There are core compromises you have to make with most electric vehicles. Top of the lines such as Tesla, Rivian and Lucid have features and softwares that are desgined for EVS only, but they lack limited support network. More simply, it often feels like you have to choose between a "spaceship" and a "gas car packed with batteries. If you feel caught between those worlds, the Cadillac Vistiq is a luxury EV for you. It feels attractively old-school, handle and interior in the way it rides, but with sophisticated software and excellent EV-specific manners, Vistiq is the best Rivian R1S on sale is more exciting, and Hyundai Ioniq9 is much cheaper, but Vistiq's luxurious interior and relaxed attitude make it a bundle.
The onslaught of Cadillac's new model, named "-iq", feels like it has filled Vistiq. Lyriq got the flowers, Optiq is the cheapest way, but even many industry watchers don't know where Vistiq is. It's a shame for Vistiq. I think it's still Cadillac's best EV. Positioned as a 3-column replacement for the hulking Escalade IQ, Vistiq feels as if Escalade would have gone if Americans were a little more rational. With 3 rows of seats and a 206-inch-long body, the Vistiq is as impressive as the 90s 1st generation Escalade, and actually a few inches longer. It's positioned in contrast to existing 3-column options from start-ups and older competitors, such as the Rivian R1S, Tesla Model X, Lucid Gravity and Mercedes EQS SUVs.
But with eqs on borrowed time and Model X dead, it's the only luxury option from a brand with a fully built service network and a financial position that guarantees its own survival. The step-down options are Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq9, so that's just convincing. Both brands have a reputable dealer network and both look great and neither are as classy as black Vistiq with silver accents. Vistiq spec sheets also come correct. It comes with an EPA range of 300 to 305 miles (depending on wheel size), a standard all-wheel drive, 19.2 kilowatt onboard charger with home support to the car, an approximate 615 hp and 650 pound-feet of torque, which may not match the number of Rivian R1S dual-motor performance upgrades.
It is the same galaxy, 3.7 seconds 0-60 hours, and this three-row behemoth can dust gas-powered family carrier. All this price: start $79, 390 to start, and loaded $95, 415 have been tested for loaded premium luxury models. I'm not one of those car journalists who always want to be on the 6 Figure press tester because I find most fancy cars to be more annoying than my personal cars. But Vistiq was different. From the second I got on that big gorgeous captain's chair, I just felt relieved. Part of it is the excellent cabin design that feels the right amount of modern. It has enough prosperity to save it from the frugal sense of Tesla or Rivian, but the screen and technology sophisticated enough to feel like a proper luxury flagship. Credit, to, to the smart decisions GM has made in that control scheme.
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Like all GM EVs, it avoids the stop start button and instead works like Tesla or Rivian. It turns on when you enter and step on the brake, and off when you leave. For some reason, if you want to keep it, there is a persistent software button that keeps running for 60 minutes. For example, by going in and out without moving, somehow keeping it on will turn it off in short order anyway. I love this about my Blazer EV and every time I ride an EV that still requires me to turn it on and off, I'm stumped by the choice. Shifters, turn signals, mirror controls, seat adjustments and essential controls are all less fussy than the Libian, Lucid or Tesla.
There's still a volume knob, and HVAC controls are on the touch panel, but at least it's a separate, persistent touch menu, not a buried sub-menu, but I swear that enabling Super Cruises on the highway was using something from Silicon Valley. Super Cruise is not only more confident than a rival system, but also the best when you need to reach out or when you can get your hands off. Combined with Vistiq's divine ride and whisper's quiet cabin, the Super Cruise makes it one of the most comfortable highway cruisers I've ever driven. Despite its 6,326-pound base curb weight, Vistiq handled the rapid California Valley with complete composure.
It feels compromise free and right until it hits the dirt. I will be directly here: this is not designed for many off-paving utilities. On the unedited but paved forest road, there were huge cracks and potholes that swallowed the wheels, and Vistiq's 23-inch wheels worked against it. Including tamed options like the Mercedes EQE320+ SUV and my Blazer EV, it was much more crashier and dramatic than anything else I ran that way. If you ever want to hit the dirt, or live in a city with three foot potholes, do yourself a favor and order your Vistiq with 21's.Or, you know, just get a Livian. But on the tarmac, there is little to complain about.
Excellent one-pedal driving calibration facilitates smooth driving, and the AKG audio system supports Dolby Atmos and Apple Music. Some customers may be turned off by the lack of Apple CarPlay, but after almost 2 years in my Blazer EV, I combined Google Maps with native Apple Music and Spotify support, sure, the built-in system requires data to work, but GM throws in eight years of free music and map connectivity. There were no software bugs. The interior was beautiful. The calibration of the chassis, throttle and brake was perfect. Nevertheless, all GM EVs share some core drawbacks. Vistiq can be rapidly charged at speeds up to 190 kilowatts.
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It is behind many luxury competitors in the 200-plus and even the 400-kW range, but reflects the groundbreaking fast charging performance of most cars manufactured by this company. At least Vistiq is better than Blazer, Equinox and Optiq Evs, but here, as with GM EVs, the larger the battery in general, the larger the charging curve. Cadillac does not quote 10-80% charging time, and unfortunately I was not able to complete my charging test. My Vistiq tester seemed to have a problem with the latch mechanism of the charging cable. I hear it works and try to fix the plug only half a dozen times for it to give up, default to its fail-safe charging rate of 33 kW. According to estimates, a 10-80% fee should take somewhere in the range of 30-40 minutes, but this is fine.
But charging failures are not too encouraging. On the plus side, GM Route Planner is one of the best in the industry. You will also have access to Tesla Superchargers, as well as all Ney Hyundai GM EVs, complete, along with active routing and live information about the availability of the stall. My drive route included a 5,000-foot climb, a 20-mile high-speed canyon, and two miles on badly degraded pavements that were more or less off-road. That makes the numbers pretty useless, but the GM Ev is heavy and the big-bodied Vistiq is far from an electronic shipper. But given its power, practicality and scope, I don't think most consumers will worry.
It has enough range and charging fast enough to tackle occasional road journeys. It has enough software to find your stops along the way. And its available 19.2 kw AC charging system and V2H support make it a great everyday EV. I will certainly do so. That is, obviously $95,000 is a ridiculous amount to spend on a car. It's monopoly money at that point. But I've driven a lot of EVs S100,000 EVs, and few are as attractive and sophisticated as Vistiq. I would definitely take this over a Mercedes EQS SUV, and the last one of the ones I drove was about was $20,000 more expensive. Lucid gravity is certainly better to drive, more spacious and more efficient, but it's much more annoying to live with and much more buggy.
The Ioniq9 and EV9 are cheap, but slow and not so luxurious. They are also dogged by the software behind the curve in terms of ease of use. Of all those cars, Vistiq is the only car I was really sad about. It feels exactly the same way Cadillac should: luxurious, big, powerful and uncompromising. The only car that matches its balanced appeal is the Livian R1S, with my favorite EV being sold far away. It's a car that I ride on on an epic tour across America, or down a winding road, or deep in the desert. But that's not what life is for most people. Most of our driving takes place around town, in traffic, and on motorways.
For that job, I'd rather have a caddie. It's not the EV you want for your most exciting moments. It is the one that best fits the awkward and boring reality of life. It's a guaranteed way to refresh and display in style everywhere. Watching Vistiq drive away, I understood why he cut the $96,000 check. In a world that values nothing but excess and absurdity, it was refreshing to drive something purely completely wonderful. Confident whispers, not stupid cries.
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