Some of the most impressive features of new Cadillac Optiq are the ones that come standard. One of those is General Motors’ impressive AI-based Super Cruise that rivals Tesla’s AI driver assist, Autopilot.
The brand new compact Caddy EV nameplate for 2025 – which I’m test driving for a week – matches the newest Tesla Model Y feature for feature in key areas. In a first for a mainstream General Motors EV, the Cadillac Optiq boasts both all-wheel drive and GM’s driver assist system, Super Cruise, as standard. These two features match the recently-released Tesla “Juniper” Model Y Long-Range All-Wheel Drive with Autopilot.
Compact: right sized
It’s a compact EV, which is pretty rare these days. It slots below the mid-size Lyriq and the very large Escalade IQ in Cadillac’s EV lineup. Compactness in an EV is a good thing. EVs keep getting bigger and bigger and heavier and heavier, requiring bigger battery packs, which means higher prices.
Range: hits the 300 sweet spot
The Optiq is rated at 302 miles. That’s another plus. In 2025, if an EV isn’t rated at 300 miles and above, I would think twice unless you’re absolutely sure you won’t be taking any long trips. (I speak from experience. I’ve purchased inexpensive EVs in the past thinking I won’t need the range. Wrong!)
Performance: switch on “Sport Mode”
I’ve been driving the Optiq with Sport Mode toggled on. That delivers more than enough performance for me. It’s a close match to the 2025 Subaru Solterra EV, which (surprisingly) has some of the most impressive torque I’ve experienced in a compact EV (and which also has AWD standard). Remember, EVs already have a torque advantage over gas cars so anything like the Optiq’s Sport Mode is icing on the cake.
Price is right: lease for $399/month
The Optiq starts around $54,500. Again, that includes AWD and Super Cruise across all trims. (Note that you cannot even get close to that price on a Lyriq with Super Cruise.) And you can knock off $7,500 from that price with the federal EV tax credit, bringing the price down to around $47,000 (before taxes and fees). That’s not bad for a feature-rich Cadillac. GM offers attractive lease options too. Cadillac is currently offering a $399/month lease for 24 months, 10,000 miles/year, with $4,979 due at signing.
Cadillac quality
The Optiq’s interior is right up there with interior in the Lyriq (which I also had for a week), though not as spacious, particularly in the rear passenger and cargo areas, reflecting its compact EV classification. But it does pack a standard AKG Studio system with Dolby Atmos, which includes 19 speakers. You can’t pair your phone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, however.
Public charging with NACS adapter: Tesla Supercharger network heaven
One of the crown jewels of Tesla is its Supercharger network. It’s second to none. And it just works – which I can’t say about Electrify America. I’ve been using the Optiq with a NACS (Tesla) adapter and charging at Tesla Superchargers. It’s a beautiful experience. Just plug it in and it works. Again, a far cry from the typical Electrify America experience.
GM Super Cruise Vs Tesla Autopilot / Full Self Driving
As advanced as Tesla’s Full Self Driving (FSD) is, I like the middle ground that GM has settled on with Super Cruise. (I’ve tested the most recent Tesla FSD updates 3 times in the past two months on the new Tesla Model Y “Juniper” and once on the Cybertruck.) Yes, Tesla’s FSD can be amazing. It can drive you from your garage to a local supermarket, much like a robotaxi. In short, the driver becomes a passenger. The problem is, it’s not flawless. That always makes me a little nervous – and I’ve had few mishaps with FSD in the past. GM has settled on leaving the local driving to you while offering true hands-free driving on the highway. Once you’re on the highway, Super Cruise will take over most of the driving (steering, acceleration, braking). That includes automatic lane changes. In my testing of the Optiq’s Super Cruise on Los Angeles highways, it does 90 percent of the driving on 118, 405, and 5. By comparison, Tesla offers Autopilot (free) on all of its EVs. It doesn’t, however, offer automatic lane change on basic Autopilot. You need FSD ($99/month) for that.
Upshot (first take):
This is an affordable Cadillac EV – particularly if you opt for a lease – which is a first. But it doesn’t cut corners and offers AWD and Super Cruise as standard, which, to date, has only come on high-end, pricey trims from Cadillac, Chevy, and GMC. Definitely worth a look if you’re in the market for an EV backed by a company that has been mass producing EVs since 1996, longer than any American automaker, including Tesla.