Cadillac Lyriq-V review: the newest V-Series member and… the quickest Caddy in history Reviews 2025
Probably. If you recall, the Lyriq is the first of Cadillac's all-electric luxury vehicles that now includes Celestiq, Vistiq and Optiq, all sharing the same GM BEV3 platform. Along with its lux looks and interior, the Lyriq was appealing due to its 300+ miles of range, ample cabin and $60,000-ish price tag.
Advertisement - Page continues below
Turns out the smooth ride was worth the buy-in, too, and it's since become a hot ticket item, with Cadillac selling more than 60,000 units to date, 71 per cent of those being conquests from other brands. As such (anecdotally), a not-small number of those were swept up by livery cab and ride share businesses. Seems to be a thing for Caddys.
If it was lacking in any particular department, it would be on the performance side of things. But then the Lyriq's focus has always been on luxury, and not having to split the difference between that and sport was to its benefit.
This Lyriq-V is the $80,000 answer to those asking for a more bimodal vehicle to live with. Alright, so what's so 'V' about it?
Cadillac went through every aspect of the Lyriq to find ways to give it enough muscle and precision to earn it a V-Series badge, starting with the power output. The Lyriq-V builds upon the standard car's optional dual-motor setup and shares the 102kWh battery pack, though it now delivers 615hp and 650lb ft of torque – way over the 515hp and 450 lb ft it previously spouted.
Advertisement - Page continues below
A number of suspension changes and new drive modes are included so that all this juice can be put to use when let loose. Yes, I'm deliberately being lyriqal. Ba-dum tsh.
Jumps from 0 to 60mph can be done in 3.3 seconds once engaged in its launch mode, though in the right conditions it can score a flat three-second run. Which I've witnessed first hand. Albeit going by the Lyriq's own in-car telemetry, but what matters is it's still quite quick and consistent in doing so.
It tops out at around 130mph, all of which is made possible through prodigious use of its new V-Max mode, a carry-over function from the Escalade IQ that dumps more power out of the battery than is usually necessary. As one would imagine, this does take a hammer to the available range, the best of which the Lyriq-V can muster is 285 miles. How about the handling?
For a near-6,000lb vehicle (2,700kg ish), surprisingly manageable. A multitude of suspension components have been reinforced for increased precision, and the V is now the only Lyriq with adaptive dampers. The whole thing rides on 22in V-Series wheels shod in Continental summer tires as standard.
Behind the scenes are six-piston Brembo brakes in the front, with the discs receiving an FNC-coating treatment to reduce brake dust. If you're hardcore about it, you can opt out for better bite, but you're getting into serious performance minutiae with this one and it sounds like just another fact to bore your friends with.
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox.
Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Brake-based torque vectoring and a 'competitive' drive mode brings this all together to make the Lyriq-V quite spry for a vehicle of its caliber. Our time with the latest V-Series included an autocross that showcased how the electric executive ride could handle quick inputs in small spaces and, very much to its credit, it performed better than expected.
Steering inputs were direct and speedy, allowing us to focus on finding the Lyriq-V's tolerances. Can you get the back end out? With great effort, yes, though you quickly discover the Cadillac's digital boundaries the harder you push, requiring drivers determined to swing the Caddy's thicc rump around to sort of trick it into doing so.
Will you ever race the Lyriq-V? Highly unlikely, but if you were determined to demonstrate that you can indeed get to LaGuardia Airport with the efficacy of the limo driver from The Wedding Singer , you could certainly do worse. How about on the road?
In the real world, the Lyriq-V remains just as comfortable as the standard model, there's just the added grunt underneath if you want it. Though it gives more of itself in the sporty modes, the improvements are still there in casual driving, so there's not much to compel you to switch into bad-boy mode, save for the odd twisty backroad.
While on the go, passengers are treated to the 33in diagonal LED display that houses the gauges and the infotainment screen. Cadillac and GM in general have one of the more manageable interfaces out there today, but it's still far from being particularly user friendly.
The interface is pretty flexible, but almost to a fault – there are many vague ways to do things instead of one clear way, if you will. The mix of physical buttons is welcome but it's still all over the place, particularly when you start trying to customize the non-touchpad driver display.
Amusingly, all Lyriqs including this one retain Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a feature grandfathered in while GM has booted them out of the rest of its EVs. Super Cruise is included as standard and when you happen to be driving unassisted, a dual-plane HUD features augmented reality pop-ups that are genuinely handy with driving directions. What's the final takeaway?
Cadillac's choice to bring the Lyriq into the V-Series fold isn't a huge surprise given how automakers are still discovering how much performance can be mined from their electric power units. As its first true-blue EV, it makes sense that the Lyriq continues to be the showcase (or guinea pig) for new developments.
Does it need to be part of the V-Series family? It doesn't hurt, and while I can't imagine there were people camping out on the sidewalk for it, I can see it being an easy upsell for someone already looking into the Lyriq. It's not a Blackwing, you're not getting it for the performance, but you wouldn't turn your nose up at the extra capability.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Auto Express
40 minutes ago
- Auto Express
Nobody else is able to build and sell cars quite like Dacia's Denis Le Vot
I don't often get to hang out with special people who are among the best in the world at what they do. But occasionally, I've had the privilege of sitting and learning alongside former Jaguar design god Ian Callum and other legendary designers, including Frank Stephenson, in their studios. The greatest-ever Formula One commentators – Murray Walker and Martin Brundle – welcomed me into their homes. Closely working with legendary broadcasters Sir Michael Parkinson and Andrew Neil on LBC radio changed my life – not least because they helped me secure my motoring show on the station. Advertisement - Article continues below I've been driven by Stirling Moss, Brundle, Sebastien Loeb and Colin McRae. Nigel Mansell and Michael Schumacher also selflessly allowed me into their garages on days they won Formula One races. Sharing a stage with F1/road car guru Gordon Murray and Nick Mason of Le Mans/Pink Floyd fame was delightful. Being summoned to General Motors' world HQ in Detroit, for a rollicking from its then CEO Rick Wagoner, was plain scary. Scarier still was a tricky chat that I endured with now-disgraced former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn. Thinking of buying a car? Our Find a Car service has over 45,000 used cars in stock , with everything from superminis to supercars - all at a great price. Check it our now. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Denis Le Vot is less familiar and a few rungs further down the 'rich and famous' ladder. But not for much longer, if he continues to do the tremendous job-creating manufacturing work he's currently doing at his factories in eastern Europe, central Asia and north Africa. DLV's commitment to his cause has led to consequences that could never have been predicted. For example, his Sandero hatchback did the unthinkable in 2024 and beat the likes of the VW Golf and Renault 5 to win the crown of best-selling car in Europe. But who exactly is DLV? I can answer that, because I've just had a one-to-one with the engineer turned top industry exec at his Paris office. He's a main board director at Renault Group's World HQ and, more importantly, the hands-on CEO of its Romania-based brand. Broadly, Dacia badges are worn on a range of modestly specced petrol, LPG, hybrid and pure-electric models built largely from proven Renault components. DLV's speciality is deciding on precisely the right and fair official retail prices for his cars, then building them with those Renault parts and others – always within strictly controlled manufacturing budgets. Such cost-effective car making is profitable for him, Renault and Dacia. In turn, buyers get brilliantly priced, often four star-quality products, including the £15k Spring EV, sub-£20k Duster and £24k Bigster. Nobody else seems willing or able to design, spec, build and sell real-world, value-for-money cars quite like budget-conscious Denis Le Vot can and does at Dacia. That's why he richly deserves his induction into The Motoring Hall of Fame in 2025. In my book, the automotive world desperately needs more DLVs. Find a car with the experts Dacia's baby EV due in 12 months with a tiny £15k price tag Dacia's new model will be developed in double-quick time, and it'll be built in Europe to avoid China tariffs Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond These are the most important new cars headed our way, from brands including Audi, BMW, Dacia, Ferrari, Ford, Skoda and more Best cars & vans 23 Jun 2025 Dacia in talks with Ampere over next-generation EVs Renault Group's electric sub brand could provide EV technology for Dacia New Dacia Bigster is the antidote to the confusion of modern car tech, says brand's boss And value brand's approach is working, as it lures in customers from more expensive rival companies Car Deal of the Day: MGS5 EV for under £200 a month is a true bargain Car Deal of the Day: MGS5 EV for under £200 a month is a true bargain The ZS EV's replacement is an excellent small electric SUV, and our Deal of the Day for August 4 BYD gives up on EV grant, and offers five years of maintenance instead BYD gives up on EV grant, and offers five years of maintenance instead With a Government grant looking unlikely, BYD has announced a new warranty and maintenance scheme to tempt buyers How green is an EV? BMW reveals the surprise truth about EV vs ICE carbon footprints How green is an EV? BMW reveals the surprise truth about EV vs ICE carbon footprints The new BMW iX3 will have less of a carbon footprint than the petrol-powered X3 after just 12,428 miles of driving
Auto Car
an hour ago
- Auto Car
Modern cruise control systems aren't as clever as they think they are
Occasionally you see people giving their dog a stern talking to for tugging at the leash, barking at a goose or engaging in other dog-typical behaviour. Part of me wants to say 'the dog doesn't understand!', but I don't, because that would be weird. Also I do understand the urge to chastise something for only doing what its innate but relatively simple evolutionary programming tells it to do – particularly given that many modern cars come with adaptive cruise control. I often find myself shouting at a test car: 'Just go 70mph, you bastard!' Who decided that adaptive cruise control is a superior version of normal cruise control, rendering the latter obsolete? Some cars still let you switch between the two, but adaptive is the default and only option with most these days. Adaptive cruise control can be quite useful in dense traffic, when you've got no choice but to just stay in your lane and go with the flow. At almost any other time on the motorway, though, I find 'dumb' cruise control far more relaxing: Just set it to 70mph, and when the distance to the car in front becomes uncomfortable, indicate right and overtake. Advertisement If you want to do that and maintain good lane discipline with adaptive cruise control, you need to guess when the car ahead is going to start to slow and either override it with the accelerator or move to the right lane sooner than would be ideal. That's not to mention the stress caused by the sensors seeing ghosts and applying the brakes for no reason or deciding to slow down because there's a slight curve in the road.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The Nissan electric Micra Is back and here's the price
The Nissan Micra is back and this time the supermini with an illustrious 40-year history has gone electric. Nissan has provided new pricing details of the compact electric car it hopes will help transform its dwindling fortunes - and it's good news for drivers who don't want to splash too much cash. The Japanese manufacturer has now revealed the cheap price tag of its new Micra EV, which brings back a nameplate familiar to many Britons. The new Micra will be priced below £23,000, to compete against the likes of the new Renault 5, as manufacturers introduce wider range of cheaper EVs to entice people into going electric. Since it first launched in 1983, the Micra has been a much-loved car among British drivers. It has won fans across the generations over four decades, as an easy-to-drive car for learners, an affordable hatchback for families, and a runaround for older motorists. And Nissan will be hoping the electric reincarnation will become the same for a new generation of eco-conscious motorists, young and old. The 100% Electric Micra is one of three new Nissan EVs scheduled for release before the end of next year. In May, Nissan announced disastrous financial results - posting a £3.8billion loss - and a £1.3billion-saving recovery strategy to balance its books. This came just a week before it presented the first-look at the Micra. At the time the Sunderland based brand wouldn't divulge the price of its supermini EV. When the sixth generation Micra ceased production in the middle of 2023 it cost around £17,300. Despite inflation and the higher cost of EVs, Nissan isn't charging a huge amount more for the entry-level version if its shiny new EV. There are two battery options - 40kWh and 52kWh - and three 'grades': Engage, Advanced and Evolve. The Micra range starts from £22,995 for the 40kWh Engage model and goes up to £29,865 for the 52kWh Evolve model. The full price table can be seen below but it's important to note that the All-New Micra is expected to qualify for a £1,500 Government Electric Car Grant , and the prices listed don't yet include that discount. The timing for when the Government will confirm the grant for Nissan is not yet known but Micra orders don't open until 1 September 2025, so hopefully buyers will see it approved before then. The Nissan Micra through the years The new Micra has better range than expected Along with the pricing, Nissan has announced that further testing has highlighted that the Micra's range figures are better than initially anticipated. Not range news you hear every day. The official range now reaches 260 miles for the 52kWh battery and 198 miles for the 40kWh battery, i.e. a respective gain of +7 and +6 miles of range compared to the initial announcement. While not a big difference every mile counts. Is it just a dressed up Renault 5? With Nissan's long-running partnership with the French Renault Group, it's no great surprise to learn that Micra will be produced on a shared platform to keep costs down. The good news is that it will be based on what is the standout electric car in 2025. Nissan confirmed it is indeed very similar to the new Renault 5 E-Tech that's captured the minds of both seasoned car testers and the general public, who have lapped up its funky design and brilliant driving characteristics. Sawruk said that it uses the R5 as a 'base car' but 'isn't replicating' its French sibling. While the new electric Micra has plenty of nods to models that preceded it, the car maker describes it as a 'reborn Micra' and 'not a retro design'. However, Nissan design manager Bert Dehaes says the new Micra has 'timeless qualities' and 'iconic signatures' from Micras of old, particularly the K12 (on sale between 2002 and 2010) that 'translate to a new generation'. This includes inspiration for the 'bug eye' front headlights and 'gelato scoop' cut out that links the front and rear doors. But arguably the biggest change is that the Micra is much bigger than before in the hope of attracting more family buyers. Micra project manager Elodie Sawruk doubled down on the Micra as now being a 'solid, robust SUV looking car' with 'an iconic heritage inspired design' just with 'modern surprises'. A quick glance inside and there is a distinct sensation of cut and paste; it has the same fabrics used in the Renault, a like-for-like 10-inch dual screen setup (on higher trims, seven and 10-inch on lower trims) and shares the same electronic software.
