Cadillac Optiq.

As you can tell, this is not the official Cadillac Optiq that was unveiled recently. But rather another take on what a smaller Cadillac EV SUV could look like. And why not…

The Cadillac Lyriq is finally getting pretty popular for GM. it has even become Cadillac‘s second best-selling model behind the Escalade. Starting at over $58,000 for the 2WD single motor model, it isn’t that cheap either, although still very competitive.

The base price for the new Optiq will be $53,000. And that includes AWD and Super Cruise. Without these, a base price could be under $50,000. Which will probably make the Optiq even more popular than the Lyriq. The Optic also has a 300-mile range and 300HP. This all sounds like a bargain against something like the Audi Q4 e-tron. Which starts at over $55,000 for the base trim with 248 miles.

No matter what it seems Cadillac Optiq will be a success. And yet I wonder why it doesn’t look better. It seems like a smaller Cadillac Lyriq with design cues from the much larger Escalade IQ, and the whole thing ends up looking very busy and, dare I say, almost a bit old…

The illustration above shows what a sleeker and more “coupe-like” Cadillac Lyriq could have looked like. Without trying to look like a smaller Escalade IQ. Maybe something with a little bit more personality. The real Cadillac Optiq is probably a great car, and it does have a very impressive interior.

The Optiq will probably end up replacing the Cadillac XT4 in a year or two. And that will be just fine. But as a Cadillac, it really should stand out a little bit more.