2026 Cadillac Vistiq First Drive Review: Excellent Expansion

The General Motors Ultium electric vehicle platform is highly adaptable, underpinning vehicles ranging from the Chevrolet Equinox up to the GMC Hummer. Cadillac already has three vehicles on this architecture, and a fourth one has just arrived on the market. The 2026 Cadillac Vistiq is the latest of the IQ-branded electric vehicles; it’s a three-row crossover that slots above the Lyriq but below the flagship Escalade IQ. Does it capture the best of the former without the cumbersome size of the latter?

Base Trim Engine

Electric

Base Trim Transmission

Automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

615 hp

Base Trim Torque

650 lb-ft

Pros & Cons

• Futuristic, Lyriq-like styling
• Even the base model comes pretty loaded
• Plenty of power and range on all models

• DC charging speeds aren’t impressive
• Space behind the 3rd row is small
• No “entry” model to bring down the price

The 2026 Vistiq serves two important roles for Cadillac. One, it gives buyers an electric three-row option that’s less expensive and easier to park than the Escalade IQ. Two, it acts as a spiritual successor to the gas-powered XT6, which has been discontinued without a confirmed replacement. Can this latest IQ model continue Cadillac’s electric hot streak? CarBuzz couldn’t attend the First Drive event, so Cadillac sent us a Vistiq for a week so we could find out.

What Is The Vistiq?

The Vistiq is Cadillac’s fourth IQ-branded electric model; it’s bigger than a Lyriq but smaller than an Escalade IQ, sharing a battery with the former. Cadillac only sells one configuration, a dual-motor producing 615 horsepower. These same motors will also be used in the upcoming Lyriq-V. Every Vistiq includes a 102 kWh battery, the same one found in the Lyriq and the Chevrolet Blazer EV.

Like the outgoing XT6, the Vistiq comes standard with three rows of seats with room for six or seven people, depending on the trim and options. The Vistiq measures 205.6 inches long with a 121.8-inch wheelbase, which is significantly bigger than the old XT6 (198.5 inches with a 113-inch wheelbase). That increased size makes the Vistiq more spacious than its gas-powered predecessor.

Exterior Design: Larger Lyriq

It’s obvious the Vistiq shares design language with the smaller Lyriq, which itself is a nicely styled crossover. The front grille area bears a unique pattern with slim upper headlights and tall main headlights that form a unique lighting signature. There is even a cool animation when you unlock it and the headlights show your battery level while charging. The taillights are also a split design, which looks a bit funky but not too outrageous. Not everyone will love the Cadillac Mondrian decal on the rear quarter glass, which can not be deleted. We think it’s an interesting touch,

21-inch wheels come standard on the Sport and Luxury trims with different finishes available, including the optional wheels on our tester. The Sport trim gets a few more blacked-out accents on the grille and window surrounds. The Premium Luxury rides on 22-inch wheels with 23-inch wheels available for $1,000, and the same is true of the Platinum. Speaking of the Platinum, it’s the only one to get body-colored wheel arches instead of black ones, as well as a standard black painted roof that costs $600 on other trims.

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If you do opt for the Platinum, we highly suggest getting any color besides Stellar Black Metallic ($625), as it basically erases the body-colored fenders and black roof. Cadillac offers a few excellent colors, including Emerald Lake Metallic ($625), Celestial Metallic ($625), and our tester’s excellent but pricey Radiant Red Tintcoat ($1,225).

Interior: Ellegance Got Bigger

All Vistiq trims, including the lower Luxury and Sport trims, are basically loaded with features. Standard equipment includes heated and ventilated front seats with massage, heated rear seats, panoramic moonroof with third row glass, AKG 23-speaker audio system, soft-close doors, dual wireless chargers, a digital rearview mirror, and power third row. The lower trims offer black or gray lower interiors; the Luxury pairs those choices with wood and the Sport with carbon fiber. Opting for the Premium Luxury unlocks an upgraded Phantom Blue Nouveauluxe interior, while the Platinum gets the same material in black or Kona Brown.

Seven seats come standard on the Luxury and Sport trims, but you can opt for captain’s chairs at a price of $800. The two upper trims come with six seats as standard. The Vistiq boasts more legroom than the outgoing XT6 in all three rows, and the second row even gets a touchscreen to control the climate and ambient lighting.

We wish Cadillac offered a powered option for the second row, which is available on the cheaper Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9. The third row is fully powered, and can be raised or dropped quickly with a button press. This vehicle has more storage space than the XT6 in most measurements, but has slightly less volume behind the second row. There is no front trunk, but the Vistiq does have deep under-floor storage.

Infotainment: Good, But Could Be Perfect

If you’ve been in a Lyriq, a new CT5, or XT4, you will be familiar with the Vistiq’s 33-inch curved LED display. The only notable change here is a lower touchscreen to control climate functions that are handled by buttons in other Cadillac vehicles. It’s not our favorite addition, but it’s easy enough to use without being too distracting. The Google-powered infotainment system is excellent, but GM’s full dismissal of Apple Carplay and Android Auto remains a frustrating decision. Some functions, like playing music through streaming services, are on-par with phone mirroring. Others, like responding to texts, are slow and cumbersome. On the plus side, the standard 23-speaker AKG audio system packs a punch.

Powertrain & Driving: V-Lite

The Vistiq is incredibly simple because every trim comes with the same powertrain. Two electric motors produce 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft, though you need to click the Velocity Max button on the steering wheel to unlock the full output. Cadillac says this setup will propel the Vistiq up to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. A 102 kWh battery enables an even 300 miles of range.

1:07

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Range and Battery

A 190 kW peak charge speed isn’t too impressive by today’s standards, adding 79 miles in 10 minutes of charging. On the plus side, Cadillac does offer blazing fast 19.2 kW AC charging speeds, though the charging module only comes standard on the two upper trims. If you want to charge that quickly on a Luxury or Sport, it requires a $1,480 upgrade plus $1,699 for the GM Energy PowerShift Charger, which is also optional on the Premium Luxury and Platinum. This will also require upgrading your electrical panel at home to 100 amps, which comes at a higher installation cost than the standard charger that can do 11.5 kW speeds.

If you are well-off enough to afford it, the 19.2 kW module could greatly reduce your charging times at home. 11.5 kW adds 28.5 miles of range per hour, while 19.2 kw adds 46.7 mph. You could theoretically reduce your session from 10.5 hours down to under 6.5.

Driving and Performance Impressions

We could not match Cadillac’s estimated 0-60 mph time in our testing (claimed 3.7 seconds with Velocity Max), hitting 60 in a still-impressive 4.18 seconds. The Vistiq’s drive modes change how quickly the vehicle responds to throttle inputs, ranging from lackadaisical to immediate. In Sport mode, the steering weights up a bit, but not overwhelmingly so. All Vistiqs get Chassis Damping Control standard, which delivers a smooth and controlled ride.

The Premium Luxury and Platinum add adaptive air ride suspension to further improve comfort, but we didn’t have a chance to sample it. These trims also get rear-wheel steering to improve the turning radius. We did try out the latest Super Cruise version, which can now follow your route guidance through Google Maps, meaning it knows to move over before you need to exit a highway. The system finally offers hands-on assistance when hands-free is not available; it was previously an all-or-nothing approach.

Verdict & Pricing: Bridging A Gap

Depending on how you cross-shop, the Vistiq is either tremendous value or slightly exorbitant. The Luxury trim costs $77,395 excluding destination, and the Sport is only $500 more. Those prices are similar to the fully-loaded Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy Design, which arguably offers a nicer second row, more interior volume, faster DC charging speeds, and a bigger battery with more range, but a less desirable badge, slightly less premium interior, and lesser performance. If you aren’t a badge snob, the Hyundai and its sister vehicle, the Kia EV9, are both great values.

On the upper end, the Premium Luxury costs $91,895 and could be worth the upgrade for the nicer interior, air suspension, rear-steering, faster charging module, and other features like Night Vision and an augmented reality head-up display, but the Luxury and Sport trims are so nicely equipped at a huge discount, we don’t see the need. Ditto for the Platinum, which mainly adds the painted fenders, black roof, and Brembo brakes at a huge premium of $96,495. Since these upper trims are above the $80,000 price cap, they don’t qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit. Just stick with a Luxury or Sport; they are plenty premium. Keep in mind, any options that push the Vistiq above $80,000 will make you lose out on $7,500.

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The three-row EV segment is still in its infancy, with the only other luxury options being the rugged Rivian R1S, stylish Volvo EX90, opulent (but ugly) Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, and the aging Tesla Model X. Cadillac has taken everything we loved about the Lyriq and made it bigger, creating a highly compelling three-row luxury EV. We wish the DC charging speeds were a bit higher and the battery was slightly larger to facilitate a slightly longer range. But despite these minor complaints, the Vistiq stacks up as a stellar EV you should consider for your family.