First Drive: The 2025 Optiq Is Cadillac’s Feature-Packed, 300-Mile-Range Entry EV

Cadillac is in the midst of an electric awakening. The top of the market is covered with the brand’s breadwinner, Escalade, getting the EV treatment as the Escalade IQ, while the ultra-exclusive Celestiq serves as the brand’s halo car. Volume in the EV market has so far been handled by the mid-size Lyriq, a striking SUV that just got the V-treatment. The company believes there’s room for more. Vistiq is set to replace the large crossover role where the XT6 resides, and the XT4 will soon be on its way out as the Optiq, while slightly roomier, takes on the compact segment. Cadillac recently invited us to spend a few hours in and around San Francisco with the 2025 Optiq to get a feel for the brand’s latest electric entry.

Although it rides on the same wheelbase as Chevy’s compact Equinox EV, Optiq’s body is all its own. The two GM EVs have a similar profile up front, but Cadillac has a bespoke windshield, with a different greenhouse using unique side glass. We spoke with Optiq’s chief engineer, John Cockburn, about the Optiq’s .304 coefficient of drag, which is aided by the steep windshield angle and a rear spoiler that keeps air flowing over the rear glass. “We wanted all that spaciousness,” said Cockburn,  “we wanted headroom, so we didn’t take the roof down, and we wanted storage space in the back.” The result is 26 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the second row seats up, and 57 cubic feet with them folded, impressive stats for its class. The Optiq team worked with a .300 coefficient of drag as a bit of a benchmark and put a million hours into computational fluid dynamics to help reduce buffeting because it had to be quiet as well. All of the Optiq’s glass is acoustic laminated to keep down noise, “even with rain and crosswinds,” added Cockburn.

Powering the Optiq is a 400-volt battery with 85 kWh of usable capacity. With DC quick charging, it can add 79 miles of charge in 10 minutes and 55 miles in an hour using a 240-volt, 19.2-kW home charger. With standard AWD from a dual-motor system that delivers 300 hp, Cadillac claims a 0-60 time of less than six seconds, a respectable feat.

Cadillac nabbed some Blackwing engineers to tune the suspension of the Optiq, which, like its performance sedan cousins, uses Magneride dampers. Switching from the default Tour mode to Sport firms up the steering and remaps the throttle. California’s winding, two-line Highway 1 north of San Francisco was a great spot to test Sport mode, even if the pavement was damp from rain. With 300hp on tap and AWD traction, the Optiq is sprightly enough for some spirited driving. The nature of an EV’s low center of gravity paired with some good suspension tuning results in an enjoyable drive with balanced handling. Tour mode softens things up, and the Magneride, as expected, tames harsh jolts nicely.

Like the Escalade IQ, the Optiq uses a regen-on-demand paddle on the left side of the steering wheel. Here too, the paddle allows for a gradual application of regen braking as more pressure is applied to the paddle. Drivers can opt to dial in more regen when lifting off the throttle in three settings, the most aggressive of which allows for one-pedal driving.

The Optiq’s interior fits tall passengers and drivers alike. The driving position for a tall driver places the B-pillar far enough aft that it’s not intruding into peripheral vision, which can often be the case in compact vehicles. Cadillac’s designers made some ambitious and bold choices on the Optiq’s interior design and materials, with the dash and tops of the doors upholstered in a course-looking woven fabric made from recycled plastics. Despite its appearance, it’s not rough to the touch. An understated Noir interior uses silver accents. A no-cost option swaps in Sky Cool Gray upholstery with Santorini Blue accents. Those accents are found on the door pockets and the cubby formed by the center console pass-through and serve to damp noise as they wrap panels that might otherwise be hard plastic. Cadillac has some other interesting color options for the interior, including a warm brown called Autumn Canyon and a rich Phantom Blue. Both of them use a woodgrain-patterned trim made from recycled newspaper that appears similar to Micarta. Unfortunately, those interesting interior finishes are limited to certain interior colors, although some great combos are still possible.

Cadillac showed off Optiq at Dolby’s San Francisco headquarters as its the brand’s first-ever application of Dolby’s immersive Atmos system of three-dimensional sound imaging. Atmos works with Optiq’s standard 19-speaker AKG Studio audio system to create a sound stage that gives songs new life. Listening to classic tracks remastered in Dolby Atmos is like hearing them for the first time, with individual vocals, instruments, and effects relayed from the speakers with a specific placement. It creates an immersive experience that stereo audio just can’t compete with. All future Cadillac EVs will come with Dolby Atmos, so expect to see it in the Vistiq that launches later this year, as well as future mid-cycle refreshes of existing models.

Specs: 2025 Cadillac Optiq

Price: $54,390/$57,715 (base/as-tested)
Powertrain: Two-motor eAWD system
Output: 300 horsepower, 354 pound-feet of torque
Layout: Four-door, two-row, five-passenger, all-wheel-drive SUV
Weight:  5,192 pounds
0–60 mph: 5.9 seconds (est.)
EPA-rated fuel economy: Not yet rated. Cadillac estimated 302 miles of range
Competitors: Audi Q4 E-Tron, Mercedes EQB-Class

What is most impressive is how this well-integrated package has an affordable price tag. The larger, RWD Lyriq offers more room, more power, and a similar range starting at $60,000, so that seemed to hem in the Optiq price a bit on the top end. Optiq comes with a long list of standard features, including AWD, the aforementioned 19-speaker Atmos audio system, and Cadillac’s suite of collision avoidance and safety functions, including Blind Zone Steering Assist, Enhanced Automatic Parking, and Forward Collision Alert. Unlike its larger Lyric sibling, Optiq comes standard with a three-year subscription to SuperCruise. All of that for the $54,390 entry price of a Luxury 1 model. To get SuperCruise in a Lyriq, you’d be spending about $10,000 more. With its balance of range, power, interior room, and driving dynamics, the Optiq seems like a solid entry to EV luxury that gives first-time EV buyers a good reason to visit a Cadillac dealership.

2025 Cadillac Optiq

Highs: Impressive range and handling. Roomy. Loaded with standard safety and convenience features. The Dolby Atmos sound system is fit for an audiophile.

Lows: The “Sport” trim is all aesthetics, with no additional power or new suspension tuning.

Takeaway: The Optiq packs a lot of range and standard features into a thoughtful package for the price.