2026 Cadillac Escalade IQL Debuts As New Lincoln Navigator Rival

The 2025 Lincoln Navigator debuted recently as the latest iteration of the full-size luxury SUV, albeit, still without any sort of electrified powertrain option. While it isn’t surprising that the new Navigator can’t be had in all-electric form given the brand’s current disinterest in such things, we have been expecting the arrival of some kind of hybrid option for quite a while. In the meantime, GM just debuted another all-electric rival for the Navigator – the more spacious 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQL.

The 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQL arrives some time after the regular IQ, which debuted for the 2025 model year, and as one might expect, it’s a bit longer – 4.2 inches, in fact. It does feature unique styling in the rear, along with a revised D-pillar, and full glass between the two rearmost pillars, replacing the panel present on the regular IQ. Its extra length translates to 4.4 additional inches of third-row legroom, along with an extra inch of headroom and shoulder space, coupled with a bit more headroom and legroom for second-row passengers.

In terms of cargo space, the IQL touts 75 cubic-feet in the rear with the third-row seat stowed away, which is six more than the IQ, and it has one more cubic-foot with that same seat in place. Otherwise, the 2026 Cadillac Escapade IQL is mostly identical to the IQ, touting a 55-inch display, a standard 21-speaker AKG sound system (or options for 38- and 42-speaker alternatives), and one can also opt for niceties like 12.6-inch screens for second-row passengers, too.

The IQL also shares its powertrain with the IQ, meaning that its dual electric motors churn out 750 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque, good for a 4.7-second 0-60 romp, and its 205 kWh battery offers the same 460 miles of estimated range – though max towing drops from 8,000 pounds for the IQ to 7,500. On a DC fast charger, the IQL can add 116 miles of range in 10 minutes. Production of the 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQL is slated to begin in mid-2025, with pricing starting out at $132,695 – around $3,000 more than the IQ.