Compare the2025 Cadillac Escalade IQVS 2024 Lexus RZ

Both the Escalade IQ and RZ have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Escalade IQ has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The RZ’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Escalade IQ has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The RZ doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Escalade IQ. But it costs extra on the RZ.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Escalade IQ helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The RZ doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Escalade IQ and the RZ have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

There are over 2 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escalade IQ’s warranty.

The Escalade IQ’s electric motors produces 549 more horsepower (750 vs. 201) and 589 lbs.-ft. more torque (785 vs. 196) than the RZ 300e’s standard electric motor. The Escalade IQ’s electric motors produces 442 more horsepower (750 vs. 308) and 464 lbs.-ft. more torque (785 vs. 321) than the RZ 450e’s optional electric motors.

The Escalade IQ can travel longer on a full charge than the RZ on a full charge:

For better stopping power the Escalade IQ’s brake rotors are larger than those on the RZ:

For better traction, the Escalade IQ has larger tires than the RZ (275/50R24 vs. 235/60R18).

The Escalade IQ’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RZ’s standard 60 series front and 55 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escalade IQ has standard 24-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the RZ. The RZ’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Cadillac Escalade IQ’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Lexus RZ only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Escalade IQ has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The RZ doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The front and rear suspension of the Escalade IQ uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the RZ, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Escalade IQ has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The RZ’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Escalade IQ has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Escalade IQ’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The RZ doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escalade IQ’s wheelbase is 24 inches longer than on the RZ (136.2 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Escalade IQ is 5.3 inches wider in the front and 4.9 inches wider in the rear than on the RZ.

The Escalade IQ has standard seating for 7 passengers; the RZ can only carry 5.

The Escalade IQ has 4.9 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front legroom, 6.4 inches more front hip room, 8.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear legroom, 8.5 inches more rear hip room and 9.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the RZ.

The Escalade IQ’s cargo area provides more volume than the RZ.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Escalade IQ’s second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The RZ doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The Escalade IQ has a 8000 lbs. towing capacity. The RZ has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escalade IQ uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The RZ doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the RZ, the Escalade IQ offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The power windows standard on both the Escalade IQ and the RZ have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Escalade IQ is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The RZ prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the Escalade IQ the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the RZ can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Escalade IQ has a standard rear wiper. The RZ doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Escalade IQ has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The RZ doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Escalade IQ also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Escalade IQ to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The RZ doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Escalade IQ has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The RZ doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Escalade IQ offers optional massaging front and second row seats, which keep the driver and middle row passengers. Massaging seats aren’t available in the RZ.

The Cadillac Escalade outsold the Lexus RZ by almost 8 to one during 2023.