2026 Cadillac Vistiq: International quick drive

At Drive, we understand that many of you want a Cadillac Escalade on sale in our local market. Yes, we've heard and read your comments and we get it. So too, it seems, does General Motors Australia, however the reality of that happening is thin. Very thin.

Reasons ranging from weight and what that would mean for licensing requirements, and the hefty price of an already expensive SUV in its local market being extensively remanufactured to RHD specification in order to go on sale in Australia, mean it's highly unlikely that it can happen.

However, you will soon be able to buy a 2026 Cadillac Vistiq if a three-row SUV from Cadillac is something you desire. Now, it's not quite an Escalade, I grant you, but it does look stylish, and also carries some of the Escalade styling cues, especially the headlight treatment when you look at it from the front three-quarter. Whereas the Escalade looks like a behemoth on the road – even in its home market – the Vistiq is significantly more demure, despite also being a large SUV.

Generally speaking, Cadillac's position in the Australian new car market is an interesting one. Despite offering vehicles in America (and other markets of course) that still feature internal combustion, the manufacturer has set itself up as very much an electric vehicle offering in our market. And, it intends to stay that way. While the manufacturer has a history of building some hot performance cars for the US market, the Australian expansion will be very SUV-focused for the near future.

And the next cab off the rank is the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq, which will go on sale locally in the first half of 2026.

Styling is absolutely in the eye of the beholder, but the theory that the Vistiq looks a lot like an Escalade isn't something I made up. I went back to look at some early commentary and Cadillac itself has referred to the Vistiq as the 'baby Escalade' since its inception. In the States that might be an issue, given you can actually buy an Escalade, but here in Australia that link between the two might be no bad thing given plenty of you love the way the Escalade looks.

Outside, then, the Vistiq is striking, eye-catching, and doesn't appear to be quite as big as it actually is thanks to the edgy styling. In its home market, the Vistiq sits between the Lyriq (already on sale in Australia) and the big-boy Escalade IQ. The resemblance, to me at least, is clear.

Let us know what you think in the comments section below, but the Vistiq's more sculpted flanks and less slab-sided appearance give it a delicate touch the Escalade can't match despite its hulking presence. The Vistiq is a tick longer than 5.2m and sits 2.02m wide. The test cars we sampled at the international launch were rolling on optional 23-inch wheels, attractive for sure, but maybe a hazard on our pockmarked roads? The tyres are a hefty 305mm wide, so it looks fat both at rest and on the move.

We're not sure yet what the final specification will look like for our market, but we do know that Aussies love the biggest wheels possible. That's regardless of make or model, or indeed where they intend to drive the vehicle, so it's fair to say the 23s are odds on to arrive on Aussie cars. There is a 21-inch rim available for entry-grade variants in the States, as well as a 22-inch wheel.

While we see Cadillac as a premium or luxury offering in our market, it's worth noting that American testers have described the Vistiq as a 'mainstream Cadillac', reflecting where it sits in a crowded SUV market. However, the cabin feels very much the premium offering from the first experience you have with it, and once inside with the door closed, it's quiet and luxurious.

The question for Cadillac in this market is whether Euro-obsessed Aussies are willing to consider an alternative take on luxury – but Lexus and latterly Genesis have definitely made an impression. Taking a look at the two different model grades we saw, there's either carbon-fibre-look trim or attractive woodgrain trim, with both looking at home inside the Vistiq cabin.

The seats have a recliner-like comfort to them, such is the way you sink into them, but they are firm enough that they deliver the support you require on the move. There is some super-shiny piano black trim throughout the cabin, and its ability to display fingerprints and marks gets no less frustrating with every iteration.

The audio system on our test models was a cracker delivering thumping response, genuine sound quality and clarity, and exceptional fidelity even on the move with all four windows down. A short test of Apple CarPlay showed a neat link between smartphone and infotainment system, with the centre screen reacting promptly to touch inputs. It's positioned well, too, so that you don't struggle to see it in varying light conditions.

Cadillac quotes a whopping 33 inches for the screen, which wraps around in front of you and features touchscreen control for various settings and Google-based information as well, if you prefer not to connect your smartphone. There's a secondary touchscreen in the centre console, lower down, for the air-con controls, and while you work it out quickly enough, it's an example of where old-fashioned buttons or dials would make things easier, especially on the move. Five-zone AC, soft-close doors, the head-up display with augmented-reality navigation, and night vision add to the feeling of luxury.

The second row is equally as comfortable – in the States there's a two-seat arrangement available in the second row – and adults will be happy back there for longer road trips. The third row should be considered as more suitable for children or occasional only for adults. You can get into it – and back out of it – easily enough, but it's pretty tight back there if you're on a longer run.

When you're behind the wheel of any vehicle pumping out 452kW and 894Nm, it's going to feel rapid, and the Vistiq very much feels performance-focused. Does a three-row SUV 'need' that much thrust? Probably not, but we've seen that electric vehicles make way more power than they need in just about every segment they compete in.

Energy supply comes from a hefty 102kWh battery, and AWD ensures its grip on not just the road, but reality as well, is nowhere near as tenuous as it might otherwise be. Cadillac claims 3.7 seconds to 100km/h, and while we didn't get the timers out on public roads, it certainly feels that fast. The Vistiq tips the scales at 2869kg, so it's no lightweight, thus the fact it feels as sharp as it does is no small feat.

Cadillac uses permanent magnet motors front and rear, and the sportiest drive mode 'Velocity Max' will see you thundering toward the horizon at alarming speed. We'll take a closer look at energy efficiency when we get more time behind the wheel, but with various regenerative modes available, and one-pedal driving, in traffic at least, around town, the claimed 490km range looks reasonable. With the party-centric pace out of the way, then, how does the Vistiq behave under regular driving conditions?

It's good. Very good in fact. The quality of the bump absorption, especially given the 23-inch wheel and tyre package, was impressive. America's road network puts ours to shame largely, so I veered off the predetermined test route looking for rubbish road surfaces. Even faced with ruts and coarse chip, the Vistiq did a neat job of insulating the worst of it from the cabin. What you'd describe as a regular B-road out of our city is no match for the Vistiq's ability to absorb a hit and isolate it from the cabin occupants.

You will feel the weight, if a vehicle of this size is the first EV you've driven, but the Vistiq's clever rear-wheel steering ensures you can position and manoeuvre it more like you would a medium SUV rather than a large one. Near three tonnes is a lot of heft to bring to a stop, tip into a corner, or move into a quick lane change. However, once you're familiar with that, the Vistiq is an enjoyable drive.

Again, though, America's road network is more expansive than ours, so we'll fire the Vistiq into some tighter confines in Sydney and Melbourne when it lands. On the move, though, it feels more agile and less bulky than its cabin space would indicate.

Cadillac reckons you can add between 125km and 130km in as little as 10 minutes on a DC fast charger, and there's an 11.5kW onboard charger standard as well. A 19.2kW unit is available in the States as an option. Interestingly, even in the motor city of Detroit, the availability of public charging infrastructure is as sparse and sketchy as it can be in Australia, so charging at home will be – as it often is – the smartest way to use the Vistiq.

The 2026 Cadillac Vistiq will go on sale in Australia in the first half of 2026, hopefully the first quarter, with an on-sale date to be updated here at Drive as soon as we have that information. It's difficult to pinpoint just how attractive this new electric SUV will be to Australian buyers until Cadillac nails down the final pricing and specification details.

However, after our brief international first drive, it's fair to say the Cadillac Vistiq puts forward a compelling case to be considered among the large luxury electric SUV field. It's getting ever more competitive at the top end of the electric SUV town, and Cadillac reckons it can take the established brigade on. Time will tell.

Trent Nikolic has been road testing and writing about cars for almost 20 years. He’s been at CarAdvice/Drive since 2014 and has been a motoring editor at the NRMA, Overlander 4WD Magazine, Hot4s and Auto Salon Magazine.

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