Review: 2026 Cadilac Vistiq Is A Very Comfortable Electric Cruiser
And then there were four. Cadillac has completed its lineup of electric SUVs with the launch of the 2026 Vistiq.
The three-row crossover slots between the midsize Lyirq and full-size Escalade IQ, while the compact Optiq serves as the brand’s starter EV.
That gives it an electric model in each of the major SUV price classes. It will continue to sell the gas-powered Escalade and midsize XT5, but the compact XT4 has been discontinued and the three-row XT6 will follow it into the history books later this year.
The Vistiq is just a couple of inches longer than the XT6 and very much an electric replacement for it. From a distance, you might even mistake one for the other, but get closer and the Vistiq’s sleeker, more modern lines reveal themselves.
It has an illuminated panel instead of a grille and the greenhouse is tapered for low aerodynamic drag to improve efficiency. The Vistiq comes with an all-wheel-drive powertrain rated at 615 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque and its 102 kWh battery pack provides 305 miles of range, which is a pretty impressive combination in a vehicle this size.
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Prices start at $79,090 for an entry-level Luxury trim and step up through a $79,590 Sport, $93,590 Premium Luxury and $98,815 Platinum, all of which share the same powertrain. The Vistiq is built in Spring Hill, Tenn., so the Luxury qualifies for the $7,500 federal tax credit on the purchase of electric SUV priced below $80,000.
Seven and six-passenger layouts are available and all feature very high-end synthetic leather upholstery. The dashboard is equipped with the 33-inch digital display that incorporates the instrument cluster and infotainment system that’s become a signature of Cadillac models. On the center console, there’s a auxiliary touchscreen for the climate control and other functions, a knob for remotely operating the infotainment system and a scroll wheel for the volume.
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The Luxury is offered with a second row bench and higher end models get captains chairs. Cadillac is particularly proud of the third row, which seats two and gets its own climate control zone, cup holders, USB ports, large side windows and a sunroof to go with the larger one over the front two rows. It’s best back there for short passengers, but if the second row slides forward a bit, six-footers can fit. The luggage space behind it can accommodate carry-on bags and has an underfloor compartment.
The Vistiq is laden with tech and Cadillac’s hands-free Super Cruise highway driving system is standard. Super Cruise provides hands-off and feet-off lane tracing adaptive cruise control on more than 600,000 miles of certified North American roads and can change lanes to pass traffic automatically or with the use of the turn signal. The Vistiq is the first with the latest version, which adds the ability to change lanes and follow a Super Cruise route through an interchange onto another Super Cruise route.
The Premium Luxury and Platinum also get infrared night vision, which displays on the instrument cluster and can highlight pedestrians and animals, and a head-up display with a 3D augmented reality layout that provides blind-spot information and directions.
The Luxury and Sport have a steel suspension with computer-controlled shocks, while the Premium Luxury and Platinum ride on air springs and add rear-wheel steering for improved low speed maneuverability. Both are decidedly luxurious, but the air suspension is as good as it gets. The Vistiq practically hovers over the road, even on gravel surfaces.
The powertrain is more than up to the task of moving the Vistiq’s three-ton weight around and, when the Velocity Max mode is engaged, can accelerate it to 60 mph in a very blistering 3.7 seconds. The towing capacity is rated at a maximum of 5,000 pounds.
The only time the Vistiq is relatively is when it’s charging. The maximum rate is 190 kW, which is less than the 350 kW the Escalade IQ can handle. It takes more than a half-hour to fill the battery to 80% at a fast charging station, although Cadillac prefers you to think of it as 79 miles-worth of electricity in 10 minutes.
The Google Built-in navigation will help you find stations, however, and pre-condition the battery for the fastest charging while you are on your way. And there are more stations available to Cadillac owners than there were a year ago, as the Vistiq is compatible with the Tesla Supercharging network via the My Cadillac app and an included adapter. It only works with the newest V3 stations, but the navigation system knows which ones they are.
The Google Built-in might be as much of a transition as going electric for some, as the Vistiq doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone integration, so you need to load and log into your favorite apps in the vehicle itself. This is true across Cadillac’s EV lineup and it doesn’t take long to get used to it.
The Vistiq arrives at an opportune time for Cadillac as there isn’t a lot of three-row luxury EV competition right now. Its most direct rivals are the Tesla Model X and Volvo EX90, while the Lucid Gravity and Mercedes-Benz EQS start closer to $100,000 and the Rivian R1S has a more rugged vibe.
Rugged is definitely not a word you’d use to describe the Vistiq, which is a very smooth cruiser.
(The automaker provided travel and accommodations to facilitate this report)