2026 Cadillac Optiq Packs More Power with New RWD, 440-HP AWD Setups
The new rear-wheel-drive base model has 315 horsepower, and the dual-motor AWD version now comes a lot closer to the 519-hp Optiq-V performance model.
2025 cadillac optiqView Exterior Photos
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
Cadillac is revising the Optiq EV’s powertrains for 2026, with a new RWD base model and more power for the AWD trim.
The single-motor RWD Optiq has 315 horsepower, and the dual-motor version now has 440 hp.
There’s also an Optiq-V that’s new for 2026, and it has 519 horsepower.
The addition of the Cadillac Optiq-V performance model was the big news for 2026, but it turns out that’s not the only version of this compact luxury SUV that gets more horsepower for the new model year. Every version of the 2026 Optiq has a new powertrain setup, as the dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain now has nearly 50 percent more grunt than before, and a new single-motor base model joins the lineup that’s more powerful than last year’s dual-motor configuration.
The base Optiq now has a 315-hp electric motor powering the rear wheels; a dual-motor setup was previously the only choice, and it produced 300 horsepower. Opt for the 2026 Optiq AWD, and you get a totally new setup with front and rear electric motors making 440 horsepower. The previously announced Optiq-V is the most powerful in the lineup with its 519-hp dual-motor configuration.
Cadillac
2026 Cadillac Optiq-V
Although EPA numbers aren’t yet available, Cadillac has revised the Optiq’s range estimates as well. The company cites the RWD base model as delivering 300 miles of range, while the AWD dual-motor model has a claimed 280 miles of range. The Optiq-V is estimated to have 275 miles of range on a charge.
The new RWD configuration is less expensive than last year’s base model, starting at $52,395. Upgrading to AWD is a $3500 upcharge on all trim levels except for the Optiq-V, which comes standard with AWD.
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Joey Capparella
Deputy Editor, Rankings Content
Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.
