This Is the Facelifted 2025 Cadillac Escalade-V Before You're Supposed To See It

Our vigilant spy photographers came face to face with the 2025 Cadillac Escalade-V in the United States during a lunch stop at a fast food restaurant, and to our surprise (and theirs), the prototype was fully naked.

The team behind its development and fine-tuning probably thought that it would fly under the radar with no thick and/or trippy camouflage on its body. However, they were wrong, as our man with the cam took a few pictures of its exterior and upgraded cockpit.

Up front, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade-V has a lighting signature inspired by the one of the Escalade IQ (unrelated EV). It has a split-headlamp signature with the main clusters sitting below the ultra-thin LED DRLs below the hood. To the sides, it has new and repositioned daytime running lights. The grille was also refreshed, and the central air intake appears to be taller and narrower.

The refreshed Escalade-V sports fewer changes at the rear, where the bumper and diffuser combo look identical to us. The quad tailpipes retain their shape, and even the Escalade and V badging carry over on the tailgate that still holds the rear license plate. However, the trim above it seems to be new, and the taillamps were also refreshed and sport different graphics.

Inside, the outgoing Escalade's curved OLED with a 38-inch diagonal is anything but outdated. Nevertheless, Cadillac decided to give the mid-cycle refresh a massive screen that stretches from one pillar to the other. It occupies most of the updated dashboard panel, and further down, it has another display that will be used to control the HVAC system – you know, Escalade IQ-style.

The air vents are also new, and the steering wheel may still sport a three-spoke design, but it was also inspired by the two-spoke unit equipping the Escalade IQ. Cadilac also refreshed the center console, deleting the traditional gear shifter that would've gotten in the way of the HVAC screen and giving it a dial look. The two cup holders are also new, and the facelifted SUV appears to feature additional storage spaces.

We wouldn't be surprised to learn that Cadillac also revised the chassis of the upcoming performance-focused high-rider, yet there is no way of knowing what the novelties may be in this department. One thing that's clear is that the wheels equipping this tester are new. The Caddy-badged V-spoke alloys are 24 inches in diameter and spin above the brake calipers, which have a red finish for a sportier vibe.

It is still too early to speak about a potential power upgrade. However, we think the facelifted Cadillac Escalade-V will soldier on with the current one's torque and output. The model uses the same motor as the CT5-V Blackwing. The hand-built supercharged V8 has a 6.2-liter displacement and churns out 653 pound-foot (886 Nm) and 682 horsepower (692 ps/503 kW). Power is deployed to the four-wheel drive system through a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Escalade-V can push to 60 mph (97 kph) in a whopping (for such a large vehicle) 4.4 seconds.

Word on the street is that Cadillac will commence production of the facelifted Escalade series, including the more muscular Escalade-V, in the second half of the year. As a result, we think its unveiling should be almost imminent. If anything, we're willing to bet that General Motors' premium auto marque will unveil it sometime this summer. Subsequently, the first copies should arrive at dealers all over the United States this fall and a few months later in markets outside the New World.

The 2024 Cadillac Escalade-V has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $153,520, excluding those often-greedy dealer fees, as well as the destination charge and optional extras. We wouldn't be surprised to learn that the mid-cycle refresh will become a bit more expensive, albeit not by much. Chances are it might start at around $155,000, excluding destination, when the North American automaker opens the order books, which will happen shortly after the facelifted iteration debuts.

For the regular 2024 Escalade, the car manufacturer is asking a minimum of $81,895, and it is also possible that this model might get a bit pricier to justify the added gizmos and other tweaks. After all, that massive screen that stretched from A-pillar to A-pillar isn't going to pay for itself, is it?

Given the vehicle's usual exterior makeover and massively overhauled (for a facelift) cockpit, as well as other potential novelties, would you buy the 2025 Escalade, including the brawny Escalade-V? Do you think the outgoing one is a better deal? Or would you choose something from the competition? Your opinion matters, so speak your mind in the comments area below.