelbase ESV body styles, with various trim levels including the performance-oriented Escalade-V. Inside, Cadillac worked to differentiate the Escalade from its GM siblings, introducing a 55-inch OLED curved display across the dashboard. The interior featured a mix of synthetic and real leather, with curated motifs available. The Premium Luxury Platinum trim impressed with its Whisper Beige upholstery and wood trim, showcasing a level of finish unexpected from a mainstream automaker.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively available as a hybrid, utilizing Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain. This system combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, producing 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, surpassing its V8 predecessor. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved significantly, achieving 11.7 L/100 km combined with 4WD. In Canada, the Sequoia came standard with 4WD, featuring a part-time system with selectable modes. The TRD Pro models included a skid plate, and the 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly. The Sequoia's on-road handling was adequate, and the SR5 TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-readiness with unique tires, off-road suspension, and driver-assist features. The Sequoia's towing capacity reached 4,137 kilograms, with available towing upgrades.

For the 2025 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac discontinued the Duramax turbodiesel option, leaving the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 engine as the sole choice. This engine delivered 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, while the Escalade-V featured a supercharged V8 with 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. All Escalade models came with a 10-speed automatic transmission, providing a balance of low and high ratios for efficient driving. In Canada, 4WD was standard on most models, with the Escalade-V featuring a performance-oriented AWD system. The Escalade's Magnetic Ride Control damping system was standard on all but the base Luxury grade, offering adaptive damping. Despite its V8 power, the Escalade's brakes lacked confidence, though a Performance Upgrade Package with Brembo calipers was available.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia Capstone featured automatic power-deploying running boards, aiding entry for shorter individuals. Inside, the Sequoia offered a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. The second-row seats were easy to move for third-row access, and the third-row seats folded at the push of a button, though they didn't create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. Headroom was slightly reduced, and legroom varied across rows, with the Sequoia trailing some rivals in space. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, providing wide but flat seating.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade was available in both short and long-wheelbase configurations, with the ESV offering increased cargo space and third-row legroom. The Escalade provided ample interior space, with best-in-class first-row headroom and legroom. Cargo space was generous, with the standard model offering 722 litres behind the rear seats and 3,412 litres behind the front seats. ESV models further expanded cargo capacity. The Escalade's towing capacity reached 3,675 kilograms for the standard model, with slightly lower ratings for the ESV. While the Escalade met segment expectations, it lacked some towing features offered by competitors.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia Capstone was equipped with a range of technology features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Sequoia SR5 featured an 8-inch touchscreen, while other trims boasted a 14-inch centre touchscreen. The Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system prioritized functionality over flashiness. The Sequoia's driver information display was a 12.3-inch full-colour unit, and the Panoramic View monitor was standard on higher trims. A 10-inch colour head-up display was included on the Capstone, and a 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was available on select trims.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade combined traditional engineering with a high-tech interface, featuring a 55-inch door-to-door display 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, and a hard button for vehicle operation. The Escalade's tech included an augmented-reality head-up display and night vision. The optional Executive Second Row Package added screens, controls, and upgraded seats for second-row passengers.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5 suite, including features like a pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring were also standard. The only optional driver aid was a trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist, available on higher trims. The Sequoia had not been rated by safety organizations at the time of writing, but the similar Toyota Tundra earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade offered standard driver assist features such as adaptive cruise control, blind-zone steering assist, automatic emergency braking, 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 handoff to manual control could be abrupt. Current crash test ratings were unavailable at the time of writing.