Compare the2026 Cadillac OptiqVS 2025 Rivian R1S

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Optiq are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The R1S doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Optiq has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The R1S doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The Optiq’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The R1S doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Optiq has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The R1S doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Cadillac Optiq’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Rivian R1S does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Optiq and R1S have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Optiq has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The R1S’ Rear Cross-Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Optiq and the R1S have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

There are almost 12 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Rivian dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Optiq’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Rivian vehicles. With 74 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Cadillac higher than Rivian.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Rivian vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Cadillac 1 place higher in reliability than Rivian.

On the EPA test cycle the Optiq gets better mileage than the R1S:

The Optiq can travel longer on a full charge than the R1S on a full charge:

For better stopping power the Optiq-V’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the R1S:

The Optiq stops shorter than the R1S:

The Optiq’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the R1S’ 65 series tires. The Optiq’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the R1S Ascend Quad Max’s 50 series front and 45 series rear tires.

The Cadillac Optiq’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Rivian R1S only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires standard on the Optiq can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The R1S doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Optiq Sport AWD handles at .78 G’s, while the R1S Ascend Tri Max pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Optiq’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the R1S Quad Max Ascend’s (39.8 feet vs. 41.3 feet). The Optiq’s turning circle is 3.5 feet tighter than the R1S’ (39.8 feet vs. 43.3 feet).

The Cadillac Optiq may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1250 to 1400 pounds less than the Rivian R1S.

The Optiq is 11 inches shorter than the R1S, making the Optiq easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Optiq is 6.7 inches narrower than the R1S, making the Optiq easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Optiq is 12.3 inches shorter in height than the R1S, making the Optiq much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

For excellent aerodynamics, the Optiq has standard flush composite headlights. The R1S has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The Optiq has .2 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front hip room and 1.2 inches more rear legroom than the R1S.

The Optiq has a much larger cargo volume than the R1S with its rear seat up (26 vs. 17.6 cubic feet).

The Optiq’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The R1S’ tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Optiq’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The R1S doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its tailgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Optiq to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for tire rotation, based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Rivian doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the R1S.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the R1S, the Optiq Premium/V-Series has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Optiq Premium/V-Series has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The R1S doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Optiq’s standard Keyless Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. An advanced key system standard on the R1S doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The Optiq’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The R1S doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

When the Optiq is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The R1S’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Optiq has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the R1S.

The Optiq is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the R1S, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Optiq offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the R1S.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Optiq equipped with available HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The R1S, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Cadillac Optiq empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

Compared to the Rivian R1S’ traditional radio, the Cadillac Optiq equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.

The Optiq’s Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The R1S doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Optiq is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The R1S doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.