2026 Cadillac Optiq Gets Way More Power, NACS Port, New RWD Variant
The addition of a high-performance and more athletic Optiq-V is far from the only change to Cadillac’s small electric crossover for 2026, its second year on the market.
First, the company is further expanding the lineup with a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive variant that generates 315 horsepower—15 hp more than the AWD-equipped 2025 Optiq—and 332 lb-ft of torque. Will the base price drop? That remains to be seen.
- Also: 2026 Cadillac Optiq-V Goes to the Gym, Comes Out a Much Better Sprinter
- Also: 2025 Cadillac Optiq: More Than a Fancy Equinox EV
The dual-motor Optiq has not been overlooked, of course. For 2026, it gets a huge boost to 440 horsepower (+140) and 498 lb-ft of torque (+144), which will make for significantly faster acceleration and passing manoeuvres. What’s more, Cadillac engineers are giving this model a new “rear-wheel drive based all-wheel drive system.”
The official range estimates have not yet been posted by Natural Resources Canada. The outgoing Optiq can travel up to 486 km on a fully charged 85kWh battery. However, we can tell you that all 2026 Optiq models will feature a standard NACS port enabling direct access to over 21,500 Tesla Superchargers in North America.
In other news, Vision Enhanced Parking improves the capabilities of the existing parking assistant using cameras and radar sensors. The latest version of Super Cruise includes Google Maps integration and automatic lane changes. Also, there’s an upgraded adaptive cruise control system.
The 2026 Cadillac Optiq will go on sale sometime in the next few months. Since it is manufactured at the same Mexican factory as the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Canadian units will avoid the countertariffs on U.S.-built vehicles, so prices shouldn’t go up that much.
Earlier this year, the Optiq made U.S. magazine WardsAuto's top 10 list of the best car interiors and user experiences of 2025.
