2023 Cadillac Lyriq

Overview

Cadillac’s first entrant into the luxury electric vehicle market is the Lyriq SUV, which offers sharp styling and a modern cabin. Both single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive models will be offered, the former offering up to 312 miles of range per charge. The Lyriq has been designed from the ground up to ride on General Motors’ new scalable battery architecture which allows for DC fast charging as well as standard in-home connections for refilling the battery. Instead of going for outright performance, the Lyriq’s road manners are more focused on comfort, quietness, and luxury. The cabin is tastefully designed and spacious for passengers, but the Lyriq’s cargo space isn’t as generous as rival SUVs.

What’s New for 2023?

Not only is Lyriq a brand-new nameplate for the American luxury brand, it’s also Cadillac’s first all-electric offering. It’s intended to go head to head with heavy hitters such as the Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, and Tesla Model X.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The Lyriq’s base price —an attractive $59,990—is for the single-motor Debut Edition model which comes with limited options. That model is sold out anyway, so instead we’d recommend springing for the 500-hp Dual Motor AWD model which also boasts a 3500-pound towing capacity.

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EV Motor, Power, and Performance

The Lyriq comes standard in rear-wheel drive form with a 340-hp electric motor on the rear axle. With this entry-level setup, acceleration is adequate and the Lyriq feels responsive, but it lacks the powerful feeling we enjoy in rival SUVs such as the BMW iX and the Model X. A 500-hp dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain is optional and adds a second motor at the front to drive those wheels. We haven’t driven that model yet, but we expect to find its acceleration more exciting. The rest of the Lyriq’s road manners will be a let-down to enthusiast drivers too. While its handling feels stable and competent, the Lyriq doesn’t deliver much fun when pressed hard. Its steering is nicely weighted but lacks tactility and the same could be said of the brake pedal. Luckily, Cadillac has engineered an aggressive regenerative braking system which allows for one-pedal driving, so merely lifting off the accelerator pedal slows the vehicle quickly enough to avoid touching the brake pedal in most day-to-day driving scenarios. The ride is comfortable over smooth pavement but some may find the suspension to be a bit too firm over rougher stretches of road. When we have a chance to test the Lyriq’s performance, we’ll update this story with results from our test track.

More on the Lyriq SUV

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

General Motors is launching a line of new EV battery technology with the Lyriq called Ultium. The scalable technology allows the automaker to produce batteries that range in size from 50.0 kWh to 200 kWh, although the largest size is said to be reserved only for large EV pickup trucks such as the GMC Hummer EV SUT. The Lyriq’s battery offers 102.0-kWh worth of capacity and offers an estimated driving range of up to 312 miles per charge in the single-motor model. DC fast charging capability is standard but the Lyriq is also able to charge on home power outlets as well.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe

The EPA estimates that the rear-wheel drive Lyriq is good for 92 MPGe city and 82 MPGe highway. We’ll also have the opportunity to put the Lyriq through our 200-mile highway fuel economy test in the future, and when we do we’ll update this story with results. For more information about the Lyriq’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

A rich-looking interior treatment gives the Lyriq an upscale flair. Metallic brightwork is intermingled with open pore wood on the door panels and center console. A large storage tray on the floor between the driver and front-passenger is lined with bright blue leather upholstery, which serves as a cheeky pop of color. Although the concept vehicle was shown with just four seats and a center console that divides the two front and two rear seats, with a touchscreen for the rear seat passengers, the production Lyriq has adopted a more traditional rear bench seat. The absence of a gasoline engine certainly helps create a quiet cabin, but the Lyriq also employs advanced noise cancellation technology to reduce road noise. The interior is spacious but cargo room isn’t as generous as in other SUVs and Cadillac hasn’t integrated any storage under the hood.

The Car and Driver Difference

Infotainment and Connectivity

The Lyriq’s dashboard, like the Escalade’s, is dominated by a giant, 33.0-inch curved advanced LED touchscreen that serves as both the SUV’s infotainment system and the driver’s gauge display. The infotainment system can also be controlled by a click wheel on the center console, a boon for drivers who aren’t fond of touchscreens. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot are all standard features. A rich-sounding 19-speaker stereo system from the high-end audio experts at AKG comes on all models.

How to Buy and Maintain a Car

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Cadillac endows the Lyriq with driver-assistance features as standard the brand’s Super Cruise hands-free driving system requires a subscription. For more information about the Lyriq’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features are likely to include:

Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist Standard adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Like the similarly sized Cadillac XT5 and XT6 SUVs, the Lyriq comes with a powertrain warranty that trumps that of other premium people haulers. Cadillac currently covers the first dealer maintenance visit, but rivals such as the I-Pace offer longer periods of free maintenance.

Limited warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers 6 years or 70,000 miles Complimentary maintenance is covered the first visit