CADILLAC VISTIQ

Cadillac has revealed a big car for that subset of consumers who want an Escalade but don’t want all of an Escalade and also want it electric. This is the new Cadillac Vistiq, a three-row SUV that continues Caddy’s war on the letter ‘c’ in its shiny new model line-up.

Unmistakably a new-era Cadillac – for that read handsome, cleanly detailed and also huge - this one definitely mirrors big brother Escalade IQ with its RoboCop-esque face and grille, raked windscreen and upright stance. Cadillac cites ‘Brutalist architecture’ when talking about its design and, yeah, it doesn’t look happy about something alright.

Underneath there’s a twin-motor electric setup as standard – one motor on the front axle, one on the rear – powered by a giant 102kWh battery. In this launch spec that means 615bhp, 650lb ft of “near instant” torque, up to 300 miles of range and – with something called ‘Velocity Max’ engaged – 0-60mph in 3.7s. Velocity indeed.

Adaptive air suspension is also standard-fit, Cadillac saying this offers a “comfortable ride while handling like a much smaller vehicle”. There’s active rear steer, 21s as standard, and ‘road noise cancellation’. Taking a leap here and guessing that means… less road noise in the cabin?

Speaking of, it offers “three rows of stately architecture”, and TopGear.com is all in on stately architecture. It looks predictably lux inside, with lots of leather/carbon fibre/wood/fabric (depending on trim), lots of screen real estate, padded armrests, lots of storage, some cupholders, USB chargers and a fully reconfigurable interior.

An interior that’ll be subjected to 23 speakers’ worth of AKG stereo, offering Dolby Atmos and 3D sound. Lots of driver and safety assistance. Bi-directional charging. That sort of thing.

There’ll be three trims available from launch – Luxury, Sport and Premium Luxury (no mention of a Premium Sport, Cadillac?). A Platinum trim – with even more performance and options and luxury – will be available from summer 2025..

Source: https://www.topgear.com/car-news/usa/meet-escalades-not-so-baby-brother-its-new-cadillac-vistiq

Inside, the Vistiq gets a tech-forward interior with the same two-spoke steering wheel we've seen in the Escalade IQ. There's also plenty of screen real estate, most noticeably in the form of a 33-inch panoramic curved display that houses the gauge cluster and the infotainment screen. Disappointingly, though, Cadillac has ditched the row of semi-physical haptic controls found in the Lyriq and Optiq in favor of a touchscreen climate control setup located atop the center console. While we don’t typically love having to use a screen to adjust climate, we do appreciate that this one can control all five climate zones — yes, five, as the third row gets its own — within the cabin. Thankfully, it’s always accessible rather than being hidden within menus. The second row features a nearly identical touchscreen climate control system on the back of the center console.

The Vistiq on hand during our preview session was a midgrade Sport, but just like in Cadillac’s other electric offerings, the quality of materials is impressive. Plus, little details like the tactile feedback from the infotainment system’s knurled metal control knob are particularly satisfying. Front seat passengers are spoiled with standard heating, cooling and massaging seats, while second-row guests will have to make do with heating alone. As for the third row? No fun seat features for you, sadly, though you will find a few USB ports. Standard on all models, though, is a positively bumpin’ 23-speaker AKG sound system. Stepping up to Premium Luxury or Platinum models gets you upgraded interior materials with unique trims. Super Cruise hands-free highway driving tech is also standard for three years, no matter which trim level you choose.

Source: https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2026-cadillac-vistiq-debut-first-look.html

DETAILS

The upcoming 2026 Cadillac Vistiq will serve as the mid-size three-row offering in the luxury marque's EV SUV lineup. The Vistiq is about the same size as the gas-powered XT6 SUV, and its styling is sharp, drawing inspiration from the brand's other electric offerings. Under the floorboards is a variant of General Motors's Ultium battery; a pair of electric motors draw juice from the pack and will deliver 615 horsepower and standard all-wheel drive. Cadillac says the Vistiq should be good for about 300 miles per charge. Inside, the Vistiq’s cabin should be well appointed; it can be outfitted with open-pore wood, and leather upholstery or recycled fabric trim, but the big, curved display screen on the dashboard is what brings the wow factor. Challengers will include the Lucid Gravity and the Tesla Model X, but so far there are few three-row electric options for luxury buyers, and the Vistiq looks to have the panache and the powertrain to be a compelling choice.

Source:https://www.caranddriver.com/cadillac/vistiq