Cadillac Optiq revealed in full and all but certain for Oz

American luxury brand’s luxurious Tesla Model Y electric SUV rival targets younger buyers

The 2025 Cadillac Optiq has been revealed in full and the all-new mid-size luxury electric SUV will take pride of place as the most affordable model in the General Motors premium brand’s burgeoning EV portfolio.

With dynamic interior styling and plenty of exterior flair – including dancing LED lights and 21-inch alloy wheels – the new Caddy is pitched at younger buyers with a price of $US54,000, which currently converts to around $A82,000.

That’s similar money to the Tesla Model Y Performance, but the Cadillac Optiq will be positioned as a more premium offering to compete with luxury battery-electric SUVs like the BMW iX3 (from $89,100) and Polestar 4 (from $81,500).

“Optiq will be an important gateway to attract luxury EV intenders to Cadillac as we look to offer a fully electric portfolio by the end of the decade,” said Cadillac’s global vice-president, John Roth.

Cadillac says the Optiq will have a “a global footprint, selling in over 10 regions, including Europe” and – although Australia was not mentioned in the official press statement – it’s almost certain to be sold Down Under, where the American luxury brand will return after an absence of more than half a century in late 2024 here.

GM’s premium brand will launch in Australia with the larger Cadillac Lyriq in October, but the big electric SUV will be a circa-$150,000 vehicle, while the Optiq will almost certainly slide under $90,000 and compete with mid-size SUVs in the country’s most populous new-vehicle segment.

GM Australia and New Zealand communications manager Karla Leach would neither confirm nor deny the Optiq’s local release, but left the door wide open for an Aussie launch.

“The Optiq is an exciting new addition to Cadillac EV line-up globally. We are focussed on launching Cadillac and the Lyriq into Australia and New Zealand this year and will make further product announcements next year,” she said.

Given that the Cadillac Optiq name has already been trademarked in Australia and that the brand is re-entering more right-hand drive countries including Australia, it stands to reason the Optiq’s local arrival is a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’.

Thus far, Cadillac has confirmed five all-new battery-electric models, including the Lyriq, Optiq, Escalade IQ, Celestiq and Vistiq.

It’s understood that all of five EVs are under consideration for the Australian market.

Cadillac Optiq luxury features

GM’s premium brand has confirmed the entry-level Optiq will deliver a 480km cruising range from its 85kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

It says the Optiq blends premium materials with dynamic design and intuitive tech, positioning it as a genuine rival to German SUVs from Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Along with a big 33-inch ‘advanced LED’ infotainment screen with 9K resolution, the Optiq is fitted with leather-covered, power-operated, heated, cooled and massaging front seats with sci-fi head restraints.

Cadillac also claims ‘segment best’ cargo capacity of 744 litres, expanding to 1603 litres, as well as a spacious second row of seats and the now-ubiquitous fixed-glass roof popularised by the Tesla Model 3.

Sporting Volvo-like soft woven fabric made from recycled materials on its dash, the Optiq also features ‘PaperWood’ accents manufactured from tulip wood and recycled newspaper.

Other details include crystal-look air-vent controls, a rotary gear/power selector and a sculpted dual-section dashboard design to give the cabin a premium aura.

Two model grades will be offered in North America – Luxury and Sport – and both will be fitted as standard with the brand’s Super Cruise autonomous driving system, a thumping 19-speaker AKG stereo with customisable speaker and amplifier settings, plus Dolby Atmos enhancement.

An in-built Google infotainment system with Google Maps and Google Assistant are part of the package and Caddy has installed a significant sensor suite festooned with ultrasonic sensors plus radar and cameras.

These sensors augment safety systems including adaptive cruise control, blind zone steering assist, enhanced automatic parking and autonomous emergency braking, among many others.

Cadillac Optiq powertrain

Unlike the 150kW and 180kW powertrains revealed for the Chinese-market Optiq in November, US and European (and most likely Australian) models will pack more heat in the form of a 224kW/480Nm dual-motor powertrain.

Comprising a permanent magnet electric front motor and an induction rear electric motor fed by the 85kWh lithium-ion (NCMA cathode blended graphite anode) battery pack, it has a quoted range of 482km.

Chinese-market Optiq vehicles are built in China and use CATL-supplied battery packs – not GM’s in-house Ultium batteries – but it’s not clear whether North American and European vehicles will continue to use Chinese battery packs.

Charging times and maximum charging bandwidth (via a DC ultra-fast charger) have not been confirmed, but Cadillac says owners can expect to add 127km of range in 10 minutes via an ultra-fast charger.

One-pedal driving functionality is included, but the Optiq will also offer ‘Regen On Demand’, which Cadillac describes as a “driver-controlled braking feature that allows the driver to slow down or stop the Optiq with a dedicated, pressure-sensitive paddle located on the steering wheel.”

The Optiq’s estimated 482km range can’t quite match the $69,990 Tesla Model Y Long Range’s 533km, nor the $82,900 Tesla Model Y Performance’s 514km range, but it should be more than enough for most metro buyers.

In Australia, Cadillac will initially open three showrooms or ‘experience centres’ in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland as part of a direct-to-customer sales strategy that appears similar to the retail strategy adopted by Korean luxury brand Genesis.