Compare the2025 Cadillac Escalade IQVS 2024 Tesla Model Y

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Escalade IQ are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model Y doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Model Y 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 Model Y.

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 Model Y doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Escalade IQ has a standard HD Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model Y only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Escalade IQ’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Escalade IQ’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Model Y doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Escalade IQ has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model Y doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Escalade IQ and the Model Y 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 and rearview cameras.

There are almost 3 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escalade IQ’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. With 52 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Cadillac higher than Tesla.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Tesla With 56 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Cadillac higher than Tesla.

The Escalade IQ’s electric motors produces 455 more horsepower (750 vs. 295) and 476 lbs.-ft. more torque (785 vs. 309) than the Model Y RWD’s standard electric motor. The Escalade IQ’s electric motors produces 325 more horsepower (750 vs. 425) and 310 lbs.-ft. more torque (785 vs. 475) than the Model Y Long Range’s standard electric motors. The Escalade IQ’s electric motors produces 295 more horsepower (750 vs. 455) and 298 lbs.-ft. more torque (785 vs. 487) than the Model Y Performance’s standard electric motors.

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

For better traction, the Escalade IQ has larger tires than the Model Y (275/50R24 vs. 255/45R19). The Escalade IQ’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (275/50R24 vs. 255/35R21).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escalade IQ has standard 24-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Model Y. The Model Y’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

The Cadillac Escalade IQ’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Tesla Model Y 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 Model Y 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 Model Y, 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 Model Y’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 Model Y doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escalade IQ’s wheelbase is 22.4 inches longer than on the Model Y (136.2 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Escalade IQ is 4.1 inches wider in the front and 4.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model Y.

For greater off-road capability the Escalade IQ has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (6.9 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the Escalade IQ to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Escalade IQ uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Model Y doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Escalade IQ has 55.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Model Y (161.9 vs. 106).

The Escalade IQ has 2.5 inches more front headroom, 3.4 inches more front legroom, 7.3 inches more front hip room, 9 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, .8 inches more rear legroom, 9.7 inches more rear hip room, 9.6 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.6 inches more third row headroom, 5.8 inches more third row legroom, 12.9 inches more third row hip room and 15.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Model Y.

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

Both the Escalade IQ and the Model Y have standard second row automatic folding seats. The Escalade IQ’s third row seats also fold up or down at the press of a switch. The Model Y doesn’t offer automatic folding third row seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Escalade IQ’s cargo door can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model Y doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Escalade IQ’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model Y’s (8000 vs. 3500 pounds).

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 Model Y doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model Y, 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 Escalade IQ has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model Y doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Escalade IQ has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y 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 Model Y 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.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Escalade IQ has standard extendable sun visors. The Model Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Escalade IQ to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model Y 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 Model Y doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Model Y.

The Escalade IQ has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model Y doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.