2025 Cadillac Escalade vs 2026 Chevrolet Traverse

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 such as the BMW X7, the Infiniti QX80, the Land Rover Range Rover, the Lexus LX, the Lincoln Navigator, and the Mercedes-Benz GLS.

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

As a three-row crossover SUV, the Traverse has advantages over both minivans and full-size body-on-frame SUVs, but it also falls short in some ways. The same goes for the Traverse versus its competition. It rides better than full-size models but can’t tow as much, and it has a similar amount of space to a minivan but is less accessible.

Verdict: The Traverse provides the space and ride quality that sets crossovers apart from body-on-frame SUVs, but it lacks some of the refinement of its rivals.