The Cadillac XT6 has lived in the shadow of the legendary Cadillac Escalade ever since its debut in 2020.
However, its electric replacement looks set to flip the script and become the new halo model for the storied American luxury brand. While an electrified version of the Escalade (bearing the uninspired name of Escalade IQ) was launched for the 2025 model year, its commitment to excess might be pushing it into irrelevance as its $127,700 price tag is a tough pill to swallow. On the other hand, the all-new 2026 Cadillac VISTIQ is here to show the world what a clean sheet three-row electric luxury SUV should look like. This model follows in the footsteps of the smaller LYRIQ and OPTIQ to round out Cadillac’s electric SUV lineup and offers a stunning option for buyers looking for something elegant and high-tech that can accommodate the whole family in comfort.
Upsized Luxury
The first thing that stands out about the VISTIQ is its size. Measuring 206 inches from bumper to bumper, it is over half a foot longer than the XT6. In fact, it’s the largest option in its segment, beating competitors like the Mercedes-Benz GLS and Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The Escalade IQ is even larger at an outlandish 224 inches, but that puts it firmly in the ranks of extended-wheelbase models like the gas-powered Escalade ESV and GMC Yukon XL, making it larger than many drivers want to deal with. While the VISTIQ is certainly large, it’s not so large as to be excessive, making it an ideal fit for families looking for space. Seating for either six or seven passengers is available depending on your preferences, and it actually has more third-row headroom than the Escalade.
As you would expect from a Cadillac, the interior of the VISTIQ is also filled with high-end features. In fact, Cadillac has given it an impressively high level of standard features, including a standard 23-speaker AKG sound system (for comparison, the 2025 XT6 only offers a 14-speaker system as an available option). It also boasts Cadillac’s 33-inch high-definition display, which stretches across two-thirds of the dashboard. However, the VISTIQ does not offer an optional front-row passenger display, which is becoming an increasingly common feature in luxury models. The rest of the interior enhances the premium atmosphere, with the choice of carbon fiber, lumen open pore wood, or black ash cluster wood detailing and available recycled patterned accent fabric seats for an eco-friendly touch.
Real Performance Credentials
Sheer size and high-end features are certainly an inseparable part of the luxury experience, but the third pillar is real performance credentials. This was always the Achilles’ heel of the XT6, which suffered from being built on the same front-wheel drive platform as the Chevy Traverse and was always offered with underwhelming engine options. The shift to an electric powertrain in the VISTIQ has changed the game completely and given Cadillac’s new three-row model the performance needed to compete with options like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Unlike the smaller LYRIQ, which is available with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the VISTIQ comes standard with a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain. And while it uses the same 102 kWh battery pack as the LYRIQ, the VISTIQ has much more powerful electric motors that deliver an impressive 615 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. That’s more power than the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 or the BMW Alpina XB7! Cadillac claims it’s enough to launch the VISTIQ from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, making it the fastest SUV in the brand’s lineup, outpacing both the Escalade IQ and the supercharged Escalade-V. In addition to raw speed, the VISTIQ even offers Active Rear Steer for a level of agility not normally seen in such a large vehicle.
A New Era for Cadillac
Cadillac is setting itself up to be one of the winners of the electric revolution. While many established manufacturers have fumbled the transition to electric vehicles (just look at all the brands that have yet to even announce plans for a three-row electric SUV), Cadillac is pushing forward, and with the addition of the VISTIQ, it now has an electric replacement for all four of its gasoline-powered SUV models. But new vehicles can’t just be electric—they also have to be good, and this is where the VISTIQ truly shines. It has completely cast off the less-than-inspiring nature of the XT6 that it is replacing and even overshadows the Escalade IQ as a much more attractively sized and higher-performance alternative. Plus, while its near $80,000 price tag isn’t cheap, it’s a bargain compared to Cadillac’s full-size option and many of the other vehicles that the VISTIQ competes with.
