The all-electric Cadillac Vistiq makes the Escalade redundant
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Cadillac needs a corpulent lineup of electrical autos, and it’s virtually there. It has a dilapidated crossover SUV (the Lyriq), an entry-stage model (the Optiq), an electrical version of its flagship Escalade (the Escalade IQ), and even a baroque showpiece (the Celestiq). However something’s lacking.
For a latest luxury designate, a midsize three-row crossover is most critical. Prospects for whom a Toyota Highlander is just too déclassé need something to rob their children to lacrosse declare, however can also simply no longer need something as huge as an Escalade. This isn’t basically the most exciting draw transient, and that’s reflected within the fuel Cadillac XT6, which has continuously felt love nothing extra than a placeholder. Its new electric counterpart, the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq, is the rest however.
Relish Cadillac’s other EVs, the Vistiq feels love extra effort used to be put into it than the identical fuel crossover. Cadillac is so pleased with the Vistiq, in fact, that calls the new EV a “dinky one Escalade.” If that’s the case, then this younger sibling is an overachiever.
Familiarity isn’t a substandard component
With a handful of EVs already filling its showrooms, Cadillac didn’t absorb to ruin new styling floor with the Vistiq. This three-row model contains draw aspects familiar from those other Cadillac EVs into its unfamiliar shape, which will accommodate seven passengers or six, looking out on whether or no longer you resolve a 2d-row bench seat or captain’s chairs.
The Vistiq wears the identical assured-taking a explore face we’ve been seeing on Cadillac EVs since the Lyriq debuted in 2022. Whereas EVs absorb lower cooling needs than internal-combustion autos, Cadillac aloof insisted on a immense grille, flanked by chunky vertical headlights and skinny daylight operating lights that emphasize the entrance discontinuance’s width and high. Here’s what makes the “dinky one Escalade” tagline fitting, developing a prime impression simply as tough as the bigger Escalade IQ. It’s also indispensable extra sensible than the rear-discontinuance styling, again borrowed from other Cadillac EVs, which is a less-coherent sequence of lights, reflectors, and lovely objects.
Inside of, the Vistiq aspects three rows of fairly pleased seats — even the third row is tolerable for medium-sized adults and aspects immense cupholders, USB-C ports, and even its cling glass roof panel. A low window line and skinny dashboard compose a sense of spaciousness up entrance whereas offering surprisingly upright forward visibility for a huge, gigantic automobile. However it completely’s the diversity of field subject and lovely choices that have the Vistiq indubitably feel love an even luxury automobile. The take a look at automobile — a higher-spec Top rate Luxurious model — sported blue leather upholstery with white piping properly complemented by wood and steel lovely that used to be a nice exchange of tempo from different monochrome interiors obtainable.
Drives love a Cadillac ought to aloof
This electric SUV is a family hauler, however it completely has specs worthy of Cadillac’s V-Sequence efficiency gadgets. The accepted twin-motor all-wheel pressure powertrain is in fact shared with the Lyriq-V (as well to the Chevrolet Blazer EV SS), producing 615 horsepower and 650 pound-toes of torque. That will slingshot you and six companions from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, in step with Cadillac. That’s simply 0.1 2d unnerved of a BMW iX M70 xDrive, which isn’t pressured with a third row of seats.
Unlocked within the Velocity Max pressure mode, corpulent strength feels as ferocious as the numbers counsel. However it completely’s the top possible component about the riding ride fitting that adjective. Geared up with non-compulsory air suspension (steel coil springs and adaptive dampers are accepted), the Vistiq floated over crumbling Michigan pavement — without the floppiness of stereotypical Cadillac land yachts. It’s straightforward to damp out bumps by simply making the suspension as tender as conceivable, however Cadillac’s engineers retained ample firmness to protect occupants from being tossed about as the Vistiq rides the waves of avenue imperfections.
Every other considerable possibility is a four-wheel steering machine love the one within the Escalade IQ. It doesn’t consist of the IQ’s gimmicky Arrival Mode, so you acquired’t be crabbing sideways into parking areas, however aloof offers the extra relevant advantages of a tighter turning radius. That no longer top possible made parking more straightforward, however also gave the Vistiq a extra exact and exact indubitably feel in corners. Relish the streak quality, the handling had a Cadillac-applicable relaxed indubitably feel, without descending too far into imprecision and sloppiness. In other phrases, the Vistiq’s chassis tuning is precisely what it absorb to be.
Extensive Cruise retains recuperating
Most of the Vistiq’s tech carries over from other fresh Cadillac gadgets. The bent 33-lag dashboard train is simply just like the ones within the Cadillac Optiq and Lyriq, and runs Usual Motors’ extra fresh Android-basically basically based completely infotainment machine. That ability you ranking Google Constructed-in apps, however don’t ranking Apple CarPlay or standalone Android Auto. A 23-speaker AKG audio machine will most certainly be accepted, with Dolby Atmos tech that’s rolling out across Cadillac’s lineup for the 2026 model Twelve months.
On the opposite hand, the Vistiq adds an non-compulsory augmented reality head-up train that can train issues love plod, the next distance for adaptive cruise aid watch over, and arrows projected over lanes indicating the put aside to flip when the utilize of the Vistiq’s constructed-in Google Maps app. Some automakers, love Mercedes-Benz, provide the same aspects, however Cadillac’s are properly-constructed-in into the little amount of dwelling obtainable. This train also makes utilize of tech from GM-backed Envisics designed to lower distortion, however a extra through evaluation in a wider range of lighting stipulations might be wished to in fact take a look at its effectiveness.
The Vistiq also serves as the beginning platform for rather a lot of considerable updates to Usual Motors’ Extensive Cruise fingers-free driver-aid machine. Extensive Cruise’s auto lane-exchange characteristic can now note routes, bright the auto into the top possible lane for merges and interchanges. Here’s a huge development over the outdated iteration, which top possible answered to slower autos in entrance and thus required extra babysitting to steer definite of ending up within the imperfect lane. It labored horny properly on this take a look at pressure, though it did ranking puzzled in one train the put aside the lane markings were unclear.
Extensive Cruise’s interface will most certainly be streamlined. It’s now conceivable to pre-make a selection Extensive Cruise (or adaptive cruise aid watch over) sooner than surroundings off; a urged to spark off the machine will seem within the instrument cluster whereas you’ve reached an correct avenue. That takes a step out of the utilize of Extensive Cruise, whereas integration with the pinnacle-up train makes it more straightforward to visual display unit what the machine is doing once it’s activated.
Aloof a Cadillac in relation to efficiency
The Vistiq makes utilize of the identical 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack as the 2-row Cadillac Lyriq. Reliable ratings weren’t obtainable at press time, however Cadillac expects no lower than 300 miles of range, and it’ll seemingly be lower than the Lyriq’s higher of 319 miles with all-wheel pressure, owing to the Vistiq’s added weight and boxier shape. So love its huge sibling, the Escalade IQ, the Vistiq depends on a huge pack—as adverse to efficiency—to invent acceptable range. It’s playing to a stereotype of inefficiency that goes aid to fuel guzzling Cadillacs of widespread.
Charging efficiency will most certainly be acceptable, as adverse to extra special. Cadillac claims the Vistiq can DC rapidly charge at as a lot as 190 kilowatts, ample to ranking higher 80 miles of range in 10 minutes of charging at a suitably-highly effective residence. The accepted 11.5-kW AC onboard charger and non-compulsory 19.2-kW unit can ranking higher a claimed 29 miles or 46.9 miles per hour of charging, respectively.
GM is planning to undertake the North American Charging Identical outdated (NACS), however for now the Vistiq aloof makes utilize of a Blended Charging Identical outdated (CCS) connector. An adapter enables it to charge at Tesla Superchargers and other NACS stations, and love other GM EVs, the Vistiq offers bidirectional charging skill that enables it to aid as a dwelling backup strength source.
Who needs an Escalade IQ?
Pricing begins at $78,790 for the tainted Luxurious lovely stage — undercutting other three-row luxury electric SUVs love the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and Volvo EX90. The Rivian R1S has a lower tainted imprint, and offers proper off-avenue skill, however tainted gadgets absorb a dinky bit less range than the Vistiq. The Lucid Gravity puts the remaining of the sector to disgrace in relation to range, handling, and interior usability, however the single Immense Touring lovely stage on the 2d obtainable begins at $96,550.
As with many luxury autos, however, that tainted imprint is a dinky little bit of a misnomer. The Vistiq Top rate Luxurious adds the air suspension and four-wheel steering that made the take a look at automobile so good to pressure, plus the augmented reality head-up train — however it completely begins at $93,290. That’s aloof more cost-effective than a Gravity Immense Touring, however extra importantly, it’s plenty lower than the $129,990 starting imprint of the Escalade IQ.
The Vistiq offers the plucky styling and three-row utility of the Escalade IQ, however without the compromises inherent with that SUV’s huge proportions. With its enormous weight and oversized battery pack, the Escalade IQ already made no sense. The Vistiq makes it redundant.