The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ got its big debut just the other week, with GM pulling the sheets on an all-new, all-electric luxury SUV stuffed to the brim with high-end features and technology. As expected, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ offers some very nice seats for second-row passengers, in particular with the Executive Second-Row Seating Package equipped. Nevertheless, these seats aren’t quite as nice as those offered by even the most basic Buick GL8 Century.
Buick GL8 Century seats
Cadillac Escalade IQ seats
For those readers who may be unaware, the Buick GL8 Century is luxury MPV on offer from SAIC-GM and sold exclusively in the Chinese market. An all-new generation just launched for the 2023 model year, showing off some seriously impressive luxury items in the cabin.
Among these are some simply awesome-looking second-row captain’s chairs. Not only do these sitters look fantastic, but they should provide rear-seated passengers with plenty of backside-coddling comfort as well. These seats are equipped as standard on the base trim level, while the four-seat Avenir and Flagship models include even better seats, plus a giant screen to boot, not to mention an attractive starry sky headliner treatment.
Buick GL8 Century seats
Cadillac Escalade IQ seats
Which leads us to ask – why doesn’t the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ offer second-row seats as luxurious as those in the Buick GL8 Century?
Don’t get us wrong – the rear seats in the Escalade IQ are certainly a nice place to be, especially with the Executive Second-Row Seating Package, which adds a pair of 12.6-inch infotainment screens and a rear command screen, as well as wireless device charging, USB-C and HDMI ports, and stowable tray tables, among a few other bits a pieces. However, compared to the all-new Buick GL8 Century, the Escalade IQ might be beat.
Buick GL8 Century rear command screen
But perhaps that’ll change with the debut of the new extended-length Cadillac Escalade IQL. In a statement made at the 2022 GM Investor Day event GM President Mark Reuss had this to say about The General’s SUV lineup:
“The wheelbase differences we have today and the size base differences we have today on our full-size SUVs, we’re going to do it again in a much more innovative way, though. You’re going to see things here, design, size, platform sharing-wise, but also technology-wise, that will be very different from what we execute today. We’re pretty much finished with the design, and going for production.”
GM Authority Cadillac Escalade IQL rendering
Look for the upcoming Cadillac Escalade IQL to debut during the 2024 calendar year, and subscribe to GM Authority for more Buick GL8 news, Cadillac Escalade IQ news, Buick news, Cadillac Escalade news, Cadillac news, GM electric vehicle news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Those should definitely show up on the ESV version.
The debut of the IQ has just got started. There will be more lavished versions in Level 3 Sport & Luxury trims with quilted leather and perhaps with an optional Platinum Package. We will see what’s next as we stayed tuned. So don’t be surprised if decked-out trims cost over $200K.
Escalade IQ is perfect inside with one little catch, that’s huge black plastic trim on the lower doors. That’s it. If they fix it before production it’s getting to the top spot. It imo doesn’t need anything else honestly.
How about third row buckets as an option?