The Cadillac Lyriq May Be The Coolest Electric SUV Of All!

Cadillac’s Masterful Lyriq EV Combines Brutish Power With Posh Luxury. This EV Has It All.

Cadillac is one of our favorite brands. From its early years, when the Cadillac brand was associated with wealth — and old folks — to its transformation to a brand that redefined luxury, technology — and powerful performance — think Blackwing! And now, Cadillac continues to evolve with the Lyriq (now available for reservations), a major new release from Cadillac and GM.

There’s a lot to love about the Lyriq — beginning with its 100-kW battery pack, supplying 340 horsepower and an EPA-estimated 312 miles of range — similar to the Tesla Model Y Long Range (330 miles) and BMW iX (324 miles) but more than the Audi e-tron (222 miles) or Jaguar I-Pace (234 miles). While not the best, the Lyriq is right up there in range. The Lyriq also comes with a 19.2-kW onboard charger, capable of adding up to 52 miles of range per hour. This is significantly more powerful than the onboard chargers on most other EVs.

500 Beautifully Adorned Horses: Lyriq Horsepower!

A dual-motor all-wheel-drive Lyriq version will be in early 2023 which Cadillac expects to pump out 500 horsepower, final specifications to come.

GM developed a new EV platform that will provide the backbone for future GM electric vehicles. The Lyriq is the first model to use it, as well as a new battery design. Per GM, the design contains fewer rare earth materials than current GM batteries (better for the environment) and is less complex to manufacture. Cadillac is also working on battery enhancements to combat the traditional reduction of range that EVs experience in cold weather.

Inside The Lyriq’s Luxurious Cabin

The interior is decorated with stainless steel speaker grilles, knurled metal on the controls and a laser-etched, backlit wood veneer on the doors. Slim air vents and a low dashboard further contribute to the impression of rarity and luxury. Overall, the Lyriq appears to be far more modern than anything else in the Cadillac lineup.

As a midsize SUV, the Lyriq should also be spacious and hold up to the demands of everyday use, though overall cargo space is less than what you get from many small or midsize gasoline-powered SUVs. The Lyriq has 28 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 60.8 cubes with the seats folded. You don’t get a front trunk like you do with the Model Y or Ford Mustang Mach-E.

The Lyriq will feature all of Cadillac’s current bag of tech tricks, plus a few more. The Super Cruise system — it allows for hands-free driving on the highway under certain conditions — will be part of the Lyriq’s feature list, as will an automated parking system that can be activated from outside the car.

There’s also a two-tier head-up display. The close-up tier shows typical head-up info such as speed, while the distance tier can project information such as available lane changes and navigation alerts to match what you see out the windshield — it’s akin to an augmented reality experience. From a comfort standpoint, Cadillac says the Lyriq will have the latest noise cancellation technology to help keep the cabin quiet.

On the outside, the Lyriq features vertically oriented and thin headlights that flank a wild new grille design. The pinstripe LEDs have the appearance of a multilayered Cadillac shield and give the Lyriq an immediately recognizable face. The Lyriq makes an entertaining light show as a greeting when you approach it with the key (or your phone, when configured) in your pocket. It’s a neat trick, though we wonder how long the cool factor will last after a few unintended activations, like when you walk past your Lyriq in your garage but aren’t actually going to drive it.