2025 Cadillac Escalade

Showing the 2025 Escalade Sport-1. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
13–17 mpgcombined; city 11–15, highway 17–19; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$23,670–$30,960U.S. average; Ohio $22,310–$29,170 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
1over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
38filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2025 Escalade. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Escalade. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine21000
Electrical system10000
Power train6000
Unknown or other4000
Steering3000
Vehicle speed control3000
Exterior lighting2000
Forward collision avoidance2000
Lane departure2000
Service brakes2000
Suspension2000
Engine and engine cooling1000
4 more parts
Seats1000
Traction control system1000
Visibility/wiper1000
Wheels1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 200624
  2. 2007286
  3. 2008167
  4. 200985
  5. 201043
  6. 201165
  7. 201226
  8. 201322
  9. 201421
  10. 2015106
  11. 2016104
  12. 201789
  13. 201836
  14. 201959
  15. 202036
  16. 2021167
  17. 2022142
  18. 2023232
  19. 202474
  20. 202538
  21. 202653

Every Escalade year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2025 Escalade over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Wheels: hub

NHTSA campaign 26V304000 · reported May 14, 2026 · 2,457 vehicles potentially affected

General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2025–2026 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban 1500, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with 24-inch wheels. Incorrect bolts may have been installed on the left and right front wheel hubs, which can result in the bolts loosening or deforming over time.

Risk: A bolt that loosens or breaks during vehicle operation can result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front left and right wheel hub bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262554630. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 14, 2026.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 604 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2025 Escalade, the latest on Oct 7, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: unknown or other (438), electrical system (109), fuel/propulsion system (37), structure (31), engine (30).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

InvestigationPartOpenedStatus
Engineering analysis EA26005
Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy · covers 3 makes
EngineAug 20, 2026Open
NHTSA's summary names recall 25V274000
NHTSA's record and documents
Preliminary evaluation PE25001
Loss of motive power due to engine failure · covers 3 makes
Engine and engine coolingJan 16, 2025Closed Oct 23, 2025
NHTSA's summary names recall 25V274000
NHTSA's record and documents

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2025 Escalade.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Specs

EPA class: standard sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 1–3 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Escalade
Rear-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cylAutomatic 10-spdPremium Gasoline15 / 19 / 17
Escalade
4-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cylAutomatic 10-spdPremium Gasoline14 / 18 / 16
Escalade V
4-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cyl, superchargedAutomatic (S10)Premium Gasoline11 / 17 / 13

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data