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USA Today
3 days ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
2026 Cadillac Vistiq: The 'baby Escalade' EV SUV you've been waiting for
2026 Cadillac Vistiq: The 'baby Escalade' EV SUV you've been waiting for Show Caption Hide Caption Video: 2026 Cadillac Vistiq first drive 'Baby Escalade' brings big truck energy and advanced features to midsize SUV The Cadillac six-passenger Vistiq electric luxury vehicle is expected to have a 305-mile range on a charge. With the Vistiq all-wheel drive is standard. The question isn't whether buyers will love Cadillac's six-passenger 2026 Vistiq electric luxury SUV. They will. The question is why it took Cadillac decades to build this baby Escalade ― easier than the massive original to park and helm through city traffic, but still packing the luxury, technology and sheer presence that's made the Escalade an icon; arguably the most successful and important vehicle in Cadillac's 122-year history. Infusing the Escalade's essence into a vehicle in the higher-volume midsize SUV segment seems obvious in retrospect, but Cadillac never tried. It built smaller SUVs, some very good, but none approached the Escalade's status and swagger. Honestly, though, who cares? The Vistiq rolling into Cadillac dealers now is such a natural fit for the brand that asking what took so long is the cheapest Monday morning quarterbacking. If you didn't have the idea, you don't get to call other people slow for not thinking of it sooner. What matters is that the Vistiq has arrived, with the bravado, power and sheer heft that make the Escalade ― and the new Escalade IQ EV ― impossible to ignore in a market crowded with luxury and electric SUVs. Built in Spring Hill, Tennessee, the Vistiq is on sale now. Prices run from $77,395 to $96,495, excluding a $1,695 destination charge. 2026 Cadillac Vistiq trim levels and prices Sport: $77,395 Luxury: $77,895 Premium Luxury: $91,895 Platinum: $96,495 Source: Cadillac Prices exclude $1,695 destination charge. What makes the Vistiq special? Cadillac has bet big on EVs. They account for 23% of sales so far this year, with a target of 35% by year end. The Vistiq's calling cards are: Road presence Advanced features Comfort Style Room Big battery, good range, poor charging transparency A midsize three-row SUV with six or seven seats, the Vistiq plays in one of the most popular vehicle segments. All-wheel drive from a pair of electric motors is standard. They produce 615 hp and 650 pound-feet of torque that blast the SUV to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. A 102 kWh battery provides up to 305 miles range. Cadillac continues GM's refusal to quantify DC charging speed by the commonly used and easily understood, 'xx minutes from 10%-80%' of battery capacity, but the Vistiq's battery can accept 190kW current, adding 'up to 79 miles in about 10 minutes.' In case you missed it: Cadillac ends XT6 early to extend XT5 model, adds new EV at Tennessee plant On the possibly naive assumption that GM's acting in good faith, simple math suggests 10%-80% could be achieved in less than 30 minutes ― fast enough there's no reason not to announce it. Top 2026 Cadillac Vistiq features Six or seven passengers 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds Up to 615 hp and 650 pound-feet of torque 305-mile range Dual sunroofs with sunshades Full-time all-wheel drive Dolby Atmos audio 23-speaker AKG audio Augmented reality display for navigation and alerts Night vision Five-zone climate control 102 kWh battery Up to 190 kW charging speed 21-, 22- and 23-inch wheels Available all-wheel drive Available air suspension Real-time, adaptive route-planning with charging stops Available NACS adapter for Tesla chargers When reality just isn't good enough An advanced new augmented reality system projects navigation information ― including arrows floating in front of the Vistiq to indicate turns ― and alerts. New optics make the display, which appears to be projected in space 10 meters in front of the Vistiq, clearer and more effective than earlier AR systems. The Vistiq is one of a handful of vehicles that uses active noise cancellation to reduce road noise from the tires and suspension. That's particularly welcome given that its electric drivetrain eliminates many sounds and vibrations that mask those noises in internal combustion vehicles. 2026 Cadillac Vistiq competitors BMW X7 M601 Infiniti QX80 Jeep Wagoneer Land Rover Range Rover Lexus LX 700h Lincoln Aviator Lucid Gravity Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 4Matic Rivian R1S Tesla X Driving impressions The Vistiq drives like a smaller vehicle. That's a very good thing, particularly for a vehicle that can haul six or seven adults in comfort. The optional four-wheel steering tightens its running radius and enables quick, stable maneuvers at highway speed. An air suspension that's packaged with the 4WS (four-wheel steering) smooths rough surfaces and virtually eliminates body roll, squat and dive in enthusiastic driving. And it's hard not to drive enthusiastically in a vehicle that combines inherently quiet EV operation with active road-noise cancellation and plenty of acoustic insulation. The Vistiq's smooth, quiet progress makes it easy to underestimate your speed. GM's advanced Super Cruise hands-free driving system becomes appealing not just for driver comfort, but also because it maintains the speed you choose ― regardless of how quiet and smooth the Vistiq is at high speeds. Elegant, advanced interior The interior is roomy and comfortable, with materials including carbon fiber, open-pore wood. Highlights include metal inlays in wood trim, ambient lighting and woven accent fabric made from recycled feedstock. The 23-speaker audio system has jewel-pattern metal grilles. The instrument panel has 33 inches of continuous screen for displays and controls ― and eventually to stream videos when parked and charging. A separate touch screen handles climate, infotainment and other features, including apps from the Google Play store. There's useful luggage and cargo room. The third row of seats provides adult legroom when the second row is moved forward. EVs coming from Cadillac this year Optiq Optiq-V Lyriq-V Vistiq Escalade IQ Escalade IQL Celestiq What could be better? The touch screen is not responsive enough for some functions, including adjusting lumber support and other seat features. Polarized sunglasses significantly reduce the augmented reality display's visibility. While GM makes third-party apps available through its Google operating system and adopts other Android smart phone features, the automaker's EVs don't allow Apple CarPlay, complicating some drivers' accustomed smart phone use. Why buy a 2026 Cadillac Vistiq? The Vistiq's broad stance, vertical lights and illuminated badges stand out. Like the Escalade ― like all Cadillacs should ― the SUV announces your arrival. It's responsive on the road and in parking lots, thanks to well-tuned steering and suspension. The interior is elegant, roomy and easy to use, with contemporary touches like metal-inlaid wood, fabric from recycled materials, and large and legible displays. Advanced technologies improve everything from driving to enjoying music and flowing navigation instructions. 2026 Cadillac Vistiq at a glance All-wheel drive six- or seven-seat midsize electric SUV Base price: $77,395 (All prices exclude import tariffs and $1,695 destination charge.) On sale now Price as tested: $91,895 Power: One electric motor on each axle Output: 615 hp, 650 pound-feet of torque Transmission: Single-speed direct drive Battery: 102 kWh lithium-ion EPA estimated range on a charge: 300-305 miles, depending on model Maximum charging speed: 190 kW DC; 19.2 kW 240v AC Charging time: 79 miles in 10 minutes w/190kWDC; up to 46.7 miles per hour @ 240v Wheelbase: 121.8 inches Length: 205.6 inches Width: 79.8 inches without mirrors (86.7 including mirrors) Height: 71 inches Ground clearance: NA Passenger volume: 136.6 cubic feet (estimated) Cargo volume: 15.2 cubic feet behind rear seat; 43 behind second row; 80.2 behind front seats Curb weight: 6,326 pounds. Towing capacity: 5,000 pounds Assembled in Spring Hill, Tennessee Contact Mark Phelan: 313-222-6731 or mmphelan@ Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Auto review: Hands-free in the Caddy ‘Baby Escalade' Vistiq
The Baby Escalade is Cadillac's most mature electric vehicle. The Vistiq is the fifth and final piece in the GM luxury brand's EV squadron and, at $79,290, its combination of size, speed and tech make it the best value of the quintet. That value is relative as Caddy's EV lineup makes a big move to the ultra-luxury EV market (led by its $340K Celestiq flagship) over its outgoing internal combustion models. Expect the EVs to cost $20,000-$40,000 more than their ICE peers. My all-wheel-drive Luxury model asks a 30-grand premium over the comparable $50K gas-powered XT6 Luxury model, which is retiring after this year. On Patterson Lake Road's rollercoaster in Livingston County, I confidently leapt from turn to turn in the three-ton, three-row, three-story Vistiq despite its girth. Thanks to the 102-kWh battery's location in the basement, my tester sported a low center of gravity to stay planted through the twisties. That low CG is an EV trait - but in the smaller Optiq and Lyriq crossovers, it's, um, outweighed by a lack of nimbleness compared to their 1,000-pound-lighter internal-combustion engine peers. In a three-row SUV class where everything tips the scales over two tons, however, the low CG stands out. Add rear-wheel steer in upper Premium Luxury and Platinum trims, and this is a rhinoceros in tennis shoes. The rear-drive feature is shared with Papa Escalade IQ, but the electric family's patron will set you back another (cough) 40 grand. ZOT! I buried my right foot and Vistiq hit 60 mph in a fantast-iq 3.9 seconds merging onto I-94 West. Baby Escalade coming through! Vistiq is also a technology showpiece. Without taking my eyes off the road, I toggled the raised adaptive cruise switch on the steering wheel and set my speed at 75 mph, then fingered a nearby braille pad for Super Cruise. The steering wheel lit green for hands-free driving. While Baby Escalade took over driving duties, I rearranged icons on the 33-inch curved dash screen as I would my phone. I dragged icons for DRIVE MODES, CHARGING and SELF PARK ASSIST (features I used frequently) to the left side of the screen. GM pioneered hands-free driving in 2017, and has been neck-and-neck with Tesla ever since. Tesla's Full-Self-Driving system leap-frogged GM cars last year when it went hands-free with navigation, enabling its cars to take you door-to-door across secondary roads and divided highways. Super Cruise is slowly adding secondary roads to its network of mapped, divided highways - but it won't navigate. What it will do, like Tesla, is automatically change lanes. At 75 mph, Vistiq sensed slower traffic, automatically applied its turn signal, moved into the fast lane and swept by a line of cars. Safely clear, it automatically pulled back into the slower lane. Terrif-iq. Approaching my off ramp, Tesla FSD would automatically transition to the slower secondary road. The Caddy? It handed driving duties back to me, the steering wheel light turning red. Super Cruise comes standard on Vistiq for three years, plenty of time for owners to learn the system. You won't want to go back. Not standard is an augmented reality head-up display available on Premium Luxury and Platinum trims. Caddy's been a HUD pioneer, and AR advances the game by placing directions over the road ahead. Alas, my standard Luxury version did not option even a regular head-up display. Neither did it have a frunk for storage like the Escalade IQ - or Rivian and Tesla models. Baby Escalade doesn't have big brother's curved, A-pillar-to-A-pillar 55-inch jumbotron, but the 33-incher does just fine, thank you very much. Especially as the touchscreen is paired with the same console climate touchscreen found in Escalade. Like a scarf and mittens, they make a nice pair. Not that I touched them much. Vistiq is powered by Google Built-in, so I could talk to the car for many of my needs. Hey, Google, turn the driver's side temperature to 68 degrees. Hey, Google, tune to Sirius XM Comedy Greats. Hey, Google, Tell, me a joke. Google: How do trees access the Internet? They log in. Hey, Google, what was the score of the Tigers game? Google: The Tigers won on Wednesday, 6-5 against the Red Sox. Pick up the kids from school in my Luxury tester and it will fit seven passengers across three rows including bench, second-row seats (captain's chairs optional). Even the third row is comfortable, accommodating my long 6'5" frame. If the second row is empty, I encourage taking a seat in the third row. I dropped the second-row bench seat and used it like an ottoman - stretching my legs so I could work on my trips, however, are three-row EVs' kryptonite. The Escalade IQ is so expensive because it packs a mighty 202-kWh battery with 460 miles of range. Vistiq keeps its cost below $100K with a 102-kWh battery that makes similar range (302 miles) as little brothers Lyriq and to your cottage up north (in perfect 70-degree weather) going 75 mph on I-75 and real range is 225 miles - or 75% of EPA estimates. In truth, your range will be 181 miles because charging to over 80% of battery range at a fast charger slows to a we there yet? To prevent hearing those infamous words from your kids, a 250-mile trip north (to, say, Charlevoix) is best done with one charging stop in Bay City for 20 minutes so the kids can tinkle and stretch their legs. In less ideal temperatures, your range could crater to 50% as it did in a brutal three-stop, subfreezing December trip I took in one of Vistiq's competitors, the $78K Kia EV9 GT-Line, a couple of years back. If you have a second home, install a 240-volt charger to ease end-to-end range anxiety. Staying in a hotel? Find lodgings with 240-volt charger so you can charge your battery to 100% overnight for a fresh a.m. start. Faced with these restrictions, GM buyers may prefer a comparably priced family-sized Chevy Tahoe with Google Built-in, 456 miles of range and more third-row seat and cargo room. Or (horrors) you might cross the road to a Lincoln dealer and pick up a $62K three-row Aviator ICE with Blue Cruise hands-free driving and 505 miles of if you want a three-row EV that can drive you hands-free across Michigan, then Baby Escalade has a leg up on peers from Rivian, Volvo, Hyundai and Kia. Next week: 2025 Nissan Murano and Nissan Titan 2026 Cadillac Vistiq Vehicle type: Battery-powered, all-wheel-drive, six- or seven-passenger SUV Price: $79,090, including $1,395 destination fee ($79,890 Luxury as tested) Powerplant: 102 kWh lithium-ion battery with dual electric-motor drive Power: 615 horsepower, 650 pound-feet of torque Transmission: Single-speed direct drive Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.7 seconds (mfr.); towing, 5,000 pounds Weight: 6,326 pounds Range: 302 miles Report card Highs: Livable interior; Super Cruise Lows: No frunk; limited range for a family hauler Overall: 3 stars ____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
