2024 Cadillac LYRIQ

How does the LYRIQ drive? The Lyriq is not a performance-oriented EV. Its acceleration doesn't give you that gut punch from the instant torque delivery that we've become used to. We tested a dual-motor all-wheel-drive Lyriq and it sprinted from zero to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. That's not slow but for a luxury electric SUV that's near the bottom of the class.

Another place where its comfort-first mission shows up is in the way it handles. Drive with some enthusiasm around a turn and the composure you typically expect from EVs (all of which feature the bulk of their mass low down in the chassis) is missing. Combine that with slow steering and not-so-grippy tires and it's clear the Lyriq is more about being tidy on the dead-ahead than it is in the twisties.

Braking was similarly nonchalant. In our emergency brake testing, it needed more distance to stop from 60 mph than an equivalent BMW iX and was less stable in a straight line.

How comfortable is the LYRIQ? Comfort is where the Lyriq excels. On long stretches of highway or on city streets, the Lyriq's comfort bias pays major dividends. Its suspension soaks up major road imperfections well, though smaller bumps can result in a little bit of juddering in the cabin. Most of the time, the Lyriq's ride is near the top of its class. It's impressively quiet inside too.

The Lyriq's climate system was the main disappointment here. The fans never felt strong enough in our testing, and when we set the system for lower temps we weren't always satisfied with how cold the cabin got (or rather, didn't get). Not only that, but the thin slots Cadillac uses for air vents here make guiding air to your face trickier than it should be.

How’s the interior? The Lyriq's interior is a highlight with only a few weak points. The view out of the front is clear and makes the car easy to place on the road. Getting in and out of the interior is a cinch thanks to well-placed seats and wide door openings. Thanks to the EV architecture, the entire floor is flat and the seats can be mounted low, meaning there is plenty of head- and legroom for both front and rear passengers.

There are things we didn't like about the interior. The center console of our test vehicle squeaked if we pressed down too hard on any part of it, and the driver's seat lacked just enough adjustment to make finding a comfortable position a little too difficult. Another knock is the view out of the back. Though we're thankful for blind-spot warning, rearward visibility could be a touch better, and small window openings make getting a clear picture of what's behind a touch too difficult.

Another element of the Lyriq worth noting is that there is a sort of learning curve when it comes to the interior. There are three screens, and they all have different functions and display different info. The screen on the far left also occasionally mirrors what's in the center stack (like the trip information, for example). So we recommend prospective buyers sit in one at a dealership and familiarize themselves with the Lyriq before they make a purchase.

How’s the storage? The Lyriq will have enough cargo space for most families. It has 28 feet of cubic space to work with behind the second row, and while it's not as large as the BMW iX or Tesla Model X, it is on par with the Audi Q8 E-tron. Fold the seats down and you have up to 60 cubic feet of free air to use for larger items.

In-cabin storage is solid too. There is a medium-size center armrest bin and an average-size glovebox. There is also a bonus cubby that slides out from the front dash, plus a small space right in between the passenger and driver that's covered in a contrast-colored leather and is perfect for a small handbag. Fitting a car seat should be easy too. There's plenty of room in the back for larger seats and wide-opening doors and Isofix points mean installation should be a simple affair.

Is the LYRIQ a good value? Overall build quality in the Lyriq is impressive. We found a few squeaks and rattles here and there, but major touchpoints all feel solid. We also like how well priced the Lyriq is. The vehicle we tested came with a plethora of optional equipment and was a top-spec Luxury 3 model. Even fully loaded, our Lyriq was considerably less expensive than the base price of a BMW iX. The Lyriq comes with a warranty that's on par with other EVs in its class. Cadillac offers four years/50,000 miles of coverage for the basics and drivetrain, and the EV battery warranty extends to eight years/100,000 miles.