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?
There’s something about a Volvo wagon. Especially one with Cross Country in its name. City sophistication mixed with the potential for adventurous outdoor pursuits.
Leaning into its all-wheel-drive capability for a cheeky ski weekend with the family. Hooking up the boat and heading to the lake for a spot of fishing. Or seeking out that off-the-beaten-track camping spot you’ve had your eye on.
The V60 Cross Country is made for that family-focused role. Okay, so the Clearys didn’t do much skiing, fishing or camping during a week with this premium mid-sizer. None, actually.
But we did assess its comfort, flexibility, practicality and everything else required to help grease the wheels of day-to-day household life. Stay tuned to see what we discovered.
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.
The Volvo V60 Cross Country’s split-personality delivers urban civility and all-wheel-drive capability. Our city-slicker week with it confirmed the latter doesn’t compromise the former. It’s sleek and refined, well equipped for the money and safety is top-shelf.Â
If you have multiple kids creeping up through their teens, you might need something a bit bigger, and ownership costs like fuel economy and servicing, while not tragic, could be better.
Overall though, a thoughtfully engineered, premium mid-size wagon that expertly balances form and function.Â