General Motors unveiled the 2025 Cadillac Optiq in November of the 2023 calendar year, debuting the luxury marque’s all-new, all-electric entry-level crossover. In terms of exterior styling, the Cadillac Optiq presents several familiar styling cues, including thin upper lighting signatures up front, paired with large vertical lighting elements in the sides of the front fascia, as well as a sleek, curving roofline. However, in our opinion, the beltline on the Cadillac Optiq is way too busy, and in fact, the whole design could use some work.
Looking at the Cadillac Optiq in profile, we see the beltline rise towards the rear of the vehicle at a gentle slope, adding a sense of forward momentum to the look. It looks relatively clean, especially with the flush door handles.
However, as we move rearwards into the C- and D-pillars, we find an odd upwards kink that sort of spoils the whole thing. This kink rises around the C-pillar before quickly falling back towards the rear of the vehicle, with the rear glass / panel showing a series of horizontal stripes that add even more noise to the look.
Moving around to the rear of the vehicle, these horizontal graphics are continued into the upper, vertical taillights, which bookend the rear glass to form a square shape with the roof spoiler. There’s also an odd mid-spoiler on the hatch that seems to clutter the beltline even further, while lower vertical taillights arc out towards the bottom of the lenses, creating additional visual width towards the bottom of the rear-end design. A silver, faux diffuser element finishes off the rear bumper.
Overall, we think the design in back doesn’t exactly match up to what’s in front. While the front end is relatively clean (perhaps even bland), the rear end is a bit of a mess with odd light signatures and dramatic angles.
What do you think about the Cadillac Optiq design? Do you agree that the beltline is too busy? Let us know your thoughts by posting in the comments below, and remember to subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac Optiq news, Cadillac news, GM electric vehicle news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
I agree that there are elements of the Optiq that are overly complicated, but the beltlline itself isn’t one of them. I see an element of older 60s Cadillacs in the “upward kink” you refer to. I’ll have to see the strakes all over the D panel in person to have an opinion about them.
It is the lower body areas where there were too-many-cooks-in-the-kitchen. Especially the lower/ filler panels in the front and rear facias,. They’re a mess.
SUV/CUVs are a challenge to all auto designers. Especially smaller ones like the Optiq. Tall and square-ish “2 box” overall shapes and proportions do not allow for much more than exaggerated surface details to set one apart from another. The Lexus NX is an example.
Nah, you guy’s imaginations are too busy.
Everyday I wonder how is this a gm website ? It’s like a club for hating on everything gm 😂 everyone has an opinion but everyday it’s a bad one lol
It’s not a GM web site but a publisher by motrolix.
The car is great looking forget about your suggested reworking and make available immediately a hybrid that’s the future for sometime if you disagree check the sales of the competition I know because i represent six luxury brands
The way it’s been here, you’d think that until EVs are eliminated from the earth and a man is running the company again, this will be GM’s number one critic site.
Or maybe some of it, a good portion of it, is warranted.
But it takes a non-fanboy to be critical in the interest of calling out what’s not working. You’re not one of them, as everything GM does is wonderful in your world.
Remember, it’s okay, and rather healthy at times, to be critical.
Signed,
Once a GM fanboy, but no longer.
I don’t disagree. GM’s waffling on EVs and Hybrids definitely deserves criticism.
GM Management got spooked too easy by a series of conveniently-timed articles claiming EVs are dying, Tesla’s stock drop, and Ford’s mounting inventory.
But, almost overnight, the articles all but disappeared after reports of record EV sales, and Tesla and Ford’s issues can be blamed on each respective company’s mismanagement and aging product.
GM needs to keep its head down and continue to improve the technology it already has. Hyundai and especially Kia are doing just that and thriving.
It also needs to stop trying to act like a start-up and forcing people into a software ecosystem that is fixing what isn’t broken. Make CarPlay and Android Auto a standard feature on their EVs and stop trying to squeeze every last penny out of their customers.
Except the Kona EV, Ioniq 5 and 6 and the Kia EV6 are all sitting on lots as well, and are being discounted like crazy. EV9 is like $20k more than a Telluride, for diminished convenience, what fool would spend money on that?
About 25 years ago I used to go to a website called GMInsidenews. It was awesome, but it got trolled to death. A guy named Mercio or something like that trolled it to no end. He did that same to leftlanenews and ruined that too. This is a good website, but it’s been going down with the trolling and GM’s lack of cars, but it’s 100X better than the GMI I left 20 years ago.
GM builds vehicles. I buy GM vehicles, I am a GM guy. Everyone that knows me knows this. If I don’t like something they make, or if I do, I have the right to say so either way. I have earned the right. If GM is receiving a lot of criticism, maybe they should pick up their game. Not going to like or dislike something just because someone says so.
The belt line looks good. I really like the retro kink on a modern car.
The Cadillac esclade IQ needs to move back to flush door handles like the lyriq and use the iconic long tail lamps. The back of the Vistiq, Celestic and Esclade IQ need some work. The Lyriq thou seems to work the way it was done. The lyriq is the best styled and you can tell by it sales, its doing good.
The updated Lyriq door handles were redesigned to pop out at the front too.
Belt line is is fine, not really digging the horizontal stripes in the rear 3/4 window which will only impair rear visibility.
Does the writer have a fulltime day job ?
Those strakes on the rear quarter windows remind me of the side strakes of a 1958 Oldsmobile. All that’s missing are a treble clef and several musical notes…
the beltline doesnt concern me too much, the rear stripes asr weird, they nee to go.
I think the beltline looks great. In fact, compared to any Lexus, the whole design looks fantastic.
I disagree about the beltline – those elements work together well – again just opinions and we all have them. I agree with Megeebee that it is the lower fascias front and side that are an overly busy mess and adversely affect the ” feel” of the design that Cadillac actually did well on. Also the side stripes etc are just not necessary and are another adverse factor in an overall well done design. I also agree with the post about SUVs etc being difficult for designers – it is especially tough to come up with something new and different.
Looks very nice to me. Now the upward kink on the rear quarter window on the CT5 I find ruins what could be a nice design. I cannot look at that car without my eye being drawn to that feature. As an artist I would try to avoid anything that constantly takes the eye off of the whole design. Just my humble opinion. I’m sure Cadillac knows what works for their clients.
The stripes need to go – give us glass to see through. The rear looks really dorky. The top vertical taillights should either stand by themselves or the lower taillights need to be made larger so they don’t look so far apart.
I like this design it’s not tall and narrow like every other CUV… it’s actually what Cadillac used to make way back when cars and even the Escalade with style like no other car or truck… enough with this BMW euro/Asian copying make American cars American again!
What??? Everyone in the crossover/CUV segment is chasing and copying the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. The segment is literally just clone after clone after clone of those models. They all look the same. You aren’t going to “Make America (nor gm) Great Again” by copying and following. gm isn’t leading the way with anything here.
Why not try to make something for Gen Z that is “cool” to them and AFFORDABLE?
I think it’s a good-looking car…I wouldn’t want it because it ELECTRIC, but I like the looks
I like the design of the Optiq and am seriously considering ordering one, when available.
The car is beautiful and builds on the style leader of all SUV/CUVs, the LYRIQ! If it was a style loser such as a Lexus for example I suspect the writer would love it.
Agreed, it’s a nice enough looking vehicle from most any angle. Front end, side and rear end styling of most modern vehicles includes various spoilers, strakes, ducts and other channels that serve to direct airflow through and around specific areas.
This reduces wind noise and drag to maximize “fuel” economy, whether it be gasoline, diesel or electrons, especially on models that would otherwise be a rolling box with a flat front, pushing air.
In comparison, the Lexus GX and most every other Toyota are unbelievably ugly all around and that huge black gaping “big bass” mouth stuck on the front, is the absolute worst front end ever, on any vehicle.
Those of us in the trade know the truth about the quality issues associated with many well-known and revered brands. Every manufacturer has issues from electrical to porous block castings and supplier quality issues, despite ISO certifications.
We need an updated XT5 and XT6
EVS are not selling in Texas
They are just setting on lots.
Not enough charging station
The XT5 has not been updated since 2017?
XT6 needs updating as well.
These will sell a lot better than
Also Why is GM not making any hydroplane other manufacturers????
Looks tame to me, similar to other vehicles on the road.
I actually like the design alot. The belt line, the rear end are all interesting, I think.
I like the 1965-style beltline. The stripes on the quarter glass are one-way, meaning a person can look OUT, but not IN… hopefully. The worst part of the design is the full-on rear view, imo. The lower taillights are too wide. The rear bumper looks too heavy and bulbous. And it does look like droopy-drawers from certain angles, like the bumper is straining the rear springs.
I think it is better looking than the boxy XT4, but I would buy an XT4 all day any day because it is powered by an uber-practical ICE.
Looks pretty good to me. Of course I don’t live in California, so that might make a difference.
This rap on the Optiq , like many of GM designs over the decades that I have been ogling automobiles .It’s like there are two design teams one up front and one at the rear .Many of those cars looked great at first sight of one end or the other being UGH!. So I am in agreement it starts out great and ends not so great . This is to me apparent in the new Corvette tail lights.
Wrong. This is a much better approach than the sameness that Cadillac has spread across its lineups over the years. The worst generation being the first Art and Science generation. It was the SAME. EXACT. DESIGN stretched over different body shapes from CTS, STS, XLR and SRX. It may have worked for BMW and MB but I always hated the entire brand looking the same. Familial resemblance, yes. Carbon copies in different sizes, no.
I subscribe to this news letter but like one commenter said; are you in the business of bashing GM? I have a Bolt EUV Premier. It is the nicest car I/We have ever had. It’s smooth as silk and quick as lightning. The problem that I see is that GM announced they were discontinuing the Bolt then discontinuing Apple CarPlay. This is my first GM car and the Best Car we’ve driven after decades of Honda Accords, Civics and Fits. I would like to stay with GM now that we’re in the family and I am waiting to see Optique for its size and luxury features. All this article did was try to dampen my enthusiasm.
Front and body sides are great. Taillights belong on a utility van.
Agree. No reason to not give us full vertical lighting. It’s their signature that others are stealing. The rear on this and the Escalade IQ look wimpy.
Jonathan’s beltline view is too low, unless he is only three feet tall.
It’s fine. What I don’t like is Kia and maybe Hyundai using the Cadillac light signature. Shameful.
…likely way “busier” than the dealership floor traffic to buy it.
I hope all the cheap brands copy the cheesy Mack Truck DRLs forcing Caddy to style something that looks good .
It’s been the norm for the last few years for GM to trick-up the trim and lights to compensate for an uninspired body design.
I think it looks sleek. When the Ford Taurus was introduced widely to the public in Robocop it looked unlike anything else available but went on to become the most popular car in the country for a few years.
Looks like a luxury version of the Chevy Blazer. Nice looking vehicle.
I think this website is run by a company that hates GM products every time I read an article on this site it rags on Gm products personally I THINK THE NEW CADILLAC LOOKS GREAT AND YOU PEOPLE HAVE TO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS
They are posting things that make ppl reply. That is the purpose of these articles. And it is working.
I love the look of the Optiq!! I don’t think the Beltline is busy at all to me very interesting and kinda retro!!! GM lets get rolling on production or atleast more information on the Optiq!!!
Not impressed. Cadillac can do much better.
I agree re: front fascia clog. Seen lots of ‘dislikes’ for the qtr panel, fwd motion, lines-in-glass look but I think it’s cool! Saw an old DeVille yesterday while biking and noticed it had same/similar lines in the taillights. GM/Optiq just seems 2b harkening back to Caddy’s history?? Sign me up!
Since it is an EV there will not be many on the road. Many GM EVs cannot even break the annual 10,000 sales mark.
Dealers will have plenty of time to securitize the vehicle’s styling since it will be on the lot for months. GM is finally realizing the public is not interested in their EVs.
Why is GM not making any Hybrids like other manufacturers.
You can go electric in town or switch togas for longer trips.
We need a new redesigned XT5.
We go from Texas to Colorado every Summer. It is a 12 hour drive.
We can get there in about 5 to7;days in electric.
XT5 has not changed design it 7 years.
Why, is GM making all these EV’s now that people don’t want.
There are not enough charging stations yet.
Built car people want.
I think that “odd kink” is a cool detail. I think on whole it’s a nice, innovative design.
It’s a fine looking car, I hope it is an early conversion to PHEV.
The belt line looks fine to me. Not sure what you’re seeing that makes you say that.
Look somewhere else then
The beltline isn’t too busy, it’s too high, particularly with most of their interiors dominated by black to save money.
I do think it is a mess. years gone by, auto designers used to sculpture clay prototypes to design gorgeous looking cars, now that Sports utility vans are here, (suvs) designers get it easy, all they do is draw pictures of grilles and tail lights on paper, cut them out and paste them on shoe boxes.
Ed Parker it’s thank God that some of those clay models never came out they where down right ugly like what they wanted to do to the second generation mustang 2 and did I don’t care what kind of V8 it used that car makes its mother sorry it was born, some of sixties cars like the original Plymouth duster where ugly don’t make it sound like your boomer generation was the best because it wasn’t I can go about other old cars to .
My biggest issue with the Optiq is that it doesn’t have a 3.6 liter V6. When the promise of 900 mile range and 10 minute charging with solid-state batteries is right around the corner, why would anyone buy a current EV?
Only real issue I have with Optiq is, sadly, doesn’t appear 2b a PHEV version in the works. I think it would fly out of showrooms if that were an Option!
Regarding the qtr window stripes, same/similar striping can be found on various 40’s-70’s models on taillights, qtr panels, front side panels, etc. I applaud the Cadillac design team for their research and coming up with modern ways to incorporate classic design elements in today’s models to connect past and present. Don’t hate… elevate!