Cadillac Vistiq electric SUV reviewed

News.com.au

4 days ago

Should we be surprised that America's vision for a luxury SUV is an exercise in excess? Probably not.
The Cadillac Vistiq on the way to Australian showrooms next year shapes up as an opulent machine from a place where too much is never enough.
There's no real need for a family wagon to have an enormous 452kW of power and 894Nm, or to hit 100km/h in 3.7 seconds.
You don't need huge 23-inch wheels or a 23 speaker stereo with Dolby Atmos surround sound, you don't need five-zone climate control and you don't need a 33-inch wraparound digital display that stretches across the cabin.
But you might want these things.
Especially if you want a car that stands apart from the crowd.
There aren't many cars like the Vistiq, which is a three-row electric luxury SUV that shapes up as a rival to battery-powered machines such as Volvo's EX90, the Mercedes EQS SUV, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9. You could also argue that it shapes up as an alternative to combustion-powered machines such as BMW's X5.
Full prices and specifications for the car have not been confirmed for Australia.
But you can expect the Vistiq to arrive in one fully-loaded trim for around $150,000.
For that, you get a large SUV with a cab that doesn't hold back.
From its spacious dimensions to myriad materials that steer away from the low-key approach of Euro rivals, the Caddy delivers a bold and brassy experience that should translate well in Australia.
Sofa-like seats with fine adjustment help you get comfortable in the car, and sensibly placed controls make the machine second nature.
Interestingly, Cadillac does not equip its latest models with Apple CarPlay, so you need to make do with its built-in Google-based mapping services.
That's annoying, but not a deal-breaker.
The sweeping screen stretching across the dashboard is loaded up with features such as night vision, augmented reality sat nav and the 'Super Cruise' self-driving suite that is standard in the US, but not available in Australia yet.
Out on the road, the big Caddy feels planted, thanks in part to enormous 305mm-wide tyres that help keep its 2.8-tonne weight in control.
This is a big car.
But it feels more agile than the numbers suggest, thanks to clever tech such as rear-wheel-steering, variable-height air suspension and adaptive shock absorbers that work against physics.
Sure, tight corners will reveal its weight.
But sweeping bends and city driving are no trouble.
Smooth roads fringing Detroit didn't trouble its suspension, though Australia's rougher surfaces will offer a greater test of its abilities.
In any case, surplus power also helps disguise the mass.
You always have acceleration in reserve, which makes the car feel surprisingly spritely on the road.
It will pin you back in your seat and raise its nose like a speedboat when you pin the throttle.
There really aren't many family SUVs that claim this sort of thrust.
The downside to the huge power and weight is that it's not the most efficient car getting around.
Cadillac's 102kWh battery returns less than 500km of range, which is less than you might find from some rivals.
Folks who want to drive further could consider the smaller Cadillac Lyriq, which is already on sale with the same battery in a smaller, less-powerful five-seat package.
But people chasing opulence should step up to the Vistiq.
You can't have too much of a good thing.
ON SALE Mid-2026