Cadillac is trying very hard to convince us that luxury is no longer measured in cubic inches or tailfins, but in kilowatts and display screen size. And the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq delivers both the way a Midwestern grandmother delivers holiday casseroles: in quantities approaching humanitarian aid.

Cadillac’s latest electric yacht, the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq, is the newest darling of the new electric epoch, looking every bit like some Art Deco glacier sliding stylishly down Fifth Avenue, its grille glowing like a radioactive waffle iron. The bodywork has that smooth, hyper-sanded look, like someone spent weeks polishing a glacier, interrupted only by the vertical lighting that juts up at its corners. It’s absolutely fetching.

It's the same story inside, where the Vistiq’s cabin comes at you in Cinemascope. A long, 33-inch cinematic display stretches across the instrument panel, in case you feel a sudden need to watch “Lawrence of Arabia” while waiting for the kids' soccer practice to end. It’s not aggressive, just present, much like a well-dressed host fills a room simply by standing in it. Of course, if you’re looking for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, you won’t find them. Instead, you’ll find a Google-based infotainment system with Google Maps and Google Assistant. This requires customers to jump through hoops to make it work with their iPhones, which is hardly a luxury experience.

There’s leather, or something pretending very convincingly to be leather, wrapped around everywhere. The seats are plush, supportive, and move in more directions than the average congressional subcommittee. The third row is surprisingly habitable, providing the inhabitants are children or adults to whom owe you money. Fit and finish is impressive, and switchgear is unique to Cadillac.

It shares its wheelbase with the smaller Cadillac Lyriq, but proves nearly 9 inches longer and as much as 720 pounds heavier. A 102-kWh Ultium battery pack provides 615 horsepower, 650 pound-feet of torque and an EPA-estimated 305 miles of range. Charging times are quick enough that you won’t grow old waiting, yet slow enough that you’ll still consider installing a home charger rather than gambling on America’s public charging infrastructure, which remains as trustworthy as a Vegas wedding vow.

Cadillac’s Ultium-powered leviathan has enough torque to realign the tectonic plates underneath your driveway. Acceleration is instant, smooth and serene, taking less than four seconds to hit 60 mph. It’s like being shoved forward by a butler. Steering is calm, composed and almost suspiciously competent. Ride quality is similar to floating down a freshly waxed bowling lane in a La-Z-Boy. One-pedal driving is offered, although regen mode’s highest setting feels mild compared to some rivals. Super Cruise remains the star attraction, allowing hands-free highway automation that effortlessly conquers the nation’s interstates without asking anything of you while you sit back and relax. You know, like a true luxury vehicle should.

That said, the Cadillac Vistiq may be luxurious, but the sales experience has all the glamour of a yard sale run by people who hate yards. I tagged along with a friend who wanted to buy a Vistiq at a South Florida Cadillac dealership. There, the salesman used the test drive to espouse how wonderful his Lexus was. Not the Cadillac we were driving. His Lexus. Worse, he knew as much about the Vistiq as your average houseplant. When we asked him a basic question, he looked online like he was checking the weather. This does not speak highly of Cadillac’s dealer network, which, at this store, appears to be stubbornly clinging to the business practices of 1978. A shame, really, because the Cadillac Vistiq has plenty going for it. If only its sellers did, too.

The 2026 Cadillac Vistiq is big, bold, excessive, slightly preposterous, and deeply, wonderfully American. It’s an EV for people who think subtlety is for Europeans and believe family transportation should involve at least 600 pound-feet of torque. Cadillac has built a three-row luxury EV that doesn’t just whisper opulence. It shouts it through a loudspeaker. The Vistiq isn’t perfect, but it is glorious in the way only a massive electric Cadillac can be.

2026 Cadillac Vistiq

Base price: $79,090

Powertrain: Dual permanent magnet electric motors

Horsepower/Torque: 615/650 pound-feet

EPA range: 305 miles

Recharge time (240V): Up to 46.9 miles of range per hour

Length/Width/Height: 206/80/71 inches

Ground clearance: 7.24 inches

Payload: Not listed

Cargo capacity: 15-80 cubic feet

Towing capacity: 5,000 pounds

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