您愿意吗：凯迪拉克 Escalade IQ 与 Escalade-V

A lot of companies build EV models that have an internal-combustion analogue, with the guiding principle of, “the car you liked before, but electric.” There’s a tight thematic cohesiveness to that approach—a BMW i3 and M340i each endeavor to arrive at their optimized level of BMW 3-ness despite the differing powertrains—but the Cadillac Escalade is not like that. Yes, there are gas and electric versions, but they’re similar only inasmuch as they each avidly pursue the high-level Escalade goals of cosseting bigness and cocky braggadocio. When Tony Soprano got an Escalade in season 5 of The Sopranos, the only question around that casting decision was, what took so long? Today Tony would have more choices in his pursuit of the maximum expression of GM SUV, as do any of us with about $160,000 to spend. Namely, would you rather have a supercharged V-8 Escalade-V or an electric Escalade IQ?

Performance

Cadillac designed the Escalade-V’s exhaust to be extra boisterous, adding a 360-degree loop to the passenger’s-side pipe to equalize the length with the driver’s-side counterpart, for maximum sonic awesomeness. The IQ does not have equal-length dual exhaust. Whatever exhaust it does produce will get you into a tedious and possibly confrontational discussion of well-to-wheel emissions with your uncle at Thanksgiving. However, you’ll never have to worry about thieves stealing your catalytic converters, so I’ll call that one a draw.

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Looking at the specs, I’m surprised to see that the Escalade-V weighs eight pounds more than the IQ. Hold on, that doesn’t sound right—let me check my notes—sorry, my curb-weight figure for the Escalade-V inadvertently included a Toyota GR86 parked on its roof. Remove that extra car, and the supercharged Escalade is quite a bit lighter: 6290 pounds for the V, and a pavement-crushing 9120 pounds for the IQ.

Despite the weight disparity, the two Slades are evenly matched in a drag race, with the 750-hp IQ trailing the 682-hp V by a couple tenths of a second to 60 mph (4.5 seconds to 4.3). On a rolling start from 5 mph, they’re tied at 4.7 seconds, and passing a dawdler will be a quicker task in the IQ: 50 to 70 mph in 2.6 seconds, versus 3.1 seconds for the loud Caddy.

Now, I’m old enough to remember the days when a Ferrari 458 Italia felt like it had pretty decent passing power, but the Escalade IQ’s 2.1-second 30-to-50-mph time beats the Ferrari by a tenth. If the IQ had been part of our Chariots of the Gods comparison test in 2011, its 50-to-70-mph time would have slotted it a tenth of a second behind the 458 and two-tenths ahead of the McLaren MP4-12C. Neither of those, when accelerating, heave their hoods skyward like a 70-foot Viking sportfish climbing on a plane, but the Escalade IQ certainly does. And they say EVs don’t bring any drama to the experience—behind the wheel, the IQ accelerating like my favorite Ferrari of all time feels as improbable as it actually is, like the vehicle itself is struggling to cope with its superpowers. An Escalade-V drives more like a mutant CT5-V Blackwing, and it’s definitely the Escalade where the driver’s seat is more desirable than one of the chauffeur chairs in back.

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Style

If we accept that one of the primary goals for an Escalade is to project brash confidence, and that hugeness is fundamental to that project, the Escalade IQ wins going away. It reminds me of a scaled-up Rolls-Royce Cullinan in the side profile, and there’s a lot of side to behold: the IQ is more than a foot longer than the gas-powered Escalade. It’s also just newer, and I think it helps the premium aura not to have a bunch of Chevys and GMCs out there copping your style with very similar bodies. Also: rear-axle steering is unequivocally a flex, and the internal-combustion Escalade doesn’t have it.

Inside, both Escalades offer huge screens, lots of leather, and power-operated doors. However, only the IQ is eligible for the Curated by Cadillac program, wherein buyers fork over an additional $54,995 and get to choose from a huge palette of colors, inside and out. With 44 interior color choices, you can certainly spec a one-of-one IQ, while the Escalade-V sticks with “Yukon Denali, but fancier” as a guiding principle. Advantage, IQ.

Intangibles

When we’re discussing EVs versus internal combustion, range is usually an easy win for the gas-powered candidate. But not here—the Escalade-V has an EPA-rated 312 miles of range, while the IQ gets a 465-mile rating. Yes, the V will refuel a lot quicker, but you’ll be stopping way more often. And if your gas pump stops at $100, you might technically need to fill twice to top off the 24-gallon tank with premium.

Another factor I have to consider is rap music references, and on that front the Escalade-V is the easy winner, if only because the IQ is too new—most Escalade lyrics concern gas-powered models by default. Cadillac did hire Big Boi from Outkast to rap about the IQ, but that doesn’t count. (“Escalade IQ, this is the intro to, the all-electric Cadillac perfection ...”) I’m sure we’ll get there eventually: “Rolling in the IQ to the house with a view, IQ got the roof see-through, park the IQ next to the other ’cause I just bought two.”

Finally, I think part of the Escalade mystique has always hinged on leadership. This is a boss truck, from Sopranos to Succession. And where are the luxury winds blowing? It seems to me that in this space, which is to say “not a V-12 Ferrari,” the market is amenable to electrification and the technology is progressing fast. GM just announced that its forthcoming battery chemistry will improve range while being 20 percent more compact. There will come a time, maybe not far off, when EVs just make more sense objectively (they already do, depending on use case) and internal combustion will be the nostalgia play. So in this Would You Rather, I’m embracing that future and going for the Escalade IQ. The V is charming, but for $160,000, the IQ better fulfills the role of flagship SUV—quick, cocky, luxurious, and incontrovertibly baller.

Ezra Dyer is a Car and Driver senior editor and columnist. He's now based in North Carolina but still remembers how to turn right. He owns a 2009 GEM e4 and once drove 206 mph. Those facts are mutually exclusive.

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