When one thinks of Cadillac, the first vehicle that often comes to mind is the Cadillac Escalade. This large, imposing luxury SUV is the brand’s flagship vehicle and undeniably its most popular. In fact, the Escalade consistently outsells every other model in Caddy’s lineup and outperforms every vehicle in its competitive segment combined. This puts it in a unique position as the most important vehicle in the luxury marque’s portfolio today.
Cadillac Society Executive Editor, Alex Luft, shared this analysis during a recent episode of our still-new Cadillac Society podcast. Luft points out that not only is the Escalade the most sought-after vehicle in Caddy’s portfolio, it’s also the most expensive, giving the luxury marque a leg up on the competition. By comparison, rival luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes and Audi don’t enjoy the same position, since their most popular products tend to be entry-level models (3/4 Series, C-Class, and A4/A5, respectively).
Luft also explains that the Escalade’s great power also means that Caddy has great responsibility when it comes to updating its flagship vehicle. The recently-revealed 2025 Cadillac Escalade delivers a welcome refresh to the luxury SUV, but the model has a lot riding on it. As Luft puts it, Caddy simply can’t get it wrong.
While competitors like the Lincoln Navigator, Infiniti QX80, and Lexus LX, distantly trail the Escalade in terms of sales, they’re not sitting still, and Cadillac still needs to do everything it can to hold onto its edge with the Escalade. Even so, the Escalade – as it stands right now – absolutely dominates the luxury SUV segment; not only does it outsell competitors like the Lincoln Navigator, Infiniti QX80, and Lexus LX on an individual basis, the Escalade outperforms each of them combined.
“Cadillac essentially owns the lion’s share of the market, and as a result of that, this refresh needs to be spot-on,” Luft says. “That puts Caddy in a very good position to strengthen it position and gain even more sales.”
Sales Numbers - Full-Size Luxury SUVs - Q1 2024 - USA
| MODEL | Q1 24 / Q1 23 | Q1 24 | Q1 23 | Q1 24 SHARE | Q1 23 SHARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CADILLAC ESCALADE | +65.40% | 9,135 | 5,523 | 56% | 30% |
| LINCOLN NAVIGATOR | -25.01% | 3,127 | 4,170 | 19% | 23% |
| CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV | -100.00% | 0 | 3,705 | 0% | 20% |
| INFINITI QX80 | -22.31% | 2,473 | 3,183 | 15% | 18% |
| LEXUS LX | +7.95% | 1,697 | 1,572 | 10% | 9% |
| TOTAL | -9.48% | 16,432 | 18,153 |
As for what that refresh entails, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade is treated to a revamped face and a redone cockpit, both of which closely match those of the all-electric Escalade IQ.
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