2025 Cadillac Escalade vs 2025 Lincoln Aviator

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator, built on a rear-wheel-drive platform shared with the Ford Explorer, showcased classic design proportions. Its blunt nose, short front overhang, and appealing dash-to-axle ratio contributed to its sports wagon-like appearance, although the tapered roofline compromised third-row passenger space. The 2025 styling updates, particularly with the optional Jet Appearance Package, were perceived as less elegant and more generic. Inside, the Aviator offered a plush interior with a classic architectural sensibility, avoiding the screen-heavy approach of its siblings. However, the remote keyless entry fob was criticized for its cheap plastic construction, contrasting with the Aviator's otherwise luxurious feel.

In contrast, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade, the largest and most expensive Cadillac, continued to embody old-school luxury with its updated design. The new front end brought the gasoline Escalade closer in style to Cadillac's EVs, featuring large vertical headlights and tall, vertical taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillacs. The Escalade offered both standard and long-wheelbase 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 display across the dashboard and offering curated interior motifs. The Premium Luxury Platinum trim impressed with its Whisper Beige upholstery and wood trim, showcasing Cadillac's attention to detail.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine, delivering 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission. It offered multiple driving modes, including Excite and Normal, with an optional adaptive air suspension for a firmer ride. Despite its power, the Aviator was not particularly exciting to drive, focusing instead on providing a composed and calming cruising experience. The fuel economy was rated at 11.9 L/100 km, but real-world testing showed a less impressive 13.3 L/100 km. The Aviator's clear sightlines and 360-degree camera view were appreciated in urban settings, although the ride quality suffered on rough roads due to the heavy 22-inch wheels.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade dropped the Duramax turbodiesel option, leaving the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 engine as the sole powertrain, producing 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The Escalade-V featured a supercharged version of the V8, delivering 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. All models used a 10-speed automatic transmission, providing smooth and efficient gear changes. The Escalade's 4WD system was standard in Canada, with the Escalade-V offering a performance-oriented AWD system. Despite its power, the Escalade's handling was limited by its body-on-frame construction, lacking the polish of some competitors. The brakes, even with the optional Brembo upgrade, did not inspire confidence.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator offered luxurious comfort with its Perfect Position front seats, featuring 30-way adjustability, heating, ventilation, and massage functions. The second-row captain's chairs were also comfortable, though less adjustable. The third-row seats were less accommodating, with limited legroom and low cushions. Storage space was excellent, with a well-organized centre console and deep door pockets. The Aviator provided 466 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 1,131 litres with the seats folded, and a maximum of 2,149 litres.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade, available in standard and long-wheelbase configurations, offered ample interior space. The long-wheelbase ESV model provided additional cargo space and third-row legroom. The Escalade boasted best-in-segment cargo capacity, with 722 litres behind the rear seats, 2,064 litres behind the second row, and 3,412 litres behind the front seats. ESV models offered even more space. The Escalade's towing capacity was competitive, though it lacked some of the towing features offered by Lincoln.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator featured a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system powered by Lincoln Digital Experience. It supported Google Built-in, Alexa Built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. However, the Google Assistant was unresponsive in the test vehicle. The 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D sound system provided excellent audio quality, and the head-up display was praised for its widescreen presentation of data.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade introduced 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, with a user-friendly interface. The optional Executive Second Row Package added 12.6-inch screens, dual wireless chargers, and upgraded seats with massage and headrest speakers.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator came equipped with Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Drive 2.0, offering advanced driver assistance systems such as active blind-spot monitoring, intersection assist, and evasive steering assist. BlueCruise, a hands-free driving assistance system, was standard, providing proactive control handoffs. The Aviator received five-star ratings from the NHTSA and Good ratings from the IIHS.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade featured adaptive cruise control, blind-zone steering assist, automatic emergency braking, and a 360-degree camera system. GM's Safety Alert Seat provided warnings through vibrations. Super Cruise, a hands-free driving system, was included, though its handoff to manual control was abrupt. Crash test ratings were not available at the time of writing.