On its way to an all-BEV lineup, Cadillac fills the gap between its 2-row Lyriq – America’s best-selling luxury BEV in 2024 and 20% of the brand’s retail sales – and the fullsize Escalade IQ electric with the Vistiq 3-row luxury CUV.
“With the addition of Vistiq, Cadillac will be one of the only brands to offer an EV entry in every luxury (utility) segment,” John Roth, Global Cadillac vice president, says at a recent media drive.
Design
Like other Cadillac BEVs, Vistiq’s sleek, round-cornered CSUV look begins with a Black “Crystal Shield” grille and features signature vertical lamps front and rear and 21-, 22- and 23-in. wheel choices. Another Cadillac BEV signature is the tapering D-pillar (sail panel) design with thin lower pillars that widen toward the rail, while a “Mondrian pattern” graphic on the third-row windows gives a feeling of motion from the side view along with increased passenger privacy.
The high-tech cockpit is dominated by a 33-in. (84-cm) -diagonal high-resolution LED screen and trimmed with “eco-inspired, authentic” materials including carbon fiber deco with lumen open-pore wood in Luxury and Premium Luxury trims or black ash cluster wood on the Platinum grade. Interior storage is ample with a pass-through bin under the console and reconfigurable interior seating. The third row, though a bit tight with second-row seats fully back and a low seating position for adults, offers padded armrests, smartphone storage, cupholders and USB-C charge ports.
The steering wheel offers multiple controls while touch buttons beside the console cupholders provide quick access to entertainment, phone, navigation and home pages. Thankfully, the five-zone climate controls are nicely arrayed in a separate central pod, and second- and third-row HVAC controls reside on the back of the console. Disappointingly for those with 12V dashtop accessories and USB-A cables, just USB-Cs and a 110V outlet are offered. Standard across all trims are a panoramic sunroof, General Motors’ latest hands-free Super Cruise semi-autonomous technology, a 23-speaker AKG Studio Audio system with Dolby Atmos – a format said to render individual sound sources through separate channels for an immersive 3D experience – and three years of OnStar connected service.
Performance and Technology
Also standard are dual-motor all-wheel drive and chassis damping control, while an Air Ride adaptive suspension is available. Rated output is a very strong 615 hp and 650 lb.-ft. (880 Nm) of torque, and the 102-kWh underfloor battery pack is said to offer up to 305 miles (491 km) of range. Zero-to-60-mph capability, Cadillac says, is 3.7 seconds in Velocity Max mode.
“It was our team’s goal to deliver a three-row SUV that provides exhilarating performance,” Vistiq chief engineer Jeff MacDonald says at the media drive. “The Vistiq provides a comfortable ride while handling like a much smaller vehicle, delivering a sense of isolated precision.” Available active rear steer improves maneuverability and reduces the turning diameter, making this 3-row CUV feel smaller than it is and more athletic than it should.
Standard premium safety and driver-assistance technologies include blind zone steering assist, side bicyclist alert, forward collision alert and OnStar automatic crash response. Available night vision, enabled by an infrared sensor, allows the driver to see pedestrians and animals ahead of the headlamp beams at night. Also standard is Cadillac’s new and unique augmented reality head-up display, which paints the road ahead with a variety of important information including ADAS and navigation. Standard vehicle-to-home (V2H) bidirectional charging capability, when paired with an available GM Energy V2H Bundle, allows the transfer of electric power to a properly equipped home during a blackout. The vehicle’s tow rating is 5,000 lbs. (2,268 kg).
Driving Impressions
In a 110-mile (177-km) drive combining both freeway and 2-lane time, we find our test Sport trim Vistiq as quiet – partly thanks to standard road noise cancellation – and comfortable as it is quick and surprisingly agile despite its size and hefty 6,326-lb. (2,869-kg) weight. It feels planted and confident at all times and speeds, including through tight and medium-speed corners, its steering is pleasingly responsive, its braking consistently strong and sure and its regen-on-demand capability and one-pedal drive mode much appreciated.
Probably the industry’s best hands-free (but still attention-requiring) driving system, GM’s latest-generation Super Cruise not only keeps the Vistiq lane-centered and at your selected distance from the vehicle ahead, it also automatically chooses the best freeway lane and crosses into it when safe to do so. And in an impressive feat, it communicates with the navigation system to know, for example, when your exit is approaching, then safely maneuvers into the exit lane and drives smoothly through it.
We averaged 2.8 miles/kWh and used 53% of the full charge on our relatively mild 110-mile cruise and finish with an indicated 142 miles (229 km) of range remaining. On DC fast charging, Cadillac says its lithium-ion pack can add up to 80 miles (129 km) of range in about 10 minutes and reach 80% from a low state of charge in about 45 minutes.
Minor complaints include: third-row access – it is reasonably easy once you’ve figured out how to get the second-row seat fully forward, but (as we note) it’s a bit tight for fullsize grown-ups – and the omission of an exterior tailgate release button – just the one on the key fob – and that there is no way to numerically tune the XM Satellite radio. You have to scroll through the stations to find the one you want.
Built at GM’s Spring Hill plant in Tennessee, Vistiq (pronounced viss’-tik), will be marketed globally, including in the U.S. and Canada. At its spring launch, it is offered in three trims: base Luxury ($77,395), Sport ($77,895) and Premium Luxury (a big jump to $91,895) – all not including an additional $1,395 destination charge. Summer 2025 will bring the range-topping Platinum trim at $96,495 with added performance elements and more interior and exterior color options.
