2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child

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Feb 25, 2023
2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child

If the looks of this new electric Cadillac didn’t get you to click, that title sure did. We were blessed to have a rare, Debut Edition of the 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ for an afternoon and really liked the experience, but it gave us strong vibes of two very different EVs.

NEED TO KNOW

  • This is a first-look after an afternoon with the vehicle, not a full week-long test — the writer explicitly notes they want more time with it.
  • The LYRIQ RWD Debut Edition offers 312 miles of EPA-estimated range with 340 hp, starting at $58,795 — well below the Mercedes EQS SUV it was compared to.
  • Writer compared driving dynamics favorably to both the Ford Mustang Mach-E (size and feel) and the Mercedes EQS SUV 450+ (driving behavior and luxury positioning).
  • The 33-inch curved OLED display running Google’s native infotainment system is the same unit now standard on the Cadillac XT4 crossover.

Starting off with what this vehicle is, exactly. This is only the second vehicle to roll off the assembly line for purchase using General Motors’ new ULTIUM electric drive technology. The brand has bet big on the EV future, with Cadillac leading the charge and aiming to go all-electric in the very near future. This is the first production electric vehicle to wear the Cadillac crest and it is a rare 2023 Debut Edition.

The LYRIQ can be had as a rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicle. Our model here is a RWD unit boasting up to 312 miles of EPA-estimated range. Its overall size, proportions, features, door handles and operation, and other little quirks gave us strong Ford Mustang Mach E vibes in our short time with it. Heading over to Ford’s website and building a compatible Mach E also yielded an MSRP within 4% of our LYRIQ, begging us to ask: would you rather have a Ford or a Cadillac?

As the premium brand of General Motors, Cadillac is aiming to take on renowned luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz, and we did get a lot of EQS SUV vibes while exploring this 5-seat EV as well. Granted, the Mercedes can cost twice as much as our LYRIQ and be had with a third row of seats, but the driving dynamic and behavior of this Caddy with an EQS SUV 450+ felt very similar (albeit at a 43% cost savings).

We would love to have an opportunity to have all three EVs at the same time to see how good our memories of the Ford and the Mercedes were when driving the latest from Cadillac.

Styling of the LYRIQ has always struck me as an odd duck, though I can confirm the new face of the brand does look much better in person than I feel it appears in pictures online. The rear however is another story. As someone whose first car was a Cadillac, I hold the brand in a special place in my heart. Something about the overall lines and character of the rear just doesn’t mesh for me. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I just have not yet warmed up to the “UNIQ” styling of the LYRIQ (see what I did there?).

Inside is a different story. I am very happy inside the LYRIQ, with my heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats. All outboard seats are very cushioned and comfortable, with rear outboard seats costing plenty of legroom and heated seats. Middle seating in the rear is more firm and upright than the flanks but would work in a pinch for an extra adult looking for a ride somewhere. Up front, the driver is treated to 33 inches of curved OLED screen display, the same display now standard in the XT4 crossover. Google’s infotainment makes its way into the first Cadillac product we have seen and we have yet to find something that really annoys us with its operation.

Storage abounds thanks to the advantages of no gas-burning engine under the long hood and no need for a transmission tunnel down the spine of the vehicle, though we seemed to be locked out of the electronically-controlled glove box.

Some tech we did not get to sample, but really wished we had, was the Super Cruise system that allows for hands-free driving on pre-mapped roadways in the US. I guess we will have to wait until our next premium product from General Motors to be dropped off for a week of testing.

All around, in an afternoon of quick introductions, there was hardly an issue between myself and the latest electric vehicle from one of the largest automakers in the world. Clean up the rear-end styling a bit and I may just be proud to be seen driving this around town.

2023 Cadillac LYRIQ RWD Debut Edition Features:

  • 102 kWh ULTIUM Battery Electric Platform
  • Rear-wheel Drive
  • 340 Horsepower
  • 325 lb-ft of Torque
  • 7.7 kW Supplied Charger Can Provide up to 21 Miles of Range per Hour
  • Up to 19.2 kW Home Charging Can Provide up to 52 Miles of Range per Hour
  • DC Fast Charging can add up to 76 Miles of Range in 10 Minutes
  • Seating for 5
  • Heated, Ventilated, Massaging Front Seats
  • Heated Outboard Rear Seats
  • 20-inch Wheels and 265/50 Michelin Primacy Tour Tires
  • 28 Cubic Feet of Storage Behind 2nd Row
  • 60.8 Cubic Feet of Storage with the 2nd Row Folded
  • 33-inch Curved OLED Color Touchscreen Infotainment and Gauge Cluster with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • Standard Fixed Glass Roof with Sunshade
  • Proximity Key with Push Button Start
  • EPA-estimated 312 miles of range
  • Starting MSRP $58,795
  • Price as tested: $59,695
    • Huge thanks to our friends at Wagner Cadillac for allowing us time with this rare EV. If you want to make this one yours, head to their website and let them know GT: Garage Talk sent you. https://www.wagnercadillac.com

    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child
    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ First Look: If a Mercedes EQS SUV and a Mustang Mach E had a Child

    #GTGarageTalk #Cadillac #LYRIQ #CadillacLYRIQ #LYRIQEV #CadillacLYRIQDebutEdition #MustangMachE #EV #ElectricVehicle #MercedesEQSSUV #ElectricSUV #FamilyCar #SUV #Crossover #NewCar #CarReview #TXAutowriters

    2023 Cadillac LYRIQ RWD Debut Edition

    4
    OVERALL SCORE

    PROS

    • Driving dynamics comparable to the Mercedes EQS SUV 450+ at 43% less cost — the writer found this a compelling value comparison
    • Heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats plus comfortable heated rear outboard seats impressed the writer
    • 33-inch curved OLED display with Google-based infotainment had no notable annoyances during testing
    • EV packaging advantages (no transmission tunnel, no engine) provide excellent interior space and storage

    CONS

    • Rear exterior styling left the writer cold — 'something about the overall lines and character of the rear just doesn't mesh for me'
    • Writer was locked out of the electronically-controlled glove box during the afternoon with the vehicle
    • Only an afternoon of seat time — not enough to evaluate Super Cruise, charging behavior, or real-world range
    Disclosure: GT: Garage Talk is reader- and advertiser-supported. Some posts include affiliate links or feature vehicles, products, or sponsorships provided to us — we may earn a commission or receive compensation. Our reviews and opinions are always our own. Learn more.