The brand-new 2025 Cadillac Optiq comes standard with all-wheel drive with two motors and a single engine that makes 300 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. The Optiq is more than six inches shorter than the Lyriq, but it can still fit an 85.0-kWh battery, which gives this small SUV a 300-mile range. When the Optiq comes out this fall, it will likely cost around $54,000. The inside is beautifully built and made of high-quality materials. When it comes to the Cadillac Optiq EV, which sounds very different from the Lyriq, you really have to see it to believe it. The Optiq with two rows of seats doesn’t feel too small because the front and back seats are roomy, and the trunk is a good size. This is partly because there wasn’t a front trunk. Cadillac was able to make the back half of the car more useful by packing extras upfront upfront. The outside proportions are also nice, with a low, short hood that makes it look sportier while moving the bulk forward just enough and a windshield that slopes sharply downwards. A design trick makes the pose look even more purposeful, and the available 21-inch wheel and tire combination (the 20s come standard) fills the fenders well. Both the Optiq’s back taillights and its front daytime running lights use negative camber, which makes the car look like it’s stuck to the road. In fact, that might be the case. We met the engineers who are in charge of chassis tuning, but we still need to have a chance to drive it. The performance engineer, a good job in and of itself, came from the CT-4 and CT-5 V Blackwing programs, and the top engineer has worked on a Corvette. They talked a lot about how well the Optiq rode and handled and how its body seemed to have very little roll. They said this was because the Passive Plus dampers could tell the difference between hits and turns and change their damping accordingly. Based on the resumes that were sent, all we can do is hope. Only time will tell. All in one place for powertrains You won’t have to choose because all Optiqs will come with dual-motor all-wheel drive, which is standard. Power comes from a synchronous AC motor with fixed magnets on the front end. This all-around good option lets you drive with front-wheel drive and gets the most energy back through regenerative braking on the front axle. The asynchronous AC induction motor in the back makes a noise when you step on the pedal. This type was chosen because it packs a strong punch while putting out very little drag when it’s in cruise mode. The result is a maximum of 300 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. The 480 on the Optiq’s badge means 480 Newton meters of power, which explains why it should have that number. The Optiq’s length is only 116.3 inches, which is shorter than the Lyriq’s. However, there is still enough room between the wheels for the same 85.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Cadillac says the Optiq, which weighs 5,200 pounds, will be able to go 300 miles on a single charge. We’re not sure about this yet, even though the cheaper Chevrolet Equinox EV with all-wheel drive has a version of the same powertrain that isn’t rated as far, so we’re not taking it as gospel. This change could be because the wheels and tires are different. Most Optics come with 245/50R-20 tires, so that’s where the 300 miles come from. The available 275/40R-21 tires for the Optiq come standard on the high-end AWD Equinox EV, which has a range of 285 miles. If you pick 21s, the range will be about the same. You can switch the ends of the dual-level charge cord that comes with all Optiqs so that they can be charged at either 110V or 240V through a NEMA 14-50 outlet, which you may have had a plumber install at home. Class A motorhome shore power is often plugged into this outlet. Your electrician can connect third-party charge equipment to a 100-amp outlet, which will let the Optiq’s onboard charger reach 19.2-kW charging speeds if you want to go even faster. The Optiq’s 400-volt battery and 150-kW capacity should allow it to charge quickly enough to give you 79 miles of range in 10 minutes while you’re moving. Inside Glow The Optiq looks much better than the Lyriq’s interior, which has never impressed your author as a work of art in style. Even though cloth covers a lot of surfaces (shudder), the flow and style of this area make it look classy. This might be because of how much attention the 33-inch screen with its nice curves got, which mixes the infotainment and instrument panels better than other designs on the market. This works because the Optiq keeps all of its physical controls, like the buttons on the steering wheel, the stalks on the doors, and the controls that are attached to the stalks. This keeps the tablet from looking too busy. It could be a lot higher. You can also handle the HVAC system without using the screen, and the air vents are beautifully built into the well-designed dashboard. The overuse of black pianos has been a stylist’s crutch for far too long. The coarse-weave fabric, which is made entirely of recycled materials, adds a touch of Luxury, which is the next big thing. The glossy part in the middle that goes around the cupholders is made of a spill-proof form of the same material that has been covered in resin. The design is the same. The Optiq also doesn’t have any plastic chrome, which is clearly shiny. The metal trim pieces that are spread out look like they were rubbed by hand instead of coming from a plastic model kit. This is because they are either brushed aluminum or have a dull finish. We couldn’t test the chairs in a real-life setting, but they do feel high-end. The base model, which has yet to be named, has heated front seats. The enhanced grade has either a head-up display AI,r vents in the front and back seats, or both. The back seat has plenty of room compared to the bigger Lyriq, and we don’t feel squished. Every Optiq has a roof made of panoramic glass that goes all the way around. This gives you a great view of the outside world and a lot of space inside. There are two grades and two trims We have yet to determine the full list of required and extra gear, but we do know a few things. Since many details have changed in the past few weeks, it goes without saying that anything we think is true now could change. There will be two grades: Optiq 1 (the basic model) and Optiq 2 (the better version). The regular grade will only have heated front seats. The improved model, on the other hand, will have heated and ventilated front seats as well as heated back seats. More information about the differences is still needed. There might be more, and the head-up display is definitely a sign of a more expensive model, but we’re still determining. It comes with a 19-speaker AKG luxury audio system with Dolby Atmos, three years of Super Cruise, and a glass roof (with sunscreen, please). The chief engineer also told us that safety is “not an option.” This means that all of the active safety measures on the long list will be implemented. We were told that the 21-inch wheels would be an extra that could be bought, but all classes would come with 20-inch wheels as normal. We don’t know if this is a promise that will be kept. Also, in each grade, there will be two trim choices accessible: Some customers like the blacked-out trim on the Sport, but many customers love the brightwork on the outside of the Luxury. The styles of the wheels will match the trim you pick. They will be worked out and shared soon since the 2025 Cadillac Optiq is going on sale this fall. Before that, we’ll definitely get to drive one, and to be honest, we’re excited to see if the high-end interiors we’ve seen match the driving experience we’d expect from an engineering team with a lot of experience with Corvettes and Blackwings.
