New vehicle buyers can expect to see some rather steep prices right now, and unfortunately, rising delivery costs are part of the issue. That includes the Destination Freight Charges (DFC) for new Cadillac models, with General Motors implementing elevated DFC figures for the majority of the Caddy lineup. Now, we’re taking a closer look at the latest DFC figures for the luxury marque’s U.S. portfolio.
Looking over the changes, most of the Caddy sedans and crossovers get a uniform $100 DFC increase. That includes the CT4, CT4-V, and CT4-V Blackwing, which now carry a DFC of $1,495, up from $1,395. The same $100 increase applies to the CT5, CT5-V, and CT5-V Blackwing sedans, the XT5 and XT6 crossovers, as well as the standard Lyriq and the high-performance Lyriq-V, all of which now have a DFC of $1,495. Interestingly, the XT4 crossover is unchanged, offered with the lowest DFC in the lineup at $1,195.
At the higher end of the spectrum, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV were given a $200 DFC increase, bringing the total delivery fee to $2,195, the second-highest of the lineup. The Escalade IQ and Escalade IQL, Cadillac’s all-electric full-size SUVs, also saw a $100 hike, moving from $2,290 to $2,390, which now marks the highest DFC for the brand’s U.S. portfolio.
The most significant DFC adjustment applies to the all-electric Cadillac Vistiq, which got a destination freight charge increase of $300, up from $1,395 to $1,695. Finally, the DFC for the Cadillac Optiq remains unchanged at $1,495.
| Previous DFC | New DFC | Increase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CT4 | $1,395 | $1,495 | $100 |
| CT4-V / CT4-V Blackwing | $1,395 | $1,495 | $100 |
| CT5 | $1,395 | $1,495 | $100 |
| CT5-V / CT5-V Blackwing | $1,395 | $1,495 | $100 |
| Escalade | $1,995 | $2,195 | $200 |
| Escalade ESV | $1,995 | $2,195 | $200 |
| Escalade IQ | $2,290 | $2,390 | $100 |
| Escalade IQL | $2,290 | $2,390 | $100 |
| Lyriq | $1,395 | $1,495 | $100 |
| Lyriq-V | $1,395 | $1,495 | $100 |
| Optiq | $1,495 | $1,495 | $0 |
| Vistiq | $1,395 | $1,695 | $300 |
| XT4 | $1,195 | $1,195 | $0 |
| XT5 | $1,395 | $1,495 | $100 |
| XT6 | $1,395 | $1,495 | $100 |
Notably, these delivery fee increases follow an MSRP hike for the 2025 Cadillac Escalade lineup. Non-V-Series trims rose by $505, while the Escalade-V and Escalade-V ESV each saw a substantial $2,505 bump. With these adjustments, the base price for the standard-wheelbase 2025 Escalade has crossed the $90,000 mark for the first time in the model’s 26-year history, now starting at $90,095 including destination. The long-wheelbase Escalade ESV now starts at $93,095.
Comments
Astronomical delivery charges. Unjustified by the cost. I bet, most buyers would rather pick up their vehicles at the factory, rather than being ripped off by the car makers. Where the hell is FTC?
Next your local supermarket will charge you $100 to deliver your $3.00 bunch of bananas from Central America.
Now if we can just get an American made CT6 back in the line-up, I will buy another Cadillac.
Last year I got a new GMC Acadia. From Michigan to Pennsylvania the charge was around $1,900.
My wife just got a BMW X5. From SC to Pennsylvania it was only $1,295.
3 times farther and hundreds less.