If you don’t want to spring for the Cadillac Optiq-V, there’s good news: Even the standard AWD model is now a lot more potent.
Love them or hate them, one of the headline party tricks of many modern EVs is just how much power they can put down. Take the Cadillac Optiq-V: a compact luxury crossover that can manage 519 horsepower and a whopping 650 lb-ft of torque. Okay, granted EVs are also heavy as sin thanks to their cumbersome batteries, but their electric motors can put out some serious grunt to shrug off the curb weight with ease. And now it’s not just the V that gets a power boost against the rest of the lineup, either. Even the standard dual-motor all-wheel drive model is now substantially more powerful than last year.
How much, you ask? Try almost 50%. While the launch version of the dual-motor Optiq managed 300 horsepower (again, still enough to get you around nicely), the 2026 version puts out 440 horsepower and 498 lb-ft of torque. The goal of giving it more grunt seems to be two-fold: Not only does that make the Optiq faster, but it also positions it in such a way that Cadillac can slot in a new, rear-wheel drive model with just one electric motor. And even that version is more potent than last year’s AWD variant, as the new base Optiq RWD puts out 315 horsepower.
Of course, with the beefier AWD trims, you do have to give up some range in the process. While the launch version of the all-wheel drive Optiq managed up to 302 miles, the 2026 model now gets 280 miles, according to Cadillac’s estimates. If you’re looking for something closer to that original range figure (300 miles), you’ll have to stick with the base RWD configuration. The 519-horsepower Optiq-V, for its part, manages up to 275 miles on a charge.
The 2026 Cadillac Optiq range is available on the company’s configurator now, with full pricing available. The new base Luxury RWD will set you back $52,395, though you’ll still be able to get the higher-end Sport, Premium Luxury and Premium Sport trims, even in the single-motor version. The dual-motor Optiq Luxury AWD starts at $55,895, while the Optiq-V tops out the range with a $68,795 price tag. The first 2026 units went into production in late August, so they should be hitting dealers right about now.
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