Cadillac is adding a fifth BEV to its lineup in 2025, the Vistiq CUV, which seats seven passengers in three rows and has a range of 300 miles (483 km) of range, a package that should appeal to those shopping in the premium/luxury BEV space.
“Cadillac continues to set the standard for American luxury. The introduction of Vistiq will continue to propel us into the EV future,” says John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac. “With the addition of Vistiq, Cadillac will be one of the only brands to offer an EV entry in every luxury SUV segment.”
Cadillac is maintaining its push into BEVs, at least so far, despite the election of Donald Trump to the White House and the expectation that tailpipe emissions mandates driving BEV adoption are going to be rolled back.
Vistiq will be sold globally, including in the U.S. and Canada, with production starting in early 2025 at General Motors’ Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee.
Starting price is $78,790 (including destination freight charge of $1,395), and there are three trims: Luxury, Sport and Premium Luxury. Coming in summer 2025, Vistiq will launch a fourth Platinum trim, with added performance elements and more interior and exterior color options.
Vistiq, built on GM’s Ultium BEV platform, has a standard dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, with standard damping control and available air ride adaptive suspension. The CUV includes a 102-kWh battery pack and offers 615 hp and 650 lb.-ft. (880 Nm) of torque.
“From the start, it was our team’s goal to deliver a 3-row SUV that provides exhilarating performance and intuitive technology, wrapped in the brand’s iconic design language,” says Jeff MacDonald, North American chief engineer, Cadillac Vistiq.
The Vistiq comes with available active rear steer, which improves maneuverability and turning diameter. It comes with standard 21-in. wheels and available 22- and 23-in. wheels. Like the Escalade IQ, Vistiq has a swept-back windshield and black Crystal Shield grille unique to Cadillac’s electric portfolio.
“Vistiq continues the Cadillac EV identity, including our signature vertical lamps front and rear, the illuminated pinstripe grille, a 33-in. diagonal high-resolution LED screen, and available 23-inch wheels, rendered in a proportionally stately and functional 3-row SUV,” says Bryan Nesbitt, executive director, Global Cadillac Design.
The exterior design features a fair amount of brightwork, a hallmark of Cadillacs. Cadillac’s Mondrian-pattern graphic within the third-row windows tries to capture exterior motion while also providing privacy for passengers.
Vistiq’s interior offers third-row padded armrests, smartphone storage, cupholders and USB chargers, same as the first and second rows. There is ample storage including pass-through, underfloor and reconfigurable interior seating to provide expanded storage capacity. There is “intelligent” five-zone climate controls and jewel-like speaker grilles with a unique geometric pattern.
The luxury CUV includes a 23-speaker AKG Studio Audio system with Dolby Atmos, providing custom-tuned speakers and amplifier. It also has 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 to a properly equipped home during a blackout.
Standard premium safety and driver-assistance technologies include blindspot steering assist, bicycle detection and forward collision alert, as well as standard OnStar automatic crash response and available night vision.
Through September, Cadillac sold 20,320 units of its electric CUV, the Lyriq, in the U.S. In the third quarter alone, Cadillac delivered 7,224 Lyriqs, marking a 139% increase compared to the same period in 2023. After initial production delays, there has been steady month-over-month improvement in sales.
Barring a change of strategy in lieu of expected EV mandate rollbacks, Cadillac will have the Lyriq, Escalade, Optiq, Celestiq, Vistiq and Lyriq-V all on sale in showrooms by the fall of 2025.
