Cadillac’s new IQ portfolio of all electric vehicles, especially the compact Optiq SUV and Grandaddy full-size Escalade IQ, led the company to technical, more advanced and luxurious planes. And the shift would not have come soon.
The slates of traditional internal combustion engines that have emerged from Cadillac in recent years do not match the level of luxury and technology that its rivals.
Cadillac aims to change that with the debut of the compact Optiq SUV and the debut of the Escalade IQ. Importantly, Cadillac has given these two EVs a distinct luxury character to appeal to a variety of consumers. Call it young, fun and the luxury of old money.
Cadillac relaxed me in Northern California for two days to drive an Optiq SUV and Escalade IQ. Here’s how the two newly launched EVs stacked together:
Youthful Optiq SUV
When I learned that my beloved Cadillac Black Wing engineer had his hands on an Optiq crossover, I was immediately intrigued to see how 300 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque felt in this all-wheel drive crossover.
That’s pretty interesting. Yes, every EV has a smooth power supply and the ability to accelerate quickly from the corners, but not everyone has the suspension to back it up.
The dampers here get what Cadillac calls Passive Plus Tuning. During high-speed cornering, the car remains flat and stable, but can handle broken pavement without getting upset. Essentially, you may respond to both slow and quick events to provide sporty and comfortable handling without complications of your electronics. Of course, I’d like to welcome the future V-performance Optiq with Magneride Dampers with even more laughs, but for now my Hotrod kid loves this.
If you’ve never carved a canyon in your EV before, it may be a little different to your traditional vehicle thanks to regeneration brakes.
Optiq can turn it off and rely on mechanical brakes or keep it somewhat slow and normal when lifting the throttle. I like the biggest Regen because the biggest Regen adds another level of skill to lift the accelerator pedal at the right moment. There is also a paddle behind the steering wheel, allowing you to add Regen brakes even if the system is set up. This also allows you to add another skill element for those looking to test their abilities. It’s driving gamification.
Escalade IQ, The Electric Land Yacht
Meanwhile, the drive experience with the 3-row Escalade IQ is pure comfort. It features more advanced Magneride dampers, but they appear to compete primarily with the brutal 9,000 pound weight of the vehicle.
The 3-row SUV’s full 700 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque are only accessible in a mode called Velocity Max. Otherwise, the SUV sends 680 ponies and 615 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. It may sound like an overkill, but this Zaftig baby needs it. Anything less than that, you’ll feel badly lacking.
Escalade IQ is about smooth and comfortable driving. The U-turn is easy thanks to the rear wheel steering system, which makes the 136-inch wheelbase look much shorter. If you wish to arrive in style, you can move the escalade diagonally into the car park in Arrival Mode. It’s easy to underestimate the angle, so be careful of what’s around you.
Cadillac also stacked Escadeles with features of luxury and convenience. Press the brake pedal to close the door automatically. The vehicle also comes with a heated seating and massage function.
And there is an advanced driver assistance system. Both vehicles will win the Cadillac Super Cruise Standard, which allows hands-free/ice-up driving on 750,000 miles of roads.
The system can either change lanes when the driver activates the turn signal or do it on its own to pass through slower moving cars. It was raining during the super cruising on the Escalade and it was quite foggy, but the system hesitated while running the lane change and cleaning turns at the same time, but there was no problem reading the lane marks through the fog.
Both EVs have many standard safety features. Blind Spot Monitoring, Forward Collision Alerts and Brakes, Lane Keeping Assist – all of these features are available here.
I especially like the rear camera mirrors of both vehicles and largely sort what’s going on behind the car. However, the Escalade IQ goes a step further with a standard turn signal activated camera display. Certainly blind spot monitoring is sufficient, but the on-screen video display showing two adjacent lanes is rather sweet.
Ranges, Ranges, and Other Ranges
The Little Optiq has an 85 kWh battery with enough electronics to drive 302 miles. The 400 volt system can accept 150 kW of DC high-speed charges and can accept fast enough to get a range of about 79 miles in 10 minutes.
However, the Escalade IQ will be a Gigantor with a 205 kWh battery in the 460-mile range. Like the associated Hommer EV, the Escalade battery is actually two 400 volt battery packs that can operate in series or parallel, with up to 350 kW of DC fast charging and a 100-mile range in 10 minutes. Both are on the CCS charging platform, but the NACS adapter is available for purchase from Cadillac for $225.
For residential charging, both EVs come with an 11.5 kW onboard charger as standard, but the 19.2 kW system is the same. This allows for around 36 mph when charging at home.
Two interior personalities
The interior of the Optiq definitely distorts the younger and hipper, with recycled materials, a clean look and some nifty storage solutions.
It has 33-inch diagonal screen space and allows you to seriously kick the 19-speaker AKG audio system with Dolby Atmos. The Atmos system is pretty doped and the sound is bouncing around the cabin in such a way that even my lacking left ear would please, let alone my fully functional right ear.
Meanwhile, the Escalade IQ appeals to a more refined, more refined crowd, but still grows to technology as it stretches out a 55-inch screen throughout the dash. Passenger screens allow you to play movies and browse the web without interfering with the driver.
There is also a central screen used for HVAC controls, which switches to automatic door control when the SUV is in the park. The two wireless charging pads in the front row look great. Unfortunately, Dolby Atmos is not available here thanks to the development timeline, but we are looking for it in 2026.
Neither vehicle has Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Instead, it relies on Google built-in for maps and smartphone interactions.
I like Google Maps suggesting to estimate the remaining range at the end of the journey and the charging station, but I struggled to set up Google Assistant to read text messages. I never made it work with Optic and had to let the engineers take a walk on the escalade. Once I connected, the phone posted a notification when I received the text message and allowed me to reply to the audio, but I didn’t have time to make a call or see if I could play the podcast.
Split checkbook
The Optiq is an entry-level EV in Cadillac’s portfolio, starting at $55,615. However, Monarch Orange Paint with a black roof is only available in Sport 1 and Sport 2 trims and is worth the extra dollar.
Escalade IQ is a completely different ball game. The Luxury 1 Trim starts at around $130,000, including the destination $2,290. All paint colors are available in all trims, but the $5,925 midnight steel frost is shocking. Drops at the starting price are just over $150,000 for Sport 2 trim with greatness like a ventilated second row seating, a 38-speaker AKG sound system, two rows of massage available, an executive seat package in the second row, and a thermal camera for night vision.
My time on Optiq left a positive impression, even if I was a little older than the intended demographic. Car on-road manners appeal to my thrill seekers.
Yes, escalades are cool, but they are like lifestyle and status markers, and if you allow expression, you can’t get around me.
Anyway, both offer the best technology in the segment. Safety features are all standard, and like Super Cruises, countless screens give both cabins a futuristic element. I’m not satisfied with the lack of Apple Carplay and Android Auto, but it’s both full with standout vehicles and one.
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