BMW 530E vs Cadillac Vistiq

What's the difference?

Anyone unfortunate enough to hear me banging on about electric cars - or perhaps more accurately, electrified cars - will be aware of my undying love for the existence of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). 

I love them because they offer a drama-free step into electrification. You don't need a big box on the wall to make sure you're charged overnight and because there's a petrol engine under the bonnet, as long as you've got fuel in the tank, your range anxiety disappears.

You can get around town in electrified silence and emissions-free smugness while still planning that around-Australia trip you'll never go on. It's absolutely the best of both worlds for those reluctant to take the next step. A genuine win-win, if you like.

Except that very few people buy them. Their existence in the catalogues of a number of car companies feels like a weary, "We should at least do something" from product planners. BMW has been trying with PHEVs for a while, with selected offerings in the 3, 5 and X5 range. Given the 5 Series has had its mid-life facelift, what BMW calls the LCI, it's time for another look.

Cadillac launched in Australia last year as an all-electric brand and its first offering was the Lyriq large SUV. It now has a follow up in the form of the Vistiq which has a similarly confusing name but is even larger.

With three rows of seating and an electric powertrain, it’s a key rival to the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 9, Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90.

We’ve already had a spin of the Vistiq over in the USA but this is our first time on Australia soil, so let’s see how it stacks up.