2026 Cadillac Optiq-V Quick Spin: Slicker and Quicker

Key Points in This Review

• Cadillac has revamped the Optiq entry-level electric SUV for 2026, adding a rear-wheel-drive version, increasing the power on the all-wheel-drive model and bringing a new high-performance V-Series version to showrooms.
• The 2026 Optiq-V is the big news with 519 horsepower and 650 pounds-feet of torque that enables a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, according to Cadillac.
• The new Optiq-V is considerably more expensive than other trim levels, with a starting price of $68,795 (including $1,495 destination fee).

It might surprise some people that Cadillac has quietly become one of the bestselling luxury electric-vehicle brands in the country. Through some solid offerings, fair pricing and expansion of the range into multiple segments, Cadillac has been enjoying some decent results with its quartet of electric SUVs. But Cadillac has also been pursuing a performance-vehicle path, as well, and we wondered how it planned to maintain its performance chops when shifting the lineup from gas to electrons.

Now we have our answer: Make a V-Series trim packing major punch and proper sporting equipment. The latest is this one, the 2026 Optiq-V, the smallest model in Cadillac’s electric SUV lineup. Cadillac is offering up the Optiq-V for driving enthusiasts, and we got to briefly sample it and the updated 2026 Optiq to see what Cadillac has made.

Related: Which Trim Level of the 2026 Cadillac Optiq Should You Buy?

How Much Does a 2026 Cadillac Optiq Cost?

All prices include the destination fee:

• Luxury: $52,395
• Sport: $52,995
• Premium Luxury: $54,595
• Premium Sport: $55,095
• V-Series: $68,795

The Optiq range now comes standard with a single motor and RWD instead of dual-motor AWD. It offers 317 miles of EPA-estimated range, 315 hp, 332 pounds-feet of torque and a 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds. Delivering similar performance to the 2025 AWD model in terms of 0-60 time and besting its range by 15 miles, it also starts nearly $2,000 below the least expensive 2025 model. AWD is a $3,500 option on all trims but the V-Series, where it’s standard, and AWD versions get some modifications for 2026 to bump up power to 440 hp and 498 pounds-feet of torque for a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds. Despite this dramatic boost in performance over the old AWD model, the 2026 Optiq gets a slightly better 303-mile range estimate.

The high-performance Optiq V-Series is rated at 519 hp and 650 pounds-feet of torque. It blasts from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, but Cadillac has focused on handling instead of just brute-force speed. With a host of tweaks to its systems (including new final drive ratios, a significantly revised chassis and suspension, and Brembo front brakes), Cadillac promises the new Optiq-V is akin to the gas-powered CT4-V sedan. But is it? Can an electric SUV that weighs more than 5,400 pounds really be a “handler”? Yes and no.

All the Optiq Goodness, Only Quicker

The regular Cadillac Optiq is one of our favorite small electric SUVs for some good reasons; it’s right-sized, decently nimble, comfortable, equipped with a beautifully crafted interior full of modern materials, and the whole thing just works well. The only thing keeping it from true greatness is GM’s continued refusal to give it Apple CarPlay, something many shoppers want. Giving the Optiq the V-Series treatment just cranks things up in the speed department, we found. Accelerator response is surprisingly squishy, however, with initial tip-in not resulting in much forward motion — especially in Tour mode. But pop it into Sport or push and hold that V-Max button on the steering wheel to get the full horsepower, and responsiveness and thrust are boosted to much more entertaining levels.

My brief drive of the new Optiq-V sadly didn’t afford me much opportunity to test the vehicle in the environment Cadillac engineers said it was designed for: canyon roads and twisty blacktop. I drove it in suburban Detroit, then on an autocross course, but both environments are not what the Optiq-V is really suited to. It’s too heavy with steering that’s too slow and numb to be truly entertaining on an autocross, even in its Competitive Mode that dials everything up. Unlike the CT4-V sedan that company reps compared it to, the Optiq-V is not the kind of nimble sports sedan-type thing that handling enthusiasts will seek out. It’s something else entirely, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good in its own right — it just has to be used properly in the right environment.

And it really is a vehicle of two sets of characteristics: usable as a normal, comfortable, luxurious and stylish commuting conveyance or, at the push of a button (or two), a quiet back-roads brawler that provides grins without beating up its passengers. Ride quality is exceptional for a vehicle with 21-inch wheels shod with optional summer performance tires. It really is a more modern take on a performance vehicle, operating in near silence despite its ability to deliver speed, so if you need that visceral audible punch with your performance vehicle, you’ll be disappointed, as the Optiq is certainly no CT5-V Blackwing, and it doesn’t make the sounds that the CT5-V’s gut-rending supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 does. But the fascinating part is that the Optiq-V is nearly as quick as the Blackwing, just 0.1 second slower to 60 mph by Cadillac’s numbers. Two animals from the same pack both delivering astonishing numbers and performance in two very different ways is quite the testament to today’s technology.

My judgment of its overall performance chops: The Optiq-V provides astonishing speed with almost no drama, has acceptably athletic responses with little compromise to comfort, and has tuning that turns it into something desirable. Will you see enthusiasts taking them to track days instead of low-slung sedans and coupes? No, almost certainly not, even though in a higher-speed environment, the Optiq-V would probably be quite entertaining. It may have a fairly low center of gravity for an SUV given that a good chunk of its mass is in the underfloor 85-kilowatt-hour battery pack, but it’s still an SUV with a higher seating position and more heft than a true performance car should have. But as a personal luxury vehicle with the ability to make the commute much more entertaining, the Optiq-V succeeds.

Even Nicer Inside

The cabin of the Optiq has, from the start, been an impressive place with its massive dashboard screen; interesting upholstered dash, doors, console and seats, and surprising amount of space upfront or in the backseat. The V-Series treatment brings additional sporty touches, with carbon-fiber and matte-blue trim pieces, blue stitching on the seats and even subtle blue stripes in the graphics on the rear quarter windows. It’s still just as thoughtfully laid out and comfortable as before, with the seats providing plenty of support for spirited driving. Passengers in back enjoy surprising levels of leg- and headroom, making the Optiq-V a no-compromise vehicle if you still need to carry family or friends.

It has the same level of excellent equipment, as well, such as Google Built-In running all the screen controls, a 19-speaker AKG sound system that can stream media in stunning Dolby Atmos quality (provided you’re subscribed to a streaming service that has such content), massaging front seats and more. What it doesn’t have (and which most GM EVs don’t have with the exception of the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet BrightDrop commercial vans) is Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Given that the vehicle has a Google system running things, Android users are not likely to experience much heartburn over that, but Apple ecosystem participants aren’t likely to be thrilled with this. It’s truly the only blemish on what is an otherwise outstanding effort, but it is a big enough omission to turn off a lot of potential buyers.

More Cadillac Optiq News From Cars.com:

• 2026 Cadillac Optiq Gains Power, RWD Model and NACS Port
• 2026 Optiq-V Packs 519 HP Into Cadillac’s Smallest Electric SUV
• 2025 Cadillac Optiq Review: Entry-Level Never Felt So Good
• 2025 Cadillac Optiq Up Close: The Lyriq-Lite Looks Good
• Research the Cadillac Optiq

But Wait, There’s More: The RWD or AWD Choice

A brief drive of the new RWD Optiq revealed it to be just as excellent, with perhaps a little more nimbleness due to a lighter front end (no motor mass up there). The AWD model is now more powerful than before at no expense to range, and how often do you get more of something for roughly the same price these days? Not often, but Cadillac is delivering that with the Optiq, and this should be a nice draw for people intending to go electric with their next vehicle.

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