Automobile manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW have dominated the luxury car market for a while. But back in the day, pulling up in a Cadillac meant you made it. The shine of the brand has dulled in recent years, however. Cadillac failed to do what BMW and Mercedes did, and that was to stay consistent. However, the General Motors luxury division plans to rattle the market it once ruled with the release of its brand-new Cadillac Lyriq, its first electric luxury SUV. Several car reviewers have said that it has everything to dethrone the Tesla Model Y. Read on to learn more about the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq.
Like any Cadillac crossover, the Lyriq has a sharp exterior design and a low roofline. The back portion of the car has a more sporty look compared to its rivals. Inside the doors are thin metals that allow them to glow at night regardless of the car’s color. You’ll find it interesting that the grille glows at night as well. The grille will also show you a little dance display with a press of the key fob. A camera is located just under the Cadillac logo. The wheel well is covered with black glossy material, and next to it is the bumper sensor. To open the charging port, you have to press the Cadillac sign and press it again to close it. In addition, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq is equipped with 22-inch aerodynamic wheels. When opening a door, you push on the door handle instead of pulling it. The same thing is done when opening the trunk. You tap on the Cadillac emblem, and it opens.
The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq can seat five people. Inside, you’ll first notice the ventilated, heated synthetic leather seats with mini speakers integrated into the headrests that play music and aid in canceling out noise. The front seats also have a massaging feature which most models cannot do not offer. The panoramic roof is long and wide, but it would be better if it were a little tinted. You’ll find a USB-C port and a cigarette lighter under the leather console cover. The pocket where you can drop your phone is also a wireless charger. Aside from those, you get two cup holders, a volume dial, and a button that switches modes. You even get a small blue leather-lined drawer below the center stack to store small items like a phone or your keys. The backseats are spacious as well. A passenger gets around 36 inches of legroom and they still have enough space even when the front seats are dropped back. People over 6 feet have enough head clearance to remain comfortable during a drive. You get two USB-C plugins and a 110-volt outlet.
For the infotainment system, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq features a 33-inch curved LED display. Google Play is available to download your favorite apps. The Google Maps on this model tells you your charging state if you travel long distances. Sadly, the voice command on Google Maps isn’t as responsive as the touch screen. Both wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto are supported. The camera icon gives you different shots of your surroundings. The non-touchscreen digital cluster shows driver-oriented information such as the map, the gauge, and the car’s energy. And thanks to the AKG sound system, you get 19 speakers that help keep the cabin quiet and can also be controlled using voice commands, the touchscreen, or the steering wheel. While the display handles most activities, enough switches are provided to perform some without having to use distracting drop-down menus. The climate controls are easy to use too. All you have to do is flick up and down to whatever temperature you want. You can expect the infotainment system and other vehicle settings functions to receive over-the-air software updates.
People won’t be too impressed with the 28 cubic feet cargo space but dropping the backseats expands it to 60.8 cubic feet—the standard for crossovers. Underneath the cargo floors is a small storage compartment. However, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq lacks a front trunk since that space stores the 19.2-kilowatt-hour onboard charger and the front motor for all-wheel drive variants, limiting your options to store items, but the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq is a luxury vehicle and wasn’t designed for utility purposes.
The Lyriq features automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, and the Super Cruise driver-assist system, which allows hands-free driving on more than 200,000 miles of divided highways in the United States. Regenerative braking on this model is already impressive, but you can get the most out of it by utilizing the paddle shifter behind the steering wheel. In most cases, you won’t even need to hit the brakes.
The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq can deliver 312 miles of driving range thanks to its 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack. In just 30 minutes, the battery can charge up to 80 percent with 190-kilowatt DC fast charging. When plugged into a level 2, 240-volt outlet, the Lyriq’s dual-level 120/240-volt charging cord set can recharge a 90% depleted battery in about 13 hours. With the same 190-kilowatt DC fast charging, the Lyriq can also offer 76 miles of range in 10 minutes. Cadillac doesn’t have the Supercharger network that Tesla enjoys, but various charging station service providers have partnered with it to provide access to over 60,000 Level 2 and DC fast-charging stations in the US.
Meanwhile, the rear-wheel drive variant, equipped with a single motor, delivers 340 horsepower and 325-pound-foot of torque and goes from zero to 60 miles in less than 6 seconds. If that’s not enough, you can opt for the all-wheel drive version, giving your Lyriq an increased 500 horsepower and a hauling capacity of 3,500 pounds. The main criticism of the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq is its lack of tactility when driven. However, it more than makes up for it as the front and rear axles are independently tuned thanks to the 5-link suspension system, resulting in smoother ride quality. The debut edition of the Cadillac Lyriq, which had a price tag of $59,990, sold out in September 2021 in under 10 minutes.
That is remarkable since there are too many electric cars to choose from. Built on the General Motors BEV3 platform and supported by Ultium Drive powertrains and Ultium batteries, the rear-wheel drive version starts at $62,990, and the all-wheel drive sells for around $64,990.
According to Cadillac, roughly 250,000 customers were interested in buying the Lyriq shortly after it was released. It was reported that 70 percent of the buyers were new to the Cadillac brand, while Gen X and Millennial customers comprised 68 percent. Besides the Tesla Model Y, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq is also rivaled by the Jaguar I-PACE, the new BMW iX, and the 2023 Audi e-tron.