The Vistiq is the all-new, all-electric SUV from Cadillac. It has aggressive looks, plenty of power, a posh interior, loaded with niceties and tech, and three rows of seating. Think of it as a smaller, all-electric Escalade – in fact, it already has the nickname of “Baby Escalade.” The Vistiq enters the line-up as a strong contender among other larger luxury EVs. However, the Vistiq does not have compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, like other General Motors EVs, which will be a dealbreaker for some.
The Vistiq replaces the gas-powered XT6. It’s the Goldilocks of Cadillac’s EV line-up. It’s smaller than the Escalade iQ EV and bigger than the Lyriq EV. Cadillac says the addition of the Vistiq makes it one of the only brands to offer an EV entry in every luxury SUV segment.
The 2026 Vistiq comes in four trims: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, and Platinum. Starting prices range from $77,395 to $96,495. All-wheel drive is standard.
There’s room for six or seven passengers in three rows of seating, depending on whether you get the standard bench seating or available captain’s chairs in the second row. The Luxury trim comes with the bench seating and captain’s chairs are available. The three upper trims come standard with captain’s chairs.
The Vistiq is powered by two electric motors and a 102-kWh lithium-ion battery. Total output is a whopping 615 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. Acceleration is impressive – Cadillac says the Vistiq can go from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds in Velocity Max mode. In regular driving situations, the Vistiq feels very quick but doesn’t have the rocket-like acceleration of some other EVs. This is actually ok for folks who are used to driving gas- or diesel-powered vehicles. The Vistiq has plenty of smooth power that’s always ready for a burst of speed. This makes merging and passing effortless. The ride is also silky-smooth with standard chassis damping control, and is even more serene with the available Air Ride adaptive suspension. The cabin is quiet as a library thanks to road noise cancellation. Steering is rather numb, but overall, the Vistiq handles well with surprisingly little body roll.
One-pedal driving is available in two levels. The lower level is good for everyday driving, while the higher level is quite robust. A paddle on the steering wheel also lets you adjust the regenerative braking.
The range is respectable. The Luxury and Sport trims can go 305 miles, while the Premium Luxury and Platinum models have a range of 300 miles. A CCS charger comes standard, while an NACS adapter is available.
Charging times are decent. Cadillac says with DC fast charging, the Vistiq can add up to 80 miles of range in about 10 minutes, and go from a low state of charge to 80% in about 45 minutes. With Level 2 (240V) charging, the Vistiq can add about 20 miles of range per hour with a 7.7-kW AC plug, 29 miles per hour with an 11.5-kW AC plug (60 amp), and 47 miles of range per hour with a 19.2-kW AC plug (100 amp).
The Vistiq is equipped with Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) Bidirectional Charging capabilities, which when paired with the available GM Energy V2H Bundle, allows for the transfer of electric power from the vehicle and a properly equipped home during a power outage.
When properly equipped, the 2026 Vistiq can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
The cabin is opulent with an abundance of high-end materials, and roomy with adult-friendly seating in all three rows. The standard panoramic sunroof gives an airy feel. Front seats are extremely comfortable and supportive, with plenty of leg- and headroom and both front seats have a standard massage function. The second row isn’t quite as roomy but still has decent leg- and headroom. The third row can accommodate adults, and Cadillac says the third row is designed for comfort with amenities normally found in first- and second-row seats including padded armrests, smartphone storage, cupholders and USB chargers.
The cabin is loaded with tech, with the centerpiece being an impressive 33-inch curved digital gauge display and infotainment touchscreen, and an eight-inch touchscreen on the center console for climate and seating settings. There are also jewel-like speaker grilles with a geometric pattern that are exclusive to the Vistiq.
Standard features include remote start, HD surround-view camera system, rear-camera mirror, five-zone automatic climate control, Inteluxe synthetic leather upholstery, 18-way power driver and passenger seat adjustability with driver memory, heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, heated steering wheel, heated second-row outboard seats, curved 33-inch LED digital gauge display and touchscreen with Google built-in, two eight-inch LED display command centers, 23-speaker AKG Studio audio system with Dolby Atmos, seven USB-C ports, two front row wireless hone charging pads, Wi-Fi hotspot, 126-color LED tri-zone ambient interior lighting, automatic windshield wipers, automatic high-beam assist, panoramic dual pane sunroof with power sunshade, and roof rails.
Available features include augmented reality head-up display, front passenger-seat memory settings, Nouveauluxe quilted synthetic upholstery, sueded microfiber headliner and trim, 9.2 kW AC onboard charging module, and a dealer-installed trailer hitch
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, enhanced forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, blind-spot steering assist, Super Cruise (GM’s hands-free driver assistance system that works on compatible roads), front pedestrian and cyclist automatic braking, side bicyclist alert, traffic-sign recognition, rear cross-traffic braking, reverse and intersection automatic emergency braking, rear pedestrian alert, driver-attention monitoring, hitch guidance with hitch view, Teen Driver (allows you to set limits for secondary drivers including volume and speed limits), Buckle to Drive (won’t allow the vehicle to shift out of Park until the driver’s seat belt is buckled), Safety alert seat (the driver’s seat vibrates to warn of potential hazards), and rear-seat alert.
Available driver assistance technologies include Active Rear Steer (improves driver maneuverability and turning diameter, making the vehicle feel smaller and more agile) and Night Vision12, enabled by an infrared sensor for driving at night, allowing the driver to better see pedestrians or animals directly ahead.
The infotainment system looks amazing. Graphics are sharp, menus are logically arranged, and the system is quick to respond to inputs. However, some controls can be distracting to use. Most are in the large display or in the secondary screen below, Also, the Vistiq does not have Android Auto or Apple CarPlay compatibility; rather, it uses Google built-in. Google Maps are used for navigation, and Google Assistant handles voice commands. The Google services work well, but some will view the absence of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as a big negative.
Cargo space is decent for a three-row luxury electric SUV. There are 15.2 cubic feet with all three rows of seating in place, 43 cubes with the third row folded, and about 80 cubes with the second and third rows folded. ample, including pass-through, underfloor and reconfigurable interior seating to enhance expanded storage capacity. A power liftgate is standard. Unlike many EVs, the Vistiq does not have a frunk (front trunk).
The good:
Striking looks
Plenty of power
Good range of 300 miles
Premium cabin
Very well equipped with many standard and available features and tech
Three rows of adult-friendly seating
The not-so-good:
No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone integration
No frunk
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $91,895. 23-inch reverse rim wheels are $1,000. California emissions requirements are $500. The destination charge is $1,395, bringing the grand total to $94,790.
Bottom line:
The 2026 Cadillac Vistiq is spendy with a starting price around 80-grand, but it’s definitely a premium offering among three-row luxury electric SUVs. It comes loaded with many amenities, features and tech for the price. It also has striking looks, robust performance and a refined ride, a posh cabin, and three comfortable rows of seating. When compared to rivals, the price tag for the classy Vistiq doesn’t sound that bad for a three-row luxury EV.
