Here’s Why The Cadillac Lyriq-V Could Disrupt The EV Market

The Cadillac Lyriq debuted as a competent EV back in 2021, but it took some time for it to find its footing in the market. In fact, things started looking much better for it in 2024 as the automaker moved around 28,400 examples – a 210-percent jump vis-à-vis the 2023 sales numbers. This ensured that the Lyriq was dubbed as the ‘best-selling mid-size luxury SUV’ in the U.S. This, coupled with the success of the Escalade, ensured that the American automaker had its best year since 2016.

With the company going all-in with electric vehicles, like the

Escalade IQ
, and the upcoming

Vistiq
and

Optiq
, things are looking bright for Cadillac. Amidst this, Cadillac has also decided to give the Lyriq some extra punch and introduced the Lyriq-V – a performance version of the luxury EV. The SUV comes with increased power, upgraded features, and a premium design, making it an even more enticing prospect overall. Of course, it is much more expensive than the standard Lyriq, but it still has enough potential to disrupt the market as we know it, and here’s why.

A Power Boost That Pushes The Output To Over 600 Horses

0-60 MPH In 3.3 Seconds – The Quickest Cadillac Ever

The V-Series has been to Cadillac what ‘N’ to Hyundai, ‘M’ has been to BMW, and ‘RS’ to Audi. So, to make sure it is justified, the Lyriq-V had to stand out not just in the market, but also within the Cadillac portfolio. The automaker gave it a power boost with the Lyriq-V churning out 615 horses and 650 pound-feet of torque; 100 horses and 200 pound-feet of torque more than the standard model’s 515 horses and 450 pound-feet of oomph. This allows the Lyriq-V to sprint to 60 mph from rest in just 3.3 seconds, making it the quickest Cadillac EVER!

Cadillac Lyriq-V vs. Standard Lyriq Specifications

Power is not all the Lyriq-V is about. It comes with an upgraded suspension setup for better handling and ride quality. The Lyriq-V features Continuous Damping Control as standard, which the automaker says is calibrated specifically for the Lyriq-V. Coupled with a lowered multi-link suspension and a quicker steering ratio, the SUV will offer a ‘comfortable yet spirited ride and handling’.

Cadillac Is Bringing V-Series Power To EVs

There are many other tweaks and additions in terms of performance. For starters, there’s the Velocity Max feature that will allow you to unleash the Lyriq-V to its full potential. Furthermore, you get the ‘V-Mode’ that lets you play around and save performance-focused settings. Here, you get to add the Competitive Mode, which is a suite of traction management features to make the Lyriq-V more agile, and also add a unique sound experience. When you save these settings, you can access them at the press of a ‘V’ button mounted on the steering wheel.

Apart from this, the performance enhancements include things like Launch Control, which is pretty self-explanatory, and lets you sprint to 60 mph from rest in 3.3 seconds when engaged with Velocity Max. There’s also the Brembo performance front brake calipers for improved braking capabilities. You can opt to have them painted in red with the V-Series logo for extra moolah, if that floats your boat.

Super Cruise Autonomous Tech Comes As Standard

Cadillac has also equipped the Lyriq-V with the Super Cruise, which is said to be the industry’s first ‘truly hands-free driver assistance technology’. There are many

rivaling hands-free assistance
systems from Ford, Tesla, and others, but in our experience, this is the best autonomous tech out there. In fact, here’s a snippet from our hands-on experience with the Super Cruise:

Related

Cadillac Lyriq Range: Trims And Features Detailed

The Cadillac Lyriq is an all-electric luxury SUV with a sleek design, more than a 300-mile range, advanced tech, and a high-end interior.

285 Miles Of Range On A Full Charge

Coming to one of the most important things in an EV – the range – the Lyriq-V doesn’t exactly stand out, but it isn’t too bad for what’s technically a ~6,000-pound performance-spec EV. It Is equipped with a 102.8 kWh battery pack that is good enough for 285 miles on a full charge. Mind you, these are Cadillac estimates and not EPA-rated figures. But, if the other GM EVs and manufacturer-estimated range figures are anything to go by, don’t be surprised if the EPA numbers are higher than the automaker’s estimates.

No NACS Port Yet

As for the charging capabilities, the Lyriq-V supports 7.7 kW, 11.5 kW, or 19.2 kW of AC charging. DC fast-charging is also supported, with 75 miles of range being added in about 10 minutes of charging. The charging speeds aren’t mentioned, but the standard Lyriq supports speeds of up to 190 kW. GM had announced that starting in 2026, its EVs will come with an integrated

North American Charging Standard
(NACS). This means the Lyriq-V is equipped with a Combined Charging System (CCS) port and will be compatible with the Tesla Supercharger network, but with an additional adapter.

2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V Charging Specs

Model Overview

Cadillac Lyriq: A Comprehensive Guide On Features, Specs, And Pricing

Cadillac has made some revisions to the Lyriq’s trims in 2024, but it’s still an attractive luxury EV crossover option.

It Receives The V-Treatment On The Inside And Outside As Well

The upgrades are not limited just to the mechanical stuff; Cadillac has also differentiated the exterior and the interior from the standard model. On the outside, you get a unique front fascia, body-colored-lower trims, and side rockers. The grille up front is a V-pattern mesh and is aided by a chin spoiler. You can also opt for carbon fiber accents to make it appear sportier. You get the ‘V-Series’ badging on the rear doors and tailgate. A black painted roof comes as standard, and there’s a new exterior shade called Magnus Metal Frost that is exclusive to the Lyriq-V.

It also gets new shoes – 22-inch wheels with V-Series logo, finished in a dark sport shade. They come wrapped in summer tires as standard, but you can choose to have all-season tires by shelling out some extra cash.

On the inside, the Lyriq-V boasts niceties and features like:

• Panoramic Fixed Glass Roof
• 23-speaker AKG9 Studio Audio System with Dolby Atmos
• 33-inch-diagonal Advanced LED Display
• Dual-plane Augmented Reality Head-Up Display
• Uniquely Styled V-Series Logo on the Steering Wheel
• V-Mode Button
• Aluminum Regen On-Demand Paddle
• Power-adjustable Seat Bolsters for the Front-row
• V-Series Illuminated Sill Plate
• Standard Paperwood Décor
• Available Nappa Leather Seating w/ Available Embroidery and V-pattern Detailing on the Seatbacks

Interior Dimensions

Around $21,500 More Than The Standard Lyriq’s Starting Price

The Cadillac Lyriq-V is priced at $79,990, including the destination fee. This makes it roughly 35-percent more expensive than the standard model, which starts at $58,595 for the single-motor RWD ‘Luxury’ trim, and the $59,095 Sport trim.

Cadillac Lyriq Pricing

Related

One Big Reason Why The Acura ZDX Might Be The Best Alternative To The Cadillac Lyriq

Built in the same factory, on the same platform, the Acura ZDX and Cadillac Lyriq share more than meets the eye. But, the ZDX now has a big advantage.

Plenty Of Alternatives To Consider

In theory, the Lyriq doesn’t face a whole lot of direct competition that may serve as a like-for-like replacement. You do have alternatives like the

BMW iX
or the

Porsche Macan Electric
, or the Acura ZDX, which is its

rebadged Japanese clone
. But, that’s not exactly an advantage, because, in similar price ranges, you have more value-for-money and utilitarian models like the Tesla Model Y, the Mustang Mach-E, and the Kia EV6, or performance-spec models like the

Ioniq 5 N
and performance trims of all the said models, or bigger three-row SUVs like the Rivian R1S, the Kia EV9 GT, and the Tesla Model X. The Lyriq-V is somewhat sandwiched between all these models and with a flexible budget, can be replaced with equally competent – if not more – products from reputable brands.

All said, there is definitely a lot of work cut out for the Lyriq-V, but if Lyriq’s sales are anything to go by, this V-Series-badged EV will not fade away into oblivion anytime soon. Cadillac noted that the production of the Lyriq-V will start early this year at General Motors’ Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee.