2024 Cadillac Lyriq

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.

Where This Vehicle Ranks

1

BMW iX

STARTING AT: $85,095

2

Genesis GV60

STARTING AT: $60,415

3

Cadillac Lyriq

STARTING AT: $58,590

4

Rivian R1S

STARTING AT: $79,800

5

Audi Q8 e-tron

STARTING AT: $87,000

6

Audi SQ8 e-tron

STARTING AT: $98,000

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. 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 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. When we have a chance to test the Lyriq's performance, we'll update this story with results from our test track.

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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 single-motor Lyriq provided 270 miles of driving before needing to be recharged. 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. In our admittedly lead-footed hands, we recorded 72 MPGe in mixed driving. 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.

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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

More Features and Specs