Audi Q8 E-Tron vs Cadillac Optiq
What's the difference?

Audi Q8 E-Tron

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2024 price

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Cadillac Optiq

$80,000 - $80,000

2026 price

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Summary

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2026 Cadillac Optiq

By Byron Mathioudakis

By Andrew Chesterton

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Not Applicable, 0.0L

Fuel Type

Electric

Fuel Efficiency

0.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Exceptional quality
EV refinement and civility
Still a handsome machine

Sharp pricing in premium land
Punchy dual-motor powertrain
Considered and comfortable cabin

Dislikes

Starting to feel dated
Efficiency not the best
This is a very heavy SUV

Ride can feel brittle on harsh road surfaces
Slow DC charge rate
Five-year warranty feels underdone these days

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron Summary

Things that have had a name change AFTER they’ve become famous…

Okay… there’s Kanye West’s switch to Ye, Twitter’s rebranding to X and now this – the Audi Q8 e-tron.

As the brand’s first production EV, it used to be known simply as Audi e-tron. But that was confusing, because – Porsche Taycan-based GT and RS sports sedans aside – every electrified vehicle that the company has made before and since wears e-tron as a suffix.

Beyond new badging, the Q8 e-tron also brings a facelift and improvements underneath, to better challenge the BMW iX, Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes EQC and EQE large electric SUVs, among others.

How does the Ingolstadt EV fare? Let’s find out.

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2026 Cadillac Optiq Summary

The lonely Cadillac Lyriq finally has some company, with the iconic US brand tripling its range down under with the launch of the much bigger Vistiq (which we've already tested) and this entry-level Optiq, which Cadillac describes as the gateway to its electric family.

It's a medium all-electric SUV with plenty of equipment and – depending on whether you see it as an established premium player or another newcomer brand – pretty sharp pricing.

Cadillac says it has the German big three in its sights with the Optiq, so how does it stack up?

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Deep dive comparison

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron 2026 Cadillac Optiq

Verdict

The Audi Q8 e-tron ushers in welcome improvements to an already likeable and capable large luxury SUV.

But it is also feeling dated compared to newer and fresher rivals like the BMW iX, isn’t as good to drive as the best, offers disappointing range for the size of the new battery, and prices are creeping up for what is essentially a half-decade-old EV.

The name change isn’t enough. What the Q8 e-tron really needs is a massive leap in its Vorsprung durch Technik in a rapidly evolving electrified landscape.

Very good… but far from great.

Verdict

A taste test, but so far so good for the Cadillac Optiq, which is already my favourite model in the Caddy range. More space than you think meets a lovely cabin experience and a punchy powertrain.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Audi Q8 E-Tron vs Cadillac Optiq What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi Q8 E-Tron vs Cadillac Optiq
What's the difference?