Overview
Cadillac’s first entrant into the luxury electric vehicle market will be the Lyriq SUV, which offers sharp styling and a modern cabin. Cadillac says that both single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive models will be offered, and that its new SUV will have a driving range of more than 300 miles. The Lyriq has been designed from the ground up and will ride on General Motors’ new scalable battery architecture; the company claims a low center of gravity and a spacious cabin as benefits of the dedicated EV-architecture. The Lyriq should be on sale sometime in early 2022 as a 2023 model.
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. When it goes on sale, it’ll 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
Cadillac has only revealed the Lyriq’s base price so far—an attractive $59,995—so we’re taking a guess at pricing for its upper trim levels. We expect to learn more about the Lyriq lineup and its various standard and optional features closer to the crossover’s on-sale date.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Lyriq will come standard in rear-wheel drive form with an electric motor on the rear axle; all-wheel drive will be optional and adds a second motor at the front to drive those wheels. Cadillac has been mum on details about the Lyriq’s all-wheel drive powertrain so far, so we don’t know how much horsepower it will make; the rear-wheel drive model is said to produce 340 horsepower. Either way, acceleration is sure to be brisk, at least at lower speeds, thanks to the immediate nature of an electric motor’s power delivery. The I-Pace, for example, leapt to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds during our testing; we expect the Lyriq to provide similar performance.
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 upcoming GMC Hummer EV SUT. Cadillac claims that the Lyriq will offer a battery with about 100-kWh worth of capacity and should be capable of driving ranges of more than 300 miles per charge. DC fast charging capability will be standard but the Lyriq will also be able to charge on home power outlets as well.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
So far there’s been no word from the EPA on the Lyriq’s estimated fuel economy (as expressed in MPGe), but we expect that to become available closer to the SUV’s on-sale date. 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
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 vehicle has adopted a more traditional rear bench seat. Cadillac says using the dedicated EV-architecture allows for a more airy and open cabin with plenty of space for passengers to get comfortable. More advanced noise cancellation technology is said to reduce road noise inside the cabin. The interior appears to be spacious but we’ll reserve judgement until we get a chance to take a Lyriq for a test drive.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The Lyriq’s dashboard, like the new 2021 Escalade’s, is dominated by a giant, 33.0-inch curved advanced LED display that serves as both the SUV’s infotainment system and the driver’s gauge display. In the Escalade, the infotainment system can 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 expected to be standard features when the Lyriq rolls into Cadillac showrooms. A 19-speaker stereo system from the high-end audio experts at AKG will be offered.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
We are expecting Cadillac to endow it with many driver-assistance features, though, and Cadillac says the brand’s Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving technology will be offered as well. 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
- Available lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
- Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Like the similarly sized Cadillac XT5 and XT6 SUVs, the Lyriq will come 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. We would expect that the Lyriq’s battery warranty will match that of the Chevy Bolt’s at 8 years or 100,000 miles.
- 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
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