Cadillac Optiq vs Mercedes-Benz GLB

What's the difference?

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?

A new-generation Mercedes-Benz GLB is just around the corner, so the current model is now on its farewell tour.

When it launched in 2019 it stood out from the crowd as a premium small-to-medium SUV with the flexibility of seven seats. Even now no other premium carmaker offers a car that’s a direct rival to this. You need to look at mainstream options instead that are slightly larger.

A mid-life update that arrived in 2023 brought some minor tweaks including different exterior and interior styling, along with mild-hybrid power for certain variants.

On test here is the entry-level GLB200 which didn’t receive mild-hybrid assistance. Read along to find out whether it’s the pick of the line-up.