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Cadillac’s new IQ portfolio of all-electric vehicles — notably the compact Optiq SUV and grandaddy full-size Escalade IQ — has put the company on a techier, more advanced, and luxurious plane. And the shift couldn’t have come soon enough.
The slate of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles that have come out of Cadillac in recent years hasn’t quite matched the levels of luxury and tech of its rivals.
Cadillac aims to change that with its debut of the compact Optiq SUV as well as the Escalade IQ, which take big swings on tech and advanced features. Importantly, Cadillac gave these two EVs distinct luxury personalities in an effort to appeal to different consumers. Call it the Young and Fun and the Old Money Luxe.
Cadillac let me loose in Northern California over two days to drive the Optiq SUV and Escalade IQ. Here’s how the two newly launched EVs stacked up.
Youthful Optiq SUV
When I learned that engineers from my beloved Cadillac Blackwing had a hand in the Optiq crossover, I was immediately intrigued to see what 300 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque would feel like in this all-wheel drive crossover on the twisties.
It’s pretty darn entertaining. Yes, all EVs have smooth power delivery and the ability to accelerate quickly out of corners, but not every one has the suspension to back it up.
The dampers here get what Cadillac calls Passive Plus tuning. While cornering at high speeds the car remains flat and stable, but it can handle broken pavement without getting upset. Essentially, it can react to both slow and quick events to provide handling that is sporty and comfortable, without the complication of electronics. Of course, I’d welcome a future V-Performance Optiq with MagneRide dampers for even more giggles, but for now the hotrod kid in me loves this thing.
If you haven’t carved a canyon in an EV before, it can be a bit different than in a traditional vehicle, thanks to regenerative braking.
The Optiq gives you the ability to turn it off and just rely on the mechanical brakes or keep them at normal for just a bit of slow down when you lift off the throttle. I like maximum regen as it adds another level of skill to lift off the accelerator pedal at the right moment. There’s also a paddle behind the steering wheel that can add regen braking even if the system is set for none. This also can add another skill element for those looking to test their abilities. It’s the gamification of driving.
Escalade IQ, the Electric Land Yacht
Meanwhile, the drive experience in the three-row Escalade IQ is pure comfy goodness. Even though it sports the more advanced MagneRide dampers, those seem to mainly counteract the vehicle’s brutal 9,000-pound heft.
The three-row SUV’s full 700 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque are only accessible in a mode called Velocity Max. Otherwise the SUV makes due with 680 ponies and 615 pound-feet of torque going to all four wheels. That might sound like overkill, but this zaftig baby needs it. Anything less and it would feel severely underpowered.
The Escalade IQ is all about smooth, comfortable driving. U-turns are easy thanks to a rear-wheel steer system that makes the 136-inch wheelbase seem much shorter. If you want to arrive in style an Arrival mode lets the Escalade move diagonally into a parking spot. Just be wary of what’s around you as it’s easy to underestimate the angle.
Cadillac also stacked the Escadale with luxury and convenience features. Press on the brake pedal and the doors close automatically. The vehicle also comes with heated seats and a massage function.
And then there is the advanced driver assistance system. Both vehicles get Cadillac’s SuperCruise standard that allows for hands-free/eyes-up driving on 750,000 miles of road.
The system can change lanes when the driver activates the turn signal or it will do it on its own in order to pass a slower moving car. It was raining and pretty foggy while SuperCruising in the Escalade and though the system hesitated while executing a lane and a sweeping turn at the same time, it had no problems reading lane markings through the mist.
There are plenty of standard safety features on both EVs as well. Blind spot monitoring, forward collision alert and braking, lane-keeping assist — all of those features are here.
I especially like the rear camera mirror on both vehicles that gives a wide-angle view of what’s going on behind the car. However, the Escalade IQ goes a step further with standard turn-signal activated camera display. Sure, the blind-spot monitoring is enough, but the video display on the screen that shows the adjoining two lanes is pretty sweet.
Range, range and more range
The little Optiq has an 85 kWh battery with enough electrons for 302 miles of driving. The 400-volt system can accept a DC fast charge of 150 kW, quick enough to get about 79 miles of range in 10 minutes.
The Escalade IQ, however, goes gigantor with a 205 kWh battery with 460 miles of range. Like the related Hummer EV, the Escalade’s battery is actually two 400-volt battery packs that can work in series or parallel, enabling a DC fast charge of up to 350 kW and the ability to gain 100 miles of range in 10 minutes. Both are on the CCS charging platform, but a NACS adaptor can be purchased from Cadillac for $225.
For home charging, both EVs come standard with an 11.5 kW onboard charger, but a 19.2 kW system can be had as well. This should enable about 36 miles per hour when charging at home.
Two interior personalities
The interior of the Optiq definitely skews younger and hipper, with recycled materials, a clean look and some nifty storage solutions.
There is 33 inches of diagonal screen space and a seriously kicking 19-speaker AKG Audio system with Dolby Atmos. The Atmos system is pretty dope, with sounds bouncing around the cabin in a way that delighted even my deficient left ear, to say nothing of my fully-functional right ear.
Meanwhile, the Escalade IQ appeals to an older, more sophisticated crowd, but still goes big on tech with 55 inches of screen stretching across the entire dash. The passenger screen can play movies or browse the web, all without disturbing the driver.
There is also a center screen below that’s used for HVAC controls, switching to automatic door controls when the SUV is in park. The two wireless charging pads for the front row are a nice touch. Unfortunately, the Dolby Atmos is not available here thanks to development timelines, but look for it in 2026.
Neither vehicle has Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, instead relying on Google built-in for maps and smartphone interaction.
While I like that Google maps suggests charging stations and estimates remaining range at the end of a journey, I had a hard time setting up Google Assistant to read my text messages. I never got it to work in the Optiq and I had to have an engineer walk me through it in the Escalade, and even then it took a few tries. Once connected my phone posted a notification when I received a text message and allowed a voice-to-text reply, but I didn’t have time to see if it could place a call or play a podcast.
Break out the checkbook
The Optiq is the entry-level EV in Cadillac’s portfolio, starting at $55,615 including $1,495 for destination for the Luxury 1 trim. However, the Monarch Orange paint with the black roof is only available on the Sport 1 and Sport 2 trims and is well worth the extra dollars.
The Escalade IQ is a whole other ballgame. The Luxury 1 trim starts at nearly $130,000 including $2,290 for destination. All paint colors are available across all trims, but the Midnight Steel Frost for $5,925 is a stunner. The most you could drop for a starting price is just over $150,000 for the Sport 2 trim, which has niceties like ventilated second row seats, a 38-speaker AKG sound system, available second row massage and second row executive seat package as well as a thermal camera for night vision.
My time in the Optiq left a positive impression — even if I’m likely a bit older than the intended demographic. The car’s on-road manners appeal to the thrill-seeker in me.
Yes, the Escalade is cool, but it’s more of a lifestyle and status marker, something that doesn’t get me revved up, if you’ll pardon the expression.
Regardless, both offer up some of the best tech in the segment. Safety features are all standard as is SuperCruise and the myriad screens give both cabins a futuristic element. I’m not happy with the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but that is one quibble with what are both outstanding vehicles.
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