Like the majority of vehicle manufacturers, Cadillac is trying to establish a strong electric base with the 2026 Lyriq — a crossover EV — at the forefront of its plans.
I recently had the opportunity to spend a week with a 2026 Lyriq AWD Signature Sport, and got to see firsthand how it can fit in with a person’s everyday life. Here’s what I discovered, how I believe it weighs up against the competition, and my thoughts on whether you should spend your commute in one of Cadillac’s smaller offerings. Expect some neat little touches, suspect massage seats, and a bit of a surprise when it’s time to look at the price tag.
Luxury in every layer
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve gotten in a luxury vehicle, often with an MSRP sitting well into six figures, and I was awestruck by the corner-cutting and the lack of quality control. This definitely isn’t the case in the Cadillac Lyriq, which is a remarkably pleasant thing to sit in.
It’s well thought out, too. Let’s start with the tactile side of things. Everything you touch is either metal or leather. This may seem like a small thing, but nothing shatters the illusion of luxury like tapping on a cheap bit of plastic. You’ve splashed out for something exquisite, you don’t want to fondle a Kinder Egg toy every time you want to adjust the heat.
Speaking of heat, the HVAC controls are all metal and pretty extensive. You can adjust things with the touchscreen if you like, but temperature adjustment is one of those areas where physical controls are still king. If you’re cruising along at highway speeds, you want to be able to adjust it by touch and memory; taking your eyes off the road could be a disaster.
If we’re looking for downsides, then we have to talk about the massage seats. Cadillac almost did well with them. Both the driver and passenger can select a massage mode and intensity via a knob on their car door. Again, it’s the kind of intuitive thing you can do without taking your eyes off the road. The problem is, there’s only one massage option, and I found it underwhelming. It sort of lightly shifts against your lower back a bit, and nothing else.
Performance isn’t as premium as the rest of it
In terms of driving experience, the Lyriq is far from the most powerful EV. It’s also far from the most exciting. This may change if you opt for the more powerful “V” variant, but in performance terms, the AWD Sport Prestige is pretty middle of the road.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The extra power tends to be pretty pointless, a novelty. It also makes a vehicle more expensive and reduces range as those more demanding motors sap the battery.
And while it may not be ripping from 0-60 in three seconds, it’s still an EV. You still have a ton of torque, instant throttle response, and pretty linear acceleration at any speed. This is particularly handy when merging onto a highway or when you need that little burst of speed to change lanes safely.
I’m banging on about Super Cruise again
It seems like every time I get behind the wheel of something from GM, I end up devoting a good amount of time to preaching about SuperCruise. There’s a reason for that; it’s absolutely brilliant.
Only Tesla, arguably, has a better self-driving system. And SuperCruise really isn’t too far behind. Not only does it tackle highways and handle overtaking for you, it works on a shocking number of backroads. Even paths through towns that you really wouldn’t expect to see self-driving on will have stretches where SuperCruise just works. Yes, it will occasionally take on a stretch it isn’t that comfortable with and subsequently ask you to take control. But at least it’s trying. GM’s system is cutting edge, and the fact that you can get it in the Lyriq is a major, major plus.
The Price is Right
You can snag the most basic member of the Cadillac Lyriq family for a shade over $60,000. This makes it one of the better vehicles from GM’s luxury marque, surprisingly mid-range when it comes to pricing. If you want the same specs as the model I tested, then you’re probably going to part with another $10,000 — but you’re getting a lot of vehicle for the money. Especially when you consider it’s an EV.
A rule of thumb I generally use is “knock around $20,000 off” when comparing EVs to ICE vehicles. Which means the Lyriq could be compared to the upper trims of something like a Honda CR-V when it comes to pricing. Which is ridiculous because you’re getting so much car for the money.
Whether or not an EV is right for you is a wholly different debate. But if you’re looking for an electric crossover, and you have a mid to upper mid-range budget, Cadillac’s effort should be the first name on your shortlist.
