Overview
Although the 2024 Lyriq is the best glimpse yet of Cadillac’s future, its on-road demeanor pays tribute to the brand’s most iconic luxury sedans. While several rivals have aimed for quick acceleration and athletic handling, the Lyriq is content to waft—something we think the brand’s faithful will appreciate as they trade in their aging DTS sedans and SRX crossovers to go green. After all, this thing isn’t wearing a Blackwing badge. The Lyriq rides on GM’s Ultium scalable battery architecture, which means it shares its tech with the beastly GMC Hummer EV pickup truck, but the two couldn’t be more different. The Caddy’s stylish bodywork gives it a low-slung look and its cabin is far posher. A slick digital display starts behind the steering wheel and, with a slight curve, seamlessly transitions into an infotainment display in the center of the dashboard. The driving range is competitive at an estimated 308 miles per charge, and all Lyriqs come standard with DC fast charging capability to help make the most of America’s burgeoning public EV charging infrastructure.
What’s New for 2024?
Cadillac has simplified the Lyriq lineup for 2024, creating three distinct trims with an escalating level of equipment. The base model is called Tech and features the entry-level 340-hp single-motor electric powertrain, but this model’s range has dropped from an estimated 312 miles per charge to 308. The entry-level Luxury trim adds more desirable features and the top-spec Sport wears a more aggressive exterior look that includes darkened chrome trim and a unique grille treatment.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The Lyriq’s base price is for the single-motor Tech trim which comes standard with a large, curved 33.0-inch digital dashboard display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless smartphone charging pad, a fixed glass roof, 20-inch wheels, and faux leather upholstery. We’d recommend moving up to the mid-range Luxury trim, which unlocks customizable ambient interior lighting, wood interior trim, a heated steering wheel and front seats, adaptive cruise control, and opens up the availability of several desirable options including Cadillac’s Super Cruise hands-free driving system. We’d also recommend springing for the 500-hp Dual Motor AWD model which also boasts a 3500-pound towing capacity.
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. At our test track, the rear-wheel drive Lyriq made it to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, which is fairly quick by mid-size SUV standards, but behind that of EV rivals. A 500-hp dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain is optional and adds a second motor at the front to drive those wheels. At our test track, the all-wheel drive Lyriq made it to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. The Lyriq’s road manners will be a let-down to enthusiast drivers. 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 that 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.
Range, Charging, and Battery Life
General Motors’s line of new Ultium EV battery technology launched last year with the Lyriq. 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 308 miles per charge in the single-motor model and 307 miles for the dual-motor version. In our highway range test, the rear-wheel drive Lyriq provided 270 miles of driving before needing to be recharged; the all-wheel drive went for only 220 miles in the same test. Speaking of charging, DC fast charging capability is standard on all models and 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. All-wheel drive drops both of those numbers by 1 MPGe. In our admittedly lead-footed hands, we recorded 72 MPGe in mixed driving with the rear-wheel drive model but got 77 MPGe with the all-wheel drive one. 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 the cargo room isn’t as generous as in other SUVs and Cadillac hasn’t integrated any storage under the hood.
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.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Cadillac endows the Lyriq with driver-assistance features as standard, but 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
- Available adaptive cruise control with a hands-free driving mode
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 Jaguar 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
Specifications
Specifications
2023 Cadillac Lyriq 450E Debut Edition
Vehicle Type: mid-motor, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $62,990/$62,990
Options: none
POWERTRAIN
Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Power: 340 hp
Torque: 325 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 102.0 kWh
Onboard Charger: 19.2 kW
Transmission: direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink
Brakes, F: 12.6-in vented disc; R: 13.6-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Primacy All-Season
265/50R-20 107H M+S TPC
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 121.8 in
Length: 196.7 in
Width: 77.8 in
Height: 63.9 in
Passenger Volume: 107 ft3
Cargo Volume: 28 ft3
Curb Weight: 5642 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.7 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.3 sec @ 99 mph
100 mph: 14.7 sec
130 mph: 18.3 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.1 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.3 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.2 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 118 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 191 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 387 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.80 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 72 MPGe
75-mph Highway Range: 270 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 89/97/82 MPGe
2023 Cadillac Lyriq Luxury AWD
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $64,990/$65,615
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC; Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Combined Power: 500 hp; Combined Torque: 450 lb-ft; Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 102.0 kWh; Onboard Charger: 11.5 kW; Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 12.6-in vented disc/13.6-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Primacy All-Season
265/50R-20 107H M+S TPC Spec 3184MS self-seal
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 121.8 in
Length: 196.7 in
Width: 77.8 in
Height: 63.9 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 58/51 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 61/28 ft3
Curb Weight: 5838 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.6 sec
100 mph: 10.2 sec
1/4-Mile: 12.9 sec @ 113 mph
130 mph: 17.9 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.7 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.9 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.2 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 132 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 182 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 396 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.82 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING
Observed: 77 MPGe
75-mph Highway Driving: 74 MPGe
75-mph Highway Range: 220 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 89/96/81 MPGe
Range: 307 mi