Overview –
The 2024 Cadillac Lyriq is an important vehicle for the Cadillac brand as it seeks to reinvent itself as a cutting-edge EV maker. Not everyone can afford the brand’s splashy new flagship, the $300k Cadillac Celestiq. The good news is that those getting into a 2024 Cadillac Lyriq will find a very good EV with plenty of the same eye-catching design and luxury as the Celestiq, for a lot less money.
Exterior –
The 2024 Cadillac Lyriq features a sleek design with excellent proportions and plenty of interesting details.
The front of the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq features a concept car-like illuminated “grille” that is, in fact, not a grille in the traditional sense but a laser-etched plastic panel with LED lights set into it. This light-up grille features choreographed lighting when you walk up to or away from the vehicle (as do the rear lights). These lights remain on when driving at night, giving the Lyriq an extremely distinct lighting signature.
My Luxury 3 tester was outfitted with large 22″ alloys (Luxury 1 & 2 and Sport 1 & 2 trims get smaller 20 inch wheels) that feature a unique design with detailing inspired by the coils on an AC motor. They fill out the wheel wells perfectly and look both modern and distinctly Cadillac. A darkened version of the same wheels is available on the Sport 3 trim, which, at least to my eyes, looks even better.
The rear of the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq is, without a doubt, its most divisive angle. Cadillac rear ends have almost always pushed the envelope in terms of design, and the Lyriq is no different, with hockey stick-shaped upper lights and blade-light lower lights. It’s a distinct look that looks much better in person than in photos.
You’ll also find callbacks to design cues from Cadillac’s past, including lower grille intakes inspired by old hood ornaments and lines etched into the rear lights that echo those found in Cadillac from the 60s.
Interior –
The 2024 Cadillac Lyriq’s interior represents a near-clean break from past Cadillac interiors. Yes, the Cadillac Escalade features curved displays as well, but the Lyriq interior takes it all to the next level and feels like the first true expression of Cadillac’s new design philosophy.
The dash is dominated by a stunning 33-inch unbroken infotainment display that combines the driver display, central infotainment touch display, and even a small driver-side touch display section into one single panel. Not multiple displays under the same sheet of glass like other manufacturers. It looks clean, modern, and unique. Physical climate control toggles reside below open-pore ash wood trim and plenty of brushed metal highlights.
Moving to the rear seats, passengers will find plenty of space to stretch out and get comfortable. My top-of-the-line Luxury 3 trim provides the best backseat experience, adding headed outboard seats and separate climate controls for the rear seat passengers. Other trims make do with air vents and a couple of charging points (notably, one is conveniently a standard 110v outlet).
Low spots include the audio system that, while impressive on paper, fails to deliver in person. It’s not entirely terrible, just a bit muddy-sounding, which is too bad considering how lovely the speaker’s grilles are. I’ve seen other reviews make mention of a less-than-great feeling infotainment control knob, and I can confirm that while it looks great, the feel and action could be more precise and high-quality feeling. An odd misstep on an item many drivers are bound to touch a lot.
The Lyriq’s infotainment system is quite good and features Google services (like Google maps) built right in. It all worked generally well though the system restricts you from typing destinations into the navigation system when in motion, something that is sure to irk those used Tesla and Rivian systems that have no such restrictions. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are present, those this will be the last year for that. Future models will not offer either, which is a pity.
In all, the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq’s cabin is a lovely place to spend time, full of unique and interesting design details and upscale materials with no allusions to any kind of sport. This interior is pure luxury, and it’s all the better for it.
How it drives –
The Lyriq is available in two powertrain configurations: an RWD version with a single electric motor at the rear making 340 hp, good for a 5.7 second 0-60 time. It’s respectable, but nothing special. The AWD model I sampled features two electric motors, one on each axle, generating 500 hp and a 4.6 second 0-60 time, which felt like more than enough power.
The accelerator is specially tuned to deliver a smooth, even application of power when accelerating away from a stop, replicating the feel of a powerful V8 engine where the power kind of builds. It’s a carefully calculated calibration and pretty much the opposite of the snap-your-head-back acceleration found in something like a Tesla. I much prefer the tuning in Cadillac. The Lyriq pours you down the road in a serene, swift manner. It’s not quite a Rolls-Royce, but it’s not THAT far off. Yes, really.
Cabin quietness was clearly a priority for Cadillac’s engineers, with the Lyriq exhibiting an exceptionally quiet in-cabin experience. This is due to numerous factors, including active noise cancellation, acoustically laminated glass, and plenty of sound deadening.
The Lyriq I drove also had GM’s excellent Super Cruise system, which I was able to test on a road trip. It delivered probably the best semi-autonomous performance of any car currently available. It confidently drove the Lyriq down the highway, keeping it centered in the lane, braking and accelerating in a natural fashion that puts you at ease, an excellent compliment to the luxury-oriented ride quality.
Conclusion –
The 2024 Cadillac Lyriq appears to be just the car the brand needs to establish itself with a new generation of buyers. Sales have been strong this year and it’s easy to see why. The Lyriq looks great, drives great, has impressive tech, and, maybe most importantly, is an outstanding deal, with a starting price of $58,590 especially with the available $7,500 federal refund.
