It's marginally smaller than an in-your-face 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ but also more spacious compared to a $57,195 Lyriq thanks to its three-row arrangement, and also way 'cheaper' than the former, which starts from $127,700 (sans destination). That's the gist behind the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq.
The US luxury automaker is on a roll, recently. It did take a step back when we heard that the small, affordable, and freshly updated 2024 Cadillac XT4 (which starts from just $37,895) is being retired, but they generally also take two steps forward. Or more when it comes to their EV lineup.
We're happy to see the 2024 CT4 and 2025 CT5 sedans are being left alone at the moment – including in V-Series and Blackwing form. But Cadillac is mostly focused on the EV lifestyle nowadays, all the while also catering to the regular lineup with fresh products like the extensively refreshed 2025 Cadillac Escalade full-size body-on-frame SUV.
Meanwhile, its all-electric Escalade IQ sibling is already getting the recognition it deserves as the first production example recently sold for no less than $550k at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in October, and all proceeds are going to charity. Additionally, the company also announced its inaugural V-Series all-electric model, the 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V, but details are scarce about that one.
Most likely, we'll have to wait a while before getting the full scoop. This is exactly what happened with the all-electric 2026 Cadillac Vistiq three-row crossover SUV – which was first shown along with a couple of beauty shots almost a year ago. Now, the US luxury automaker is finally ready to reveal all the juicy details, and we know when production starts, how much oomph it will carry with it, and for how much money, things like that.
So, Cadillac has announced the 2026 Vistiq will be available globally, including in the United States and Canada, with production kicking off early next year at General Motors' Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee and the model featuring a standard dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain coupled to a 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The performance credentials are handled by the setup's 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft (880 Nm) of torque, enough to get it to 60 mph (96 kph) in just 3.7 seconds when the driver uses the Velocity Max mode.
Suppose anyone doesn't feel like driving (too much). In that case, there's standard Super Cruise, a "truly hand-free driver assistance technology (with three years of OnStar connected service)," during which time everyone can relax while listening to the latest tunes through a standard 23-speaker AKG Studio premium audio system with Dolby Atmos technology. Also, Cadillac estimates the big and hunky Vistiq will be capable of 300 miles of range on a single charge.
Looking exactly like a cross between the Lyriq and Escalade IQ, the new three-row crossover SUV boasts the ritzy, illuminated Black Crystal Shield grille, vertical and horizontal split front light clusters, standard 21-inch and optional 22- and 23-inch wheels, plus Active Rear Steer to enhance "driver maneuverability and (the) turning diameter," Road Noise Cancellation, a 33-inch diagonal high-resolution LED screen inside, and intelligent five-zone climate control or eco-conscious materials throughout the cabin if you don't want carbon fiber or Lumen open-pore wood and Black Ash Cluster wood decors.
Cadillac doesn't leave anything out of the equation – there's even Night Vision, standard OnStar Automatic Crash Response, a big bundle of standard “premium” safety and driver assistance technologies, Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) Bidirectional Charging, as well as three grade levels - Luxury, Sport, and Premium Luxury for starters. The initial asking price is $77,395 or $78,790, including destination freight charge, and next summer, Cadillac will also add a flagship Platinum trim to the range.
That's all fine and dandy, but how about the competition? Are they standing still? The new Cadillac Vistiq is one of no less than five IQ-series electric vehicles offered by the brand, and it won't butt heads with the cheaper 2025 Kia EV9 or the rugged Rivian R1S, even though the latter is priced about the same. Instead, it should give the Mercedes EQS SUV a massive run for its $105k asking price, as the Cadillac Vistiq looks way better, even if detractors will quickly complain it's just a shrunken Escalade IQ.
There aren't a lot of other EV three-row models out in the wild just yet – the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is coming to the 2024 Los Angeles Auto Show, but it's a mainstream offering like the Kia EV9 sibling, so we'll have to wait for the potential Genesis GV90 to see if the South Korean automaker has what it takes to fight with the American luxury CUV. Of course, we can never exclude Tesla from the conversation. In this case, the ubiquitous Tesla Model X with its cool Falcon doors and rather obsolete design. While it's not seen as a luxury crossover SUV anymore, it still offers numerous premium features, and the Model X AWD currently starts at $65,990, much lower than the Cadillac Vistiq's base asking price.
It also has a comparable 3.8-second sprint time to 60 mph, a good 149 mph top speed, and a bigger range – 329 miles on a single charge, as per EPA's official estimates. So, which one of these all-electric three-row crossover SUVs would buy and why? Nope, don't say you would spend a little more - $88,490 – to snag a 1,020-horsepower Tesla Model X Plaid because that one is a discussion reserved for later – around the time when Cadillac will eventually introduce the potential Vistiq-V high-performance model.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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