2025 Cadillac Optiq Review

A big interior, impressive range, and attractive pricing are the 2025 Optiq highlights.

Benjamin Hunting | 

Sep 18, 2025 | 7 min read

Benjamin Hunting

That means the 2025 Optiq benefits from a comparatively long wheelbase that not only pushes interior room past that of its peers but also accommodates an impressive 85-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery and dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD). In turn, that translates into the best claimed range in its class. Additionally, the Optiq has standard Super Cruise (my pick for a hands-free driver-assistance system), and all of this is available at a price that undercuts several of the Optiq's comparably equipped rivals.

"More for less" is a good way to summarize the Optiq's value proposition. And yet, I saw no evidence of the cost cutting that, in my experience, sometimes accompanies lesser examples of luxury vehicles. That makes the 2025 Optiq an excellent all-around choice for buyers seeking an entry-level, battery-powered luxury SUV.

Benjamin Hunting

About the 2025 Cadillac Optiq Review Vehicle

Four versions of the 2025 Optiq are available: Luxury 1, Sport 1, Luxury 2, and Sport 2. Pricing ranges from the mid-$50,000s to the high $50,000s, including the destination charge that covers the cost of shipping the Optiq from its Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, assembly facility to a dealership. The EV is eligible for a $7,500 federal EV income tax credit until September 30, 2025.

For this Optiq review, I drove the Sport 1 edition in heavy bumper-to-bumper Montreal traffic as well as on the open roads of Quebec's Eastern Townships region. Factoring in the test vehicle's Orange Monarch paint and its optional black roof, the manufacturer's suggested retail price came to $56,215, including the $1,495 destination charge. Cadillac provided the vehicle for this Optiq review.

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Cadillac's 2025 Optiq Is Easy on the Eyes and Big Inside

The Optiq's shape is sleek and exciting, especially in the bright orange paint of my test vehicle. Cadillac's lighting designs also help make even junior members of the lineup, like the Optiq, feel part of the same family as the mightier Escalades — which cost tens of thousands more.

The EV's interior, finished primarily in gray with splashes of blue on the dashboard, center console, and door panels, makes a similarly energetic impression. Three cheers to Cadillac for ditching the piano-black plastic of past vehicles I've driven — the added brightness of the Optiq's cabin made for more cheerful motoring. I also appreciated the enormous cubby carved out below the console, thoughtfully lined with felt to prevent clatter and objects from sliding around.

Benjamin Hunting

The advantage of the Optiq's generous wheelbase is a roomy interior that fits inside relatively compact packaging. With a shortened hood and a canted hatch, the Cadillac's modest proportions make the SUV easy to park and maneuver in an urban setting, all without cutting into passenger comfort levels.

An airport run also confirmed that the Optiq's cargo area could handle three large suitcases without folding the rear seat down to expand the space from 26 cubic-feet to 57. That short hood might be the reason why the Optiq doesn't offer a front trunk, or frunk. Pop it open and you'll see the vehicle's electric motor but no storage space.

Benjamin Hunting

Super Cruise and Infotainment Tech Shine in 2025 Cadillac Optiq

Another Cadillac mainstay is the Optiq's large, curved infotainment screen. It's divided into distinct sections, with the trip computer and several vehicle controls located at the far left, the gauge cluster in the middle, and the larger entertainment, communications, and vehicle-configuration screen at the right.

It's a well-organized setup that is easy to use, complemented by a rotary controller and a set of menu buttons on the console that I never had to touch. Climate-system controls are separate from the display, with their own buttons located just underneath the screen. I wish more automakers would imitate Cadillac's approach here.

General Motors has nixed Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity from its electric vehicles. Having to load your desired apps into the factory infotainment system and then log in and out is a hassle — especially if you share the Optiq with another driver. It's one of the top complaints among GM EV owners I've spoken to, and it puts the Cadillac at a disadvantage compared with most other luxury EVs that do offer phone-mirroring features.

Benjamin Hunting

Overshadowing this lack of convenience is Cadillac's incredible Super Cruise technology, which allows for hands-free semi-autonomous driving on a vast network of North American highways. It routinely outperforms every other advanced driver-assistance feature I've used, and I also appreciate the big red, blue, or green light bar embedded into the steering wheel that lets you know when the system is active.

Still, I experienced a couple of hiccups with the Optiq's implementation of Super Cruise. On one occasion, in heavy rain, the SUV did not slow down when approaching traffic up ahead, and I had to intervene with the brake pedal. The automatic lane-change feature was also somewhat unpredictable, not always returning to the right lane after a pass, and sometimes failing to pass dawdling motorists.

It's rare to encounter these issues with Super Cruise, and it underscores the need to pay constant attention to the road even when using otherwise excellent technologies like this one.

Benjamin Hunting

2025 Optiq's Extended Range Pushes It Ahead of the Pack

The Optiq's dual-motor AWD electric drive system supplies 300 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Thanks to its 85-kWh battery, the EV boasts a Cadillac-estimated range of 302 miles, which is more than AWD versions of competitors such as the Genesis GV60 and Mercedes-Benz EQB.

I found the Optiq's range display to be accurate, even in very hot weather. Overall, efficiency worked out to an average of 30 kWh per 100 miles, or about 283 miles of range. That is very close to Cadillac's estimate despite the imperfect weather conditions. Charging rates peak at 150 kilowatts (kW) at a Level 3 DC fast-charging station, or just about 8 miles per minute.

Benjamin Hunting

The Cadillac Optiq isn't particularly sporty, but power delivery is strong off the line, and it never lacks gumption when asked to pass. I'm in favor of balancing speed and range instead of over-muscling an electric drivetrain, because adding more miles between plug-ins is far more helpful to most drivers than hot-rod acceleration, especially in a family vehicle like this one.

Handling was perfectly acceptable through more complex corners, and I was also impressed by the smoothness of the Optiq's ride, achieved without fancy adaptive shock absorbers or air springs. From time to time, at very low speeds, there was an odd clunk from the Cadillac's front brakes; I assume that marked a transition from its regenerative system to traditional braking. However, it didn't affect the vehicle's ability to slow down.

The AWD system relies primarily on the front-mounted motor during regular driving, with the rear motor tagging in as needed for traction or heavy acceleration. That changes the dynamics of how the vehicle drives in certain situations when compared with models that prioritize power to the rear wheels, and occasionally I could feel torque steer — the sensation of the steering wheel twisting under acceleration — when accelerating hard. It's fleeting, but I'd call it a definite difference.

Benjamin Hunting

Is the 2025 Cadillac Optiq a Good Electric Vehicle?

The 2025 Cadillac Optiq is an impressive electric SUV that feels luxurious enough to justify its price even before you factor in its excellent range and comfortable ride. Priced lower than the Audi Q4 e-Tron, Mercedes-Benz EQB, and Volvo EX40, the Optiq has been well positioned by Cadillac to scoop up battery-seeking families.

Benjamin Hunting

Nearly two decades into his career as an automotive journalist, Benjamin has had his hands greasy, his hair blown back, and his heart broken by more than one project car. In addition to his work at Capital One, he has contributed features and reviews to Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Hagerty, Driving Line, Inside Hook, Super Street, European Car, Roadkill Magazine, Motor 1, The Drive, the Toronto Star, the National Post, Business Insider, NAPA, Autoblog, Automotive News Canada, and AutoGuide. He is also cohost of the Unnamed Automotive Podcast and cocreator of the Code 45 and Dead Air graphic novels. In his spare time, he's a friend to vinyl and enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days.