{"id":34290,"date":"2025-03-30T19:51:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-30T23:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=34290"},"modified":"2025-03-30T19:51:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T23:51:09","slug":"payne-cruising-in-caddys-blue-electric-optiq-living-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/payne-cruising-in-caddys-blue-electric-optiq-living-room","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Cruising in Caddy’s blue, electric Optiq living room"},"content":{"rendered":"

San Francisco<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Twenty-five years from now at the Woodward Dream Cruise, the Cadilac Optiq will get noticed. Blingstastic Caddies are back.<\/p>\n

If the electric Tesla Model 3\/Y is obsessed with Apple-like simplicity (look, Ma, no steering wheel stalks), then the Caddy is a celebration of good ol\u2019 fashioned American glitz. If Model Y is Frank Lloyd Wright, then Optiq is Fox Theatre. \u00a0One is Rothco, the other Rubens. Simple Y vs. exotic Optiq.<\/p>\n

Optiq wants to be noticed. It\u2019s the cure for the common Tesla.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The 2025 Cadillac Optiq can hit 60 mph in just over 5 seconds.<\/em><\/div>\n
Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n

After all, it\u2019s the entry-level vehicle of an electric brand whose patriarch is the ultimate blingmeister: the ginormous Escalade IQ. In an electric luxury segment defined by pioneer Tesla, America\u2019s most iconic luxury brand wants to take it back for good ol\u2019 American swagger. It\u2019s great to see the automaker that invented the fin-tailed Eldorado leaning into its ol\u2019 luxury self.ye<\/p>\n

Shield grille, vertical LED headlights, split vertical taillights, raked windshield, graphic-etched C-pillar, 21-inch tires. Optiq is uniq.<\/p>\n

Here in the birthplace of Tesla, the Optiq\u2019s features shadow the Model Y\u2019s every move. Locked in traffic on I-580 north of Berkeley, I engaged Super Cruise and crawled along hands-free in paralyzing Bay Area traffic, using the idle time to glance at email and texts. I say glance because the Cadilac still demands that you maintain attention via a camera mounted on the steering column. For good reason.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n
\n
The 2025 Cadillac Optiq returns the brand to blingtastic, busy grille designs of old – complete with colorful interiors.<\/em><\/div>\n
Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Though surrounded by a moat of radar (five front, five rear) and camera sensors, hands-free systems ain\u2019t perfect. Aggressive commuters cut in and out of traffic. A Honda cut across my bow, then exited to the right lane. After it passed, the Cadillac sped up to close the gap in front of me. Too fast. I hit the brakes to prevent the Caddy from SLAMMING them on when it realized another wall of traffic loomed. On such subtleties are humans superior.<\/p>\n

GM\u2019s Super Cruise has been superior to Tesla\u2019s Autopilot, forcing the latter to catch up with hands-free driving utilizing a similar camera monitoring system. The Caddy still lags Tesla\u2019s navigation skills, however, and the Optiq \u2014 unlike Tesla \u2014 won\u2019t navigate to my interstate exit across the Bay Bridge.<\/p>\n

I surveyed the roomy cabin around me, and it is impressive. While I find the exterior a tad busy, the Optiq’s interior designers should win a Home & Garden award.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n
\n
Fancy. The 2025 Cadillac Optiq can be optioned with a blue interior made up of multiple fabrics.<\/em><\/div>\n
Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Mrs. Payne swooned when I texted her a picture of my leather & felt blue interior. Like any modern upscale living room, Otpiq has lots of space (best-in-compact-class rear legroom and cargo area) and is engorged with technology.<\/p>\n

Jumbotron screen? Check out the 33-inch dash display. Intuitive remote and touchscreen controls? Check. Computer tablet? Check. I dragged my most-used icons around the infotainment display home screen. Alexa device? Check. Hey, Google, tell me a joke.<\/p>\n