Michael Satterfield
Can the all-electric Optiq live up to the legend many Texans associate with the iconic Cadillac brand? Does it need horns on the hood? Cadillac has always carried a confident swagger in Texas. Whether it’s pulling into a Hill Country vineyard or sliding down a Houston freeway, the badge still means something here. My grandparents always had a Cadillac for attending church or when they needed to go into town. So when I got the keys to the all-new 2025 Cadillac Optiq, I didn’t expect it to redefine what a luxury electric SUV could be, but that’s exactly what it did.
The Optiq Turns Heads
Our tester arrived with the stealthy Onyx Package blacked-out 21-inch wheels, Vader-chrome accents, and a roofline that sweeps like a coupe. It was a vehicle that caught the attention of folks in Buc-ee’s parking lots and at backroad wineries. And for the first time in a long while, my wife Jennifer, devoted to her Mercedes-Benz, turned to me and said, “I’d consider trading my Mercedes for that.”
That’s not a small thing in our house.
Texan-Ready Luxury Inside and Out
Inside, Cadillac has traded chrome for conscious design. The Autumn Canyon Inteluxe interior (a vegan leather, for the curious) looks and feels more like a luxury lounge than an EV cockpit. What makes the Optiq stand apart, though, are the details: sustainable PaperWood trim crafted from recycled newsprint, massaging front seats, and ambient lighting that adapts with the time of day.
On city streets and country lanes alike, the cabin remained whisper quiet, just as you’d expect from a modern Cadillac. The 33-inch curved display stretches across the dash, serving both as your digital cluster and infotainment command center. Native Amazon Music with Dolby Atmos made everything from George Strait to Leon Bridges sound pitch-perfect.
Built on Familiar Bones, Finished with Finesse
The Optiq shares its GM Ultium platform with the Chevrolet Blazer EV and the Acura ZDX, but you wouldn’t know it. Where the Blazer feels sporty and the ZDX comes off a bit clinical, the Optiq is all grace and ease. Our Optiq AWD model offered 300 horsepower and an estimated 302 miles of range, and it drove like a far more expensive vehicle.
We put it through its paces: commuting, grocery runs, a countryside cruise through Washington County. It performed flawlessly. Quick off the line, planted in the corners, and easy to charge thanks to fast DC capability that adds nearly 80 miles in 10 minutes. This is a luxury EV that makes owning an EV easy, not an adjustment.
The Verdict: Cadillac’s Back and it’s Electrified
The 2025 Optiq isn’t just Cadillac’s entry into a crowded EV market. It’s a quiet but confident reminder of what the brand has always stood for: comfort, style, and grace without compromise.
It’s not trying to be the flashiest or the fastest, though it’s no slouch. What it delivers is a sense of composed luxury, a vehicle that feels just as at home at a Dallas gala as it does at a Fredericksburg B&B. And with a price tag starting around $57,000 (our tester rang in just over $60K), it’s a compelling argument in the conversation between Mercedes, BMW, and Tesla.
From the Gulf Coast to the Hill Country, the 2025 Cadillac Optiq fits the Texas lifestyle like a custom pair of Luccheses, quietly confident and built to last.
