Well, look who decided to plug in and finally show up. The Cadillac Lyriq isn’t just an SUV; it’s a polite, 2.5-tonne note to its German rivals that reads: “We’re here, we’re cheaper, and we’ll take the scenic route.” This is Cadillac’s first all-electric model for Australia, and it successfully sheds the dusty image of tail fins and chrome for something genuinely sleek and modern. It doesn’t scream “American luxury”; it whispers it, quietly gliding past the frantic premium EV market with a confident, slightly smug air.
Interior & Quality: The 33-Inch Ego
If the Lyriq has one party trick, it’s the cabin. Your eye is immediately pulled to the staggering 33-inch curved display. It doesn’t just display information; it’s practically a status symbol. The mix of wood, metal switches, and broad, expansive surfaces genuinely nails a sense of quiet, contemporary comfort. Standard features? Tri-zone climate control, heated, cooled, and probably-massaging-if-you-ask-nicely seats, and an AKG audio system that sounds like it was stolen from a recording studio.
The WhipSmart Critique: However, beneath the main stage lights, things get… less premium. The door cards feel like they belong to a different, less ambitious car, and some storage areas are distinctly utility grade. And then there’s the glovebox. Yes, that humble storage compartment requires you to navigate a digital menu on the giant screen just to access it. It’s the kind of over-engineered ‘feature’ that makes you wonder if they just ran out of budget for a simple button.
Driving Experience & Range: A Calm, Heavy Hand
The dual-motor Lyriq is like a professional cruiserweight boxer: powerful, but decidedly not quick on its feet. Performance is ample, smooth, and delivered with the kind of unflappable composure perfect for long drives. Trying to toss it quickly into a corner, though? The 2.5 tonnes of mass will gently remind you that it prefers a relaxed, elegant sweeping motion over anything resembling a rapid change of direction. It’s built for the highway, not the hairpin.
Range from the 102 kWh battery is officially stated at around 530 km, which is excellent paper talk. In the real world, given the car’s weight and preference for generously-sized tyres, you should realistically expect that number to settle down a bit—think of it as “range with altitude sickness.” On the plus side, the ride quality is largely superb, and the cabin is so quiet you can genuinely hear the lower-quality door cards if you listen hard enough.
Technology and Safety: The Jumpy Nanny
The tech package is as generous as the size of the car. That integrated display is massive, phone integration is seamless, and the ambient lighting system is detailed enough to match the interior glow to your mood (or your socks). The driver assistance package is also comprehensive… perhaps too comprehensive.
The WhipSmart Critique: Some of the driver alerts are so over-sensitive that the car seems genuinely shocked if you so much as sneeze. The seat vibration warning feels like a perpetually worried nanny who thinks you’re falling asleep when you’re just adjusting the radio. We can’t speak to the local NCAP rating yet, as it’s still TBD, but Cadillac does offer solid peace of mind with a five-year vehicle, eight-year battery, and five-visit service package.
Verdict: A Confident, Comfy Value Proposition
The Cadillac Lyriq’s greatest trick is delivering genuine size, comfort, and presence at a price point that makes its European rivals nervously check their spreadsheets. While it lacks the ultimate build precision of a top-tier German competitor, it offers a distinctive, relaxing, and well-equipped alternative.
This is the perfect EV for buyers who want an unflustered, feature-rich cruiser and value a smooth ride over shaving seconds off an on-ramp. It’s a great first step back into the Australian market, showing Cadillac understands that to compete, you need to offer strong value and a personality beyond just being American. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to locate the menu to open the glovebox.
