Meet the newest and smallest crossover in Cadillac’s Ultium-based EV lineup.
In its mission to jettison internal combustion from its portfolio in the coming years, Cadillac has built out quite the lineup of fully electric models. The Lyriq kicked off this new era, followed by the hyper-luxe Celestiq flagship, the full-size Escalade IQ (obviously, GM realized the folly of calling it the “Escaladiq” there), the midsize Vistiq, and now, the entry-level Optiq crossover. Cadillac invited us out to Los Angeles to see the new Optiq ahead of its North American launch, which is set for this coming fall.
Even though this is the “entry-level” electric Cadillac, the 2025 Optiq is still a decently sized vehicle. Riding on a 116.3-inch wheelbase and a 189.8-inch overall length, it’s only 6.9 inches shorter than its larger Lyriq sibling. The car also has fairly short front and rear overhangs, meaning most of that wheelbase is dedicated to accommodating passengers, cargo and the car’s 89-kWh (gross capacity) battery pack. Cadillac packaged most of the components that make the car work under the hood like a conventional crossover, so while you don’t get a frunk, at least there aren’t computers and bits of the drivetrain robbing cabin space.
With the second-row seats in place, the 2025 Cadillac Optiq has a decent 26 cubic feet of cargo space, which expands to 57 cubic feet when the seats are folded. Both front row and second-row legroom are good, as is headroom since this car is actually about half an inch taller than the Lyriq.
On the performance front, the 2025 Cadillac Optiq sports a dual-motor setup offers up 300 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. That’s slightly more oomph than the Chevrolet Equinox EV AWD’s 288 horsepower and 333 lb-ft of torque, though there’s no front-wheel drive, single-motor option available here. While the company did not provide a specific peak charging rate, it did say you’d be able to replenish up to 79 miles of range in 10 minutes of DC fast-charging.
Taking a closer look at the 2025 Cadillac Lyriq, inside and out
Cadillac’s designers took special care to incorporate unique touches into the Optiq’s exterior and interior design. On the outside, this crossover cuts a sharp-looking future, thanks in part to the illuminated grille, the headlight design and even layered glass at the C-pillars that flow into the pattern for the LED taillights. The Optiq also packs a double spoiler at the back with an air pass-through on the upper spoiler and flush door handles that pop out when the car’s unlocked. One potential issue in some climates is the lack of a rear wiper — similarly to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60, it doesn’t have one — but it makes some sense from a styling perspective why the automaker didn’t include one.
Inside, the 2025 Cadillac Optiq still sports a huge array of luxury touches, even as the “entry” model in the lineup. You get a 33-inch “9K” OLED display, for a start, which combines a digital instrument cluster with a Google-powered infotainment system. One caveat to consider: As GM promised with its latest EVs, this system does not support Apple CarPlay, but some crucial apps like Google Maps, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are baked into the native setup. You can also add some individual apps into the system. Like Cadillac’s other models, the Optiq also gets Super Cruise, and it’s standard across the car’s trim walk. While this car doesn’t get the full-on 36-speaker AKG system you’ll find in the Escalade, you do get a 19-speaker system here with Dolby Atmos capability.
Other unique touches include the interior materials, which Cadillac emphasized in terms of both style and sustainability. The leather seating is synthetic, while the center console is made from recycled yarn. That textile material also shows up on the instrument panel and the door cards. From our first hands-on experience, the whole interior is a remarkably pleasant place to sit, while there’s relatively little switchgear throughout the Optiq that shares its look with its mainstream cousin. From the steering wheel to the center stack and the console controls, most everything you’ll touch is uniquely Cadillac.
Trim walk and availability
While the Optiq is already on sale in China, Cadillac’s entry-level crossover will eventually make its way to several European markets and North America in the coming months. The company says pricing will start around $54,000, which makes it a few thousand dollars cheaper than the Lyriq’s starting point.
Optiq models that go on sale for North America will come from the company’s Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico (same as the Chevy Equinox EV), so it should qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Two trims are available — Sport and Luxury — each with a different aesthetic. On top of that, you’ll be able to get either a Sport II or Luxury II package adding in features, though pricing should line up for each one, so the decision will boil down to your styling preferences. For now, that’s what Cadillac is planning, though there are still a few question marks about a potential, less expensive two-wheel drive model. For now, the company doesn’t feel it’s necessary, since the vast majority of customers go for the all-wheel drive models anyway.
Still, today’s reveal is just the tip of the iceberg for the 2025 Cadillac Optiq. We could see more emerge down the line, especially considering this car’s position in the lineup. This is the model that aims to bring in first-time Cadillac buyers as well as a younger, more vibrant demographic, so there’s always some potential to broaden the Optiq’s horizons in furtherance of that goal. As ever, we’ll just have to wait and see.
