Compare the2026 Cadillac OptiqVS 2025 Volkswagen ID.BUZZ

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 ID.BUZZ doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 ID.BUZZ doesn’t offer knee 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 ID.BUZZ doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

Both the Optiq and the ID.BUZZ have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, front seat center airbag, side-impact head airbags, front 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, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

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

The Optiq’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the ID.BUZZ’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

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 Volkswagen vehicles. With 25 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Cadillac higher than Volkswagen.

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 Volkswagen 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, Volkswagen is rated below average.

The Optiq has more powerful engines than the ID.BUZZ:

On the EPA test cycle the Optiq gets better mileage than the ID.BUZZ:

The Optiq can travel longer on a full charge than the ID.BUZZ on a full charge:

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

The Cadillac Optiq has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the ID.BUZZ. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

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

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Optiq offers optional 21-inch wheels. The ID.BUZZ’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Cadillac Optiq’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Volkswagen ID.BUZZ 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 ID.BUZZ doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Optiq offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The ID.BUZZ’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Cadillac Optiq may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 800 pounds less than the Volkswagen ID.BUZZ.

The Optiq is 5.6 inches shorter than the ID.BUZZ, making the Optiq easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Optiq is 11.2 inches shorter in height than the ID.BUZZ, making the Optiq much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The front grille of the Optiq uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The ID.BUZZ doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Optiq has a much larger cargo volume than the ID.BUZZ with its rear seat up (26 vs. 18.6 cubic feet).

The Optiq’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The ID.BUZZ has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Compared to the Volkswagen ID.BUZZ, the Cadillac Optiq eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its standard integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the infotainment system.

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

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 ID.BUZZ, 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.