2023 Cadillac Lyriq Proves Ambitious but Untidy on First Drive

What is the Lyriq?

The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq is the brand's first all-electric vehicle and the vanguard of a bunch of new EVs from parent company General Motors. It's considerably bigger than the Chevrolet Bolt and has a long, wagon-like profile. Think of it as being a little longer but a little shorter than a Subaru Outback. Besides being all-new, the Lyriq also introduces a new generation of battery technology and Cadillac's latest technology features.

The limited-edition Lyriq Debut Edition starts at $59,990, while the more mainstream versions will begin at $62,990 (both prices include destination). Within Cadillac's SUV lineup, that puts it between the XT6 midsize SUV and the Escalade.

What are the Lyriq's power and range?

The first Lyriqs to go on sale come with a 100-kW battery pack and one electric motor driving the rear wheels. This combination supplies 340 horsepower and an EPA-estimated 312 miles of range. That range estimate is similar to what you get from the Tesla Model Y Long Range (330 miles) and BMW iX (324 miles) and more than the Audi e-tron (222 miles) or Jaguar I-Pace (234 miles). We've to run the Lyriq through our standardized Edmunds range test, but once we do we'll know more about how the Lyriq fares in real-world driving.

There will also be a dual-motor Lyriq. This model will have all-wheel drive and an estimated output of around 500 hp.

How does the Lyriq drive?

First, note that what follows is our first impressions after driving the 340-horsepower Lyriq Debut Edition. Acceleration is brisk yet controlled. You get the sensation of instant torque that has become synonymous with electric vehicles, but it's meted out smoothly rather than in aggressive bursts.

The brakes are easy to control comfortably and a one-pedal drive setting is available, allowing the Lyriq to slow down to a stop automatically when you come off the accelerator. It's a significant plus for EV owners, who often consider one-pedal driving an appealing feature and important part of the electric experience. As an added treat, you can also squeeze the left steering wheel paddle to apply additional braking force — like the handbrake of a bicycle — if you prefer to avoid the foot braking pedal entirely.

The rest of the driving experience is comfortable, if rough, around the edges. It's easy to operate the Lyriq, which starts up quickly and feels especially maneuverable at low speeds. Like many EVs, it has a tight turn radius that makes parking and U-turns easy. But on the road there are frustrations. The steering feels uncommunicative and lacks directness. Perhaps Cadillac tuned it this way to exude comfort or luxury, but to us it makes the Lyriq seem lazy in response to your commands.

The SUV also noticeably shifts its weight around too often. Despite what Cadillac says is a low center of gravity due to the underfloor battery pack, the Lyriq never quite feels confident in its stance and sways from side to side, especially when hustling around turns. Finally, you will hear road noise through the cabin, and some speeds produce wind noise as well — not uncommon for EVs without the white noise of an engine, though some do a better job of insulating the driver from such unpleasantness. Otherwise, the ride is smooth and pleasant on a variety of road surfaces.

How's the Lyriq's interior?

The interior of the Cadillac Lyriq makes a great first impression. The front seats have plenty of space, and the cabin features an appealing mixture of leather, wood and metal that will set a tone for electric Cadillacs going forward. The view from the driver's seat is dominated by a continuous 33-inch screen that curves across the dashboard, and climate control switches account for the only hard buttons inside.

Cadillac paid impressive attention to detail throughout the interior. This focus encompasses everything from laser etching in the wooden door panels to interesting metal textures and controls with grippy knurling. It provides the sleek, ultra-modern cabin space with a tactile nature missing in some rival EVs.

Spending hours on end inside the Lyriq does reveal some unappealing materials, such as hard faux-metal plastic accents, a massive rubber dashboard that tends to place accumulated dust on full display, and a nasty glare from reflective aluminum below the screen that can temporarily blind passengers. In all, though, the Lyriq's combination of space and sophistication presents well considering its price.

How's the Lyriq's tech?

The Lyriq has a long list of advanced tech features — but there are caveats. Two highlights include an impressive head-up display and the hands-free driver assistance feature known as Super Cruise, though neither was available for testing during our time in the Lyriq. These features will not be included on 2023 vehicles being delivered to customers because the Lyriq release was moved up nine months ahead of its initial due date. The head-up display will instead debut on 2024 models, and Super Cruise will be delivered via an over-the-air update by the end of 2022, Cadillac says.

The massive touchscreen serves as the gateway for performing nearly all vehicle functions — from selecting drive settings to opening the glovebox. The screen directly in front of the driver can be controlled through steering wheel buttons, but some commands need to be made by touch with the driver's left hand, which takes some getting used to. Another pain point is that because of the continuous screen, some displays are blocked from view depending on your placement of the steering wheel.

The center screen itself is bright and clear, providing an engaging view of numerous maps, functions and menus. Google Assistant is included, enabling a number of voice commands that understand natural speech quite well. You can control the screen via touch or through the center-mounted dial. Unfortunately this can be clunky. The dial feels a touch too small and positioned too far back compared with similar systems, though this may be desirable depending on the driver. Some menus and functions are also buried deep inside the interface and can be difficult to locate, let alone navigate to. Cadillac attempts to solve this problem by making many icons configurable so you can place them where you like. You'll want to try it out before buying.

How much storage is inside the Lyriq?

In terms of cargo space, the Lyriq falls on the high end of electric midsize SUVs. It comes with 28 cubic feet of room behind the rear seats, which is more than the Genesis GV60 EV at 24.0 cubic feet but less than the gas-powered Cadillac XT5 midsize SUV at 30.0 cubic feet. It appears similar to the Tesla Model Y, though Tesla does not release comparable figures. Storage inside the Lyriq runs long and deep, in part because of the sloping roof that contributes to limited height inside. The width of the opening is narrow as well. There is a shallow underfloor storage area where you can store charging cords and a cargo cover, as well as other small items.

There is no front trunk, or frunk, available with the Lyriq either. Not every EV comes with a frunk, but owners of electric vehicles consider it an advantage of the ownership experience particularly with the Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. In all, the Lyriq provides a useful cargo area for luggage, groceries and light camping equipment — especially if you fold down the rear seats. But more overall space was sacrificed in the name of that elongated styling, and the lack of a frunk may be disappointing to some potential buyers.

What about charging times and battery life?

The Lyriq comes with a 19.2-kW onboard charger that adds up to 52 miles of range per hour on a compatible Level 2 home charger, which is significantly more powerful than the onboard chargers on most other EVs. The Model Y, for example, has an 11.5-kW onboard charger. But you'll need to have a pretty robust home power source installed (including a 100-amp circuit breaker) to take advantage of the Lyriq's maximum capability. For public station DC fast charging, Cadillac says the Lyriq can handle up to 190 kW from an appropriate charging station and gain up to 76 miles of range in 10 minutes. This is pretty speedy and similar to the DC charging speeds of the BMW iX.

Notably, Cadillac also says its Ultium batteries — built under a partnership with LG Energy Solution and similar to those powering the GMC Hummer EV — can withstand an impressive amount of stress. Engineers said that Lyriq owners can confidently charge up to a full 100% capacity without significantly degrading the battery, which is designed to outlast the life of the vehicle itself. And while the charging rate should decline gradually past the 80% mark, they say it will not slow to a crawl as in some electric vehicles.

Edmunds says

Our first turn behind the wheel of the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq was enough to grab our attention. The Lyriq delivers a premium look and feel for the price, with ambitious range and battery capabilities in the fledgling luxury EV space. Its driving experience leaves something to be desired, but we look forward to conducting a full performance and range test soon.