Cadillac Lyriq 2023: Price, release window, interior and more

The Cadillac Lyriq is the automaker's first full-electric SUV, built with new architecture and promising a fresh new chapter for the brand. It's also set to be an important car for parent company General Motors as it moves further towards electrification.

In fact the Lyriq marks Cadillac's commitment to ditching the internal combustion engine in the United States. And with a competitive price, and solid 300 miles of estimated range, it looks like Cadillac is off to a good start. here's everything you need to know about the Cadillac Lyriq.

Cadillac Lyriq: Release date and pricing

The original Cadillac Lyriq pre-orders sold out in a crazy 19 minutes, showing just how much demand there is for the classic automakers first electric vehicle. A later batch of pre-orders, which took place on May 19, sold out in four hours.

Production began in March 2022, and deliveries are expected to begin sometime later in the year. However only the rear-wheel drive model will be arriving this year, with the performance-centric all-wheel drive model is still scheduled for an early 2023 launch.

Prices for the Cadillac Lyriq start at a very competitive $62,990. That's the same price as the cheapest Tesla Model Y and undercuts the cheapest Tesla Model X by $52,000. The AWD model starts at $64,900.

Of course, that's just the base trim level. Cadillac will surely charge more for extra amenities. That includes Super Cruise, General Motors self-driving technology that's directly competing with Tesla's Autopilot. And like with Tesla, it will be an added cost for buyers. How much remains to be seen. 

Cadillac Lyriq: Range, battery and performance

Cadillac claims a 312-mile range for the Lyriq's 100 kWh battery, which is on par with the Performance version of the Tesla Model Y, though slightly below the Long Range model and both Tesla Model X variants.

The core of the Lyriq's long-range power comes from GM's new Ultium battery architecture, which is based around using the smallest number of the highest capacity battery cells. Cadillac claims this approach will keeps costs relatively low. And because it's modular, the battery will likely inform the rest of GM's EV offerings, across various bodystyles.

“Thanks to the modular and highly flexible Ultium Platform that powers Lyriq, along with advanced virtual development tools, Cadillac has been able to accelerate development and put more real-world miles on prototypes sooner than expected,” said Lyriq Chief Engineer Jamie Brewer in a press release. 

The Ultium battery system is also said to be an integral aspect of the Lyriq's structure, which should help vehicle rigidity and thus, overall performance. It helps the Lyriq attain a perfectly balanced 50/50 weight distribution, and keeps the center of gravity low for better cornering. There will be both an all-wheel drive version featuring dual motors as well as a rear-wheel drive variant.

The Lyriq supports both Level 1 and Level 2 AC charging up to 19.2 kW, for home charging, and public DC fast charging up to 190kW. Those speeds mean you should be able to reclaim 76 miles of range after 10 minutes of charging. While not the fastest speed out there, it is enough to quickly add some range to your battery in a pinch.

GM has also partnered with EVgo to supply Lyriq owners with charging perks. Drivers can choose between two years of unlimited public charging credits, or up to $1,500 off the cost of a home charger installation through Qmerit.

Cadillac Lyriq: Design and interior

From a distance, the Cadillac Lyriq is an attractive two-row SUV, though not a particularly unique-looking one within Cadillac's stable of large, angular vehicles. It's only when you approach the Lyriq that you learn this isn't your ordinary Cadillac.

The grille, lights and emblem are adorned with LEDs that turn on as you walk toward the car, cluing you into the Lyriq's futuristic focus. And the raked back lends sportier lines to the Lyriq that distinguishes it from traditional, boxier SUVs, with massive taillights that extend 2 feet into the C-pillar. The Lyriq rides on large 22-inch wheels, and the long and wide stance gives it an especially imposing appearance.

Inside, the Lyriq's dash is dominated by a massive 33-inch display extending from where you'd normally encounter the driver's instrument cluster all the way past the center. The steering wheel isn't made up of buttons at all — controls are lit on a piano black surface with LEDs, and scroll wheels and knobs are festooned with knurled edges, lending an appropriately premium aesthetic.

One of the Lyriq's most interesting and distinctive interior details is its "jewelry box" storage tray underneath the center stack, which gently reveals itself and is lined with blue fabric. In GM's reveal video, there was a smartphone inside the tray, perhaps indicating that this space can wirelessly charge your devices.

Cadillac Lyriq: Super Cruise self driving and special features

The Lyriq will sport Cadillac's Super Cruise autonomous driving technology, which is already available in the marque's newest models, including the 2021 Escalade. Super Cruise is currently classified as a "Level 2" system, meaning drivers must still remain attentive to what's happening on the road in front of them. However Super Cruise does allow drivers to remove their hands from the steering wheel in certain conditions.

By the time the Lyriq reaches showrooms, however, Super Cruise could graduate to Level 3 autonomy, which won't require eyes-on driving all of the time. The Lyriq is equipped with technology to make automated lane changes, and will be able to remotely park itself as well.

The Lyriq's heads-up display utilizes augmented reality and benefits from information provided by the car's assisted driving sensors. That means that when executing a lane change, for example, the heads-up display can show an arrow atop the road from your perspective demonstrating the action the vehicle is about to take before it commences on its path.

In terms of interior sound, the Lyriq will employ a 19-speaker system co-engineered with AKG.

Cadillac Lyriq: Outlook

The road to production for the Lyriq is long, and so it could be a while before Cadillac reveals information like hard performance figures, and more granular options. Not only that, Cadillac is seeing increased competition in the luxury EV SUV space by the likes of Mercedes with its EQS, Audi with its Q4 e-tron and Volvo with its lower-priced Polestar 2.

That said, the Lyriq is certainly a vehicle we, and likely the rest of the world, will be watching closely. It represents where the automotive industry is headed — not simply in terms of electrification, but also interior technology, self-driving and design. Watch this space, as we'll continue to update this hub with news on the Lyriq as it becomes available.

The Cadillac Lyriq is the automaker's first full-electric SUV, built with new architecture and promising a fresh new chapter for the brand. It's also set to be an important car for parent company General Motors as it moves further towards electrification.

In fact the Lyriq marks Cadillac's commitment to ditching the internal combustion engine in the United States. And with a competitive price, and solid 300 miles of estimated range, it looks like Cadillac is off to a good start. here's everything you need to know about the Cadillac Lyriq.