2026 Cadillac Optiq-V First Drive Review: Stop, Turn and Go

• The Cadillac Optiq-V packs 519 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.
• It also has an EPA-estimated range of 278 miles.
• Additional suspension changes help the Optiq-V live up to its performance badge.

Turn 

Cadillac engineers did a lot to make the Optiq-V handle better than the standard SUV. They stiffened every part of the suspension they could, including the mounts, bushings, anti-roll bars and spring rates. Cadillac also firmed up the steering, switched out the passive dampers for adaptive Sachs units with Tour and Sport settings, and added an optional set of summer performance tires. As a result, the Optiq-V stands out among a sea of sameness.

The weighty, stable steering is immediately noticeable, even in Tour mode, and it only adds heft in Sport or V modes. During an autocross on the M1 Concourse track in Pontiac, Michigan, the Optiq-V performed admirably. It has 6 inches of ground clearance, so it leans some in turns, but the stiffer suspension fights that lean better than all but a few electric crossovers, models like the Porsche Macan Electric and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. It’s predictable, too. As I learned on the autocross, drive it too hard into a corner and it pushes wide; get that momentum under control with the brakes and it rotates, punch it midcorner and the rear end can kick out (as long as Competition mode is activated). 275/40R21 Continental SportContact 6 tires also provide excellent grip. Cadillac views the Optiq-V as a driver's car, and those traits fit the bill.

The downside to all that suspension tuning is a firm ride. It’s not punishing in Tour mode, but the Sport setting will be too hard for some buyers. With that, however, comes some welcome road feel.

Go

The Optiq-V boasts a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain with 519 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. A pair of permanent magnet synchronous electric motors provide the thrust, the one in the back accounting for about 60% of the power. The all-wheel-drive system apportions about 60% of the power to the rear as well. The motors are fed by an 85-kWh battery that unlocks 278 miles of range on the standard all-season tires and 250 miles on the optional summer performance tires. The V can charge at 11.5 kW on a Level 2 home charger and optionally at 19.2 kW. On a DC fast charger, it can add 70 miles in 10 minutes through its standard NACS plug.

At the M1 Concourse, a 0-60 mph run was best tackled by activating the Launch Control function. To do so, I simply hit the V button on the steering wheel to turn on Velocity Max mode. This set all the V's systems to their most aggressive settings and turned on the Competition mode, which loosens the stability control and traction control systems. From there, all I had to do was press down hard on the brake, floor the throttle, and let go of the brake. 

All four sticky Continental SportContact 6 summer tires hooked up efficiently, and the Optiq-V leaped forward with the sudden hit of torque that only electric motors can deliver. Power delivery felt somewhat flat after that, but it still built speed quickly. It hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, according to the onboard timer in the digital instrument cluster. Cadillac reports 3.5 seconds, but my test vehicle showed a best time of 3.2 seconds, likely achieved with a full battery charge rather than the 60% charge I was working with. A synthetic spaceship-like sound accompanied my run, piped entirely through the speakers.

On the road, the power came on with similar gusto: hard from a stop and at lower speeds but less jarring on the freeway. Each mode has its own sound, mostly muted, and drivers can choose a Stealth silent mode in the programmable MyMode or Z mode settings.

What else is new?

The rest of the changes for the Optiq-V are minor. The body sports a "Cadillac precision pattern" on the rear quarter windows, a new front fascia with V-pattern mesh in the lower grille, a gloss-black front splitter, body-color lower trim and a gloss-black rear diffuser. Inside, it has blue trim accents, blue accent stitching, a carbon-fiber center console, V-Series perforations on the seats, a 19-speaker AKG audio system with Dolby Atmos, and standard Super Cruise hands-free highway driving assist.

All this comes for a price of $68,795 including destination. That's about $10,000 more than a similarly equipped all-wheel-drive Optiq, but that money buys a greater ability to stop, turn and go. In an EV market where most vehicles feel very much the same, that’s a welcome change.

Photos by Kirk Bell