Compare the2026 Cadillac OptiqVS 2025 Mercedes EQB

The Cadillac Optiq has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The EQB doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 EQB 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 EQB doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Optiq’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the EQB.

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

Both the Optiq and the EQB have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the Optiq 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the EQB. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the EQB ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Optiq’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the EQB’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 47 percent more Cadillac dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it 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 Mercedes vehicles. With 10 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Cadillac higher than Mercedes.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

The Optiq has more powerful engines than the EQB:

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

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

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

The Optiq’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the EQB are solid, not vented.

The Optiq stops much shorter than the EQB:

For better traction, the Optiq has larger standard tires than the EQB (245/50R20 vs. 235/50R19). The Optiq’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the EQB (275/40R21 vs. 235/50R19).

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 EQB’s standard 55 series tires. The Optiq’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the EQB’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Optiq has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the EQB. The Optiq’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the EQB.

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Optiq’s wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the EQB (116.3 inches vs. 111.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Optiq is 1.5 inches wider in the front than on the EQB.

The Optiq has .5 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the EQB.

The Optiq has a much larger cargo volume than the EQB with its rear seat up (26 vs. 10.7 cubic feet).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Optiq uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The EQB doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Optiq has standard extendable sun visors. The EQB doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Optiq has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the EQB. The Optiq also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the EQB.

The Optiq has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the EQB.

The Cadillac Optiq has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the infotainment. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Mercedes charges extra for Homelink® on the EQB.

The Optiq is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the EQB, 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 EQB.

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 EQB, 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.

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 EQB’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.