Road test | Cadillac Lyriq: silent lyricism

It was March 2009. Tesla unveiled its Model S a few weeks before the bankruptcy of Chrysler and a few months before that of General Motors (GM), a dying period. The large sedan then gave an electric shock to an industry that still had little faith in the viability of the electric car. More than 14 years later, we take the wheel of the first electric model of the luxury brand Cadillac. Here is the ambitious Lyriq, heralding a new era for GM.

Its design

The first contact with this Lyriq is spectacular, to say the least. The crossover, which is already in itself an object as imposing as it is streamlined with its 5 m length, gratifies us with a visual spectacle, a dance of diodes which are activated to highlight themselves. They are embedded in the grille and cascade over the ends of the front bumper. The rear is not left out either with these luminous boomerangs which embellish the pillars and then embrace the tailgate. “L”s complete the transom, embossed in the fenders. You will have understood that this Lyriq is the result of a multitude of details which harmonize admirably well. The balance is there, thanks among other things to the inherent distance between the bottom of the windshield and the center of the front axle, commonly called ” dash to axle ratio “.

On board

Benefiting from a wheelbase of more than 3 m, this Lyriq offers a vast space equipped with a beautiful glazed opening on the outside world. It is accessed by means of handles nested in the doors which are in themselves large buttons triggering their opening. A curious technical choice which will be corrected for 2024. The dashboard supports a desire for relief with a low construction free of materials that can reflect light. A large curved display is also visually cohesively integrated. Beyond this cohesion, it is the very solid aspect of the materials that shines through, and the obvious balance between the physical and digital keys. The storage is also where you want to find it, in addition to having a good capacity. Small disappointment: there is no front trunk.

Under the hood

This Lyriq is dressed in two different ways. A rear-wheel-drive version of 340 hp and 325 lb-ft comes in the preamble, while a twin-engine version of 500 hp and 450 lb-ft increases traction. Both configurations are powered by a 102 kWh battery compatible with a maximum charging power of 190 kW. There’s little to complain about the delivery of the rear-drive proposition tested. The power is satisfactory, although intentionally limited to undoubtedly ensure a more progressive and accessible character to this vehicle. The punch is more marked in recovery, an observation corroborated by the power gauge of the digital instrumentation. Autonomy is also very convincing at 502 km, a figure that was not really changed by driving on the highway during the test.

Behind the wheel

This Lyriq requires as a premise a short period of adaptation. Its gear lever is placed on the steering column, an approach similar to that of Mercedes-Benz, but requires that you pull it towards you to engage the mode you want. The vehicle then sets off in an obvious silence barely disturbed by the silencing of its mechanics and a rather harmonious synthesized sound. Its damping, made up of non-adjustable shock absorbers and a five-link configuration both front and rear, consistently absorbs cracked and cracked cobblestones without preaching excessive softness. On the other hand, this Lyriq is not infinitely sporty because of its direction defined by a somewhat lazy gear ratio and an excessively framed rear axle. Rather, it takes care of a surprising refinement that greatly isolates the cabin from outside noise.

Embedded technologies

Like any self-respecting latest-generation electric vehicle, this Lyriq relies heavily on technology to attract and even win over new customers. The approach is weighted, relying on a large horizontal touch screen which can also be pressed by a wheel placed on the cantilever console. Nearby, a textured cylinder provides sound volume control. The definition of the image is of very high quality and the black levels allow night driving which spares our eyes. Added to this multimedia system are Google applications, including Google Maps which provides navigation. The design of the menus is very well done and a lower banner grouping shortcuts is constantly present despite the fact that CarPlay either in function. The optional AKG audio system is also of high quality.

Verdict

History will have taught us that it is often in adversity that many great projects come to fruition. The Cadillac Lyriq reconfirms this observation with an exceptional performance for an all-newcomer. Endowed with an unusual aesthetic sensitivity for a vehicle retailing around $70,000, its rendering is extremely competitive both in terms of its autonomy and its refinement in motion. Admittedly, the proposal will not necessarily satisfy fans of pure driving, which values ​​a rather taciturn temperament, but that is not its raison d’être. Cadillac needed a complete vehicle targeting a fairly broad audience to break into the electric market and compete with established players. The Lyriq lays that out eloquently, which bodes well for a bright electric future for GM, so obviously production follows demand.