First of all, I need to come clean on something. When I returned the 2025 Cadillac Optiq Luxury 2, and I was speaking to a General Motors representative there, I compared the Optiq to a 2025 Porsche Macan I had the driven the previous month.
I wasn’t saying the two electric SUVs were comparable literally. The Cadillac is CAD $67,500. The Porsche is CAD $116,300 (the media vehicles I drove, anyway). What I was trying to say to her is you get more for your money with the Cadillac. The Macan is a superior combination of technology, performance and brand prestige – 402 horsepower with the Macan 4, what I drove, 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds, precise handling, fast charging, a sporty, premium look and vibe. But CAD $116,300?
Image by Mark Keast
Cadillac Optiq: Great Value for Your Dollar
I came away so impressed with the 2025 Cadillac Optiq Luxury 2 because of what I felt was far more value for your money, especially for those people starting to explore the electric vehicle universe. There was precision to this drive, as well. The Cadillac’s dual motor all-wheel-drive power train delivers 300 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque, accelerating 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds.
There were plenty of technology touch points to satisfy the EV enthusiast – fast charge capabilities (we’ll get to that in a moment), Super Cruise (GM’s advanced hands-free driver assistance system on mapped highways), best-in-class range (520+ kilometres, a game-changer for EV shoppers).
Image by Mark Keast
I really liked the LED display on this one – extending diagonally from the left part of the windshield to just right of the armrest. I found an ease of access to programming the music, setting the HUD display to my specifications, activating voice guidance for navigation.
Does the Cadillac Optiq have Apple CarPlay? No. The vehicle comes with Google built-in infotainment, integrating Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play Store.
And I loved the look of it – youthful and vibrant, sporty luxury. Black Raven was the colour of the media vehicle, that luxury radiator grille with Galvano chrome details, 20-inch pearl nickel wheels, more of a lean, compressed musculature, were the impressions I had when looking at it from the side. Not too big and bulky.
Image by Mark Keast
What Are the Different Models of the Cadillac Optiq?
The standard Cadillac Optiq comes in four different versions, the Luxury 1, Luxury 2 (which I drove), Sport 1 and Sport 2 trims, with differences in styling, features and luxury-focused elements.
Luxury 1
This is a base-level trim that includes standard features like heated front seats and a fixed panoramic glass roof.
Luxury 2
Builds on the Luxury 1 by adding more premium features, such as ventilated and massaging front seats, a head-up display, and heated rear seats.
Sport 1
A base-level Sport trim that features a sporty, black crystal radiator grille and obsidian chrome exterior accents.
Sport 2
An enhanced Sport trim that adds even more technological and comfort-focused features on top of the Sport 1.
Optiq V
The Cadillac Optiq-V is a high-performance variant, with an estimated 519 of horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, generating an estimated 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds.
One important thing about the Optiq-V – it is General Motors’ first vehicle confirmed to feature a native North American Charging Standard (NACS).
What is NACS?
NACS simplifies the ownership experience, a shift toward a unified, open charging standard. By adopting NACS, GM electric vehicles can use Tesla’s vast Supercharger network across North America, giving drivers far more reliable charging options than the Combined Charging System. With GM, Ford, Rivian, Mercedes-Benz, and others adopting NACS, it’s becoming the de facto standard in North America.
Image by Mark Keast
When Will Cadillac Optiq Be Available?
The 2025 Cadillac Optiq has been available since the fall of 2024. The 2026 Cadillac Optiq-V will be sold in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Middle East, and Israel with production starting in fall 2025.
What About the Range?
The rubber hits the road, with EVs, when talking range, time to charge up the battery, and availability of fast charge stations, for those who choose not to set up their own at-home charging station.
I’ve written in the past about my frustrations with electric vehicles, and the anger, when trying to charge the car up, and the impacts of the inefficiencies there (missing business meetings). You can lecture all you want about EV mandates and the importance of ditching fossil-fuel cars, but until the battery charge infrastructure situation gets sorted out, then go float.
That’s changing. This time out, the charging experience was completely different, and that’s the primary reason why I am recommending the Cadillac Optiq for those going down the luxury EV road.
Image by Mark Keast
Image by Mark Keast
The Monday morning that the car was due back, I found a ChargePoint fast charge station in an underground parking spot five minutes from my home, and when I got there, this time out, I found more charging stations. Parked the car, plugged it in.
I was down to 53% left on the battery when I arrived. Fifty-five minutes and 31 seconds later, at a cost of $13.88 (total energy dispensed: 39.9089 kWh), it was charged back up, nearly full. I asked myself pulling out what the gas charge would have been if I had to top half the car tank up with premium fuel – $50-$60?
But it was the charge-up speed and convenience this time that was the topper. The experience felt different compared to times past.
Image by Mark Keast
Remote Office in the Cadillac
Plus the Cadillac Optiq comes with its own WiFi hotspot, via GM’s arrangement with Telus. Those of us who work remotely will love that. I set up a mini office and went through my email and the car charged up – coffee thermos by my side, checking emails, researching via Google, writing an article. My morning proceeded seamlessly, as if I were in my home office.
I was sitting there getting the car charged and working on my laptop then got a note on the screen saying there would be an automatic shut down in three minutes, so the car when the car senses that the battery is charging, but the system is still engaged (I had the radio going) and the screen lit up. This system will shut down automatically in case you have forgotten, optimizing the fast charge process.
Put the moral and intellectual superiority aside – continue to make the EV charging process simpler, and more people will come over to them.
Cadillac Optiq Battery
The Optiq Luxury 2 is equipped with an 85 kWh Ultium lithium-ion battery, built on GM’s Ultium architecture, and has a driving range of around 302 miles (486 kilometres) per charge. The Optiq supports DC fast charging up to 150 kW via a CCS connector.
It also comes standard with an 11.5 kW onboard AC charger, for slower home charging.
Overall, I score the Cadillac Optiq a 7 out of 10, when it comes to performance and the features you get for your money, but especially when it comes to range and the fast charge process.
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
