Compare the2025 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.

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, all wheel drive, 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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 52 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Cadillac higher than Rivian.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Rivian vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Cadillac 12 places higher in reliability than Rivian.

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 available 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.

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 1650 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.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the R1S, the Optiq offers an optional 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 offers an optional 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’s Enhanced Automatic Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Enhanced Automatic Park 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.