Cadillac has underlined its commitment to both the Australian market but also electric vehicles, confirming it will add a pair of new models in 2026. The American luxury brand will add to the soon-to-launch Lyriq mid-size SUV with the larger Vistiq and smaller Optiq electric models.
The pair will join the already confirmed high-performance Lyriq-V in a dramatically increased line-up that will try to establish Cadillac as a new player in the local market.
“We made a commitment that Cadillac’s incredible all-electric product portfolio would be a truly global offering, and that story begins in Australia and New Zealand with the right-hand drive Lyriq and Lyriq-V,” explained John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac.
“But like with any great story, there is more than one chapter. And I’m thrilled to confirm the addition of the Optiq and Vistiq, both of which have been planned and engineered to be built in right-hand drive from their inception, and which will build on Cadillac’s electric momentum in the ANZ (Australia and New Zealand) region.”
Crucially, despite slowing electric vehicle sales, both in Australia and in key markets around the world, Roth and General Motors Australia boss Jess Bala, confirmed Cadillac is sticking to its all-electric plan, dismissing any suggestions it could add petrol-powered models. That ends any chance models such as the CT4 and CT5 sedans and Escalade SUV could join the local range to appeal to a broader luxury audience.
The Optiq is the entry model to the Cadillac range and should compete with the likes of the Tesla Model Y, BMW iX3 and Audi Q4 e-tron. It will be offered in Australia with a standard dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain that makes 224kW of power and 480Nm of torque.
The Vistiq is Cadillac’s large, three-row SUV, filling a gap between the Lyriq and the body-on-frame Escalade. While not the biggest Cadillac, the Vistiq is a sizeable SUV and will compete against the likes of the BMW iX and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.
Cadillac Australia has revealed specifications, but in the US the Vistiq is available with a 452kW/880Nm dual-motor powertrain and a 102kWh battery that provides more than 480km of range.
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