Former top general motors car designer talks about automotive design
Dick Lutzin, former Chevrolet Prime Minister and Cadillac designer of General Motors, shares his thoughts on automotive design.
Strong Points
- Amazing design
- Solid Range
- Prices like gas-grown competitors
Cons
- It’s not that exciting to drive
- Not fast
- Get on the company side
scan 2025 Cadillac OptiqThe dimensions, elegant and modern interior, performance specifications, and its price tag, and you leave thinking, “Wow, this is just a compact, luxurious SUV.” There are no disclaimers and no other descriptors are required. Of course, it must be clean among weeds of similar sizes and of similar price. Lexus RX, Lincoln Nautilus or Audi Q5 To reach such a conclusion, however, anyone looking for a luxury SUV of the right size thinks that all three of these vehicles are already on their shopping list.
Record the scratch! ER, Skip CD! Or, uh, your connection is unstable and streaming music is not available! Anything. To my surprise, the Cadillac Optiq does not use gas. This is an interesting plot twist. This is because most modern EVs tend to be more balanced than traditionally driven counterparts, and tend to save Tesla’s affordable Model Y and some others. They also tend to balance unnecessarily quickly. And now, with EV tax credits gone, buyers are trying to save a few more dollars while enjoying the convenience of “filling” their cars at home or “filling” their cars away from dirty gas stations.
But the Cadillac Optiq gives future SUV buyers the satisfaction without all the gas they can handle, without higher sticker prices or stupid power. The loaded Optiq Sport 2 model tested here costs $58,915 from the door. This line up along the gas-grown versions of the Lexus RX350 and RX350H hybrids mentioned above. It also brings similar motivations. Its dual electric motor (210 horsepower units in front and 90 horsepower induction motor on the back) adds a totally mediocre 300 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque.
Average performance, that’s fine
Is it just as simple? I’m happy with it, but I barely have the 5.5 seconds of 0-60 mph performance I recorded. This is about two seconds faster than the last RX350 and RX350H hybrids we tested, just in front of two versions of the Lincoln Nautilus and the 366 horsepower RX500H F Sport Performance Variants. We haven’t tested Audi’s latest Q5 yet, but its mechanical setup is similar to the outgoing generation. I reached 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. The point is that the Optiq is faster than a regular non-sport, compact, luxurious SUV. Tesla Model Y Dual Motor Long Distance60 mph in 3.8 seconds, or as expensive as a similar size All-electric Audi Q6 E-Tron (Not to mention similar prices Smaller Q4 E-Tron).
From behind the steering wheel, the Tesla-style gut punch acceleration is not noticeable what many people expect from modern EVs. The Cadillac never feels slow, but it’s rather zippy enough for a clear commute. The advantage of its electric propulsion is primarily smooth and quiet. The Optiq simply flows down the road, freeing it from the troublesome gear shifts and noisy trills of the turbocharged four-cylinder engine, common to the internal combustion competition at this price range.
The rest of the driving experience is in line with the Cadillac’s focus on sportiness, with ride quality cleverly tuned for the greatest improvements that make the most of the stiff 2026 Model Y. The direction carves more enthusiastic and smarter lines than the lateral grip of 0.78 g suggests.
What I’m most pleased is the suspension setup being modified. There is no electronically adaptable dampers, air springs, or flashy stuff like the ones that the Q6 E-Tron gets. Instead, it gets the same handling behavior regardless of whether it’s a good old steel spring or a drive mode from a passive (frequency selective) shock.
Brake performance averages, with stops ranging from 60 mph to 124 feet per hour, longer than the 118-foot stop on the Q6 E-Tron, and 120-foot stops and landings on the Model Y of the various Lexus RX models we tested. What stands out here, however, is Optiq’s driver-selectable playback braking mode. Two of these are the strongest, as the electric motor restores the battery’s energy by acting as a generator, allowing one pedal to run to stop the Cadillac by simply taking your foot off the accelerator.
General Motors is very good at adjusting the stable setup of the EVs across the brand, thanking the central ground 1 pedal mode that allows you to stop the optic without using brake pedals and stop the optic without introducing a slight forward head. Are you grateful again? The driver’s selected 1-pedal mode has an on/off cycle wrapped around the driver’s on/off cycle and has a button ready to adjust on the touchscreen.
Smooth appearance too
Most drivers are even more pleased when touring around town at normal speeds, sitting in traffic jams, or while a maximum DC first charge rate of 150 kW refills the battery (we saw an additional 119 miles range in 30 minutes). The interior is mostly Scandinavian, as if Volvo accidentally dropped a stylist in Warren, Michigan while Optique was being developed.
It has the same 33-inch screen (the far left and the substantial part on the right is touch-sensual), and when you enter the large Lyriq it floats above the dashboard, making it look more impressive in Optiq’s small environment. The top door panels and dashboards of the test model were covered in interesting fabrics rendered from recycled materials, but some of the door handles, air vent controls, and more feel like real metal accents. Given the more accessible price tag on the Optiq than the larger Cadillac EV, it’s all very classy yet appropriately youthful. There is plenty of room throughout, but those sitting in the second row may notice that the floor appears to be a higher touch compared to the seat cushion.
Overall, Optiq is a great place to spend time and looks much more expensive than its sub-$60,000 price tag. It’s fine for that performance to not give a pause or a reason for much excitement. Not all EVs need to have barn acceleration. Optiq’s 302-mile EPA range is even more important, but it’s worth noting that the 75-mph road trip range test only offered 235 miles. In a world where tax incentives for EVs are no longer available, Optiq meets internal combustion athletes head on, offering comparable performance, superior improvements and comfort, and similar increased designs of money.
Photo by Brian Vance
