2025 Cadillac Lyriq Review

Cadillac’s 2025 Lyriq is an all-electric mid-size SUV with seating for five starting at $58,595. The 2025 model is part of the Lyriq’s first generation, which Cadillac introduced in 2023. Cadillac’s Lyriq is significant in that it was the automaker’s first mainstream entry into the EV (electric vehicle) market. The manufacturer markets the Lyriq as its primary EV offering, prioritizing refinement in areas like ride comfort. Cadillac’s 2025 Lyriq also boasts impressive self-driving tech like Super Cruise, which we’ll explore later in our review.

MotoPickers Rating: 8.6/10

There are no significant changes to the 2025 Lyriq from its 2024 predecessor except for a narrowing of the lineup’s trims. The 2025 Lyriq’s primary strengths include but aren’t limited to, an attractive interior and exterior design, a quiet cabin, and accessible pricing relative to luxury all-electric SUV competitors. Our review will examine whether some of its downsides, like modest acceleration within the base grade and infotainment accessibility, overshadow these strengths.

All-electric rivals of the 2025 Cadillac Lyriq include:

• Audi’s Q8 e-tron
• BMW’s iX
• Tesla Model X
• Mercedes-Benz’s EQE
• Jaguar’s I-PACE
• Genesis’ GV70

Keep reading to see how the 2025 Lyriq stacks up against these rivals and whether it aligns with your driving preferences with the rest of our review below.

Exterior spotlight

The 2025 Cadillac Lyriq’s exterior is reminiscent of the Chevrolet Blazer EV but distinguishes itself with a bolder design and unique dimensions. This Cadillac’s body uses sleek lines to improve aerodynamics and focus more on increasing range instead of acceleration. The lines are also aggressive, creating an elegant and futuristic look, especially in the rear.

This all-electric SUV’s roofline is lower than competitors like BMW’s iX, and the side contains an additional window panel that looks like a roof pillar, blending form and function.

One of the exterior’s more eye-catching features is its animated slimline LED headlamps and taillights stretching from the side to the rear middle. The rear, which contains more of a sportback aesthetic compared to the sides’ station wagon feel, has a third brake light at the top middle and a functional spoiler. However, this spoiler is difficult to clean with its slim underside opening.

Exterior color choices, which depend on trim selection, include:

• Argent Silver Metallic
• Stellar Black Metallic
• Crystal White Tricoat
• Radiant Red Tintcoat
• Emerald Lake Metallic
• Celestial Metallic
• Opulent Blue Metallic
• Nimbus Metallic

You can also select a black-painted roof. All roofs for the 2025 Lyriq contain panoramic fixed glass with a power shade feature and an optional sunroof. Many drivers will compare this mid-size SUV’s exterior to Tesla’s Model Y and Model X since Tesla sells some of the US and world’s most popular all-electric SUVs. The 2025 Lyriq is wider than these Tesla rivals. More specifically, it’s 4” wider than a mid-size Model Y and 2” wider than the full-size Model X. Since the 2025 Lyriq is a decent bit longer than the Model Y, it’s more like the Model X.

Dynamic is an appropriate word for this Cadillac’s exterior, as its front, sides, and rear all possess aesthetics that form a unique and appealing look.

Interior close-up

The 2025 Lyriq’s interior is clean and spacious, complemented by a quiet cabin at highway speeds. This SUV’s 33” curved LED display, which we’ll explore more during our review’s tech overview section, fits perfectly into the interior’s overall design scheme. You can control many vehicle features with this display, but the 2025 Lyriq’s cabin also offers a solid amount of physical controls, such as a scroll volume feature beside a driver and a dial control with Cadillac’s logo and decorative jewelry.

Cadillac equips this interior with ambient lighting that’s more dynamic than many competitors, with its 126 color choices and dual-zone settings. The center console has a floating design that seamlessly fits features like the curved display and cooling functionality if you need extra help maintaining the integrity of certain items on hot days. Some automakers don’t focus enough on implementing interior storage solutions for smaller items. However, the 2025 Lyrid contains a tray underneath the center console and a pop-out drawer on the dash.

Rear cargo capacity is one of the interior’s less competitive elements, with space behind the rear row measuring 28 cu. ft. (cubic feet). Folding down the rear row expands the rear cargo capacity to 60.8 cu. ft. This Cadillac’s front seats blend sport, luxury, and futuristic looks with a unique design that simply works. Front seats contain double-stitching, heating, and available ventilated and massaging features. Second-row passengers will enjoy a solid amount of rear legroom, although certain cabin materials may feel cheaper.

You’ll find higher-quality materials in competitors such as Audi’s Q8 e-tron, but you won’t experience the Lyriq’s futuristic feel. BMW’s iX offers more rear cargo capacity than the 2025 Lyriq at 35.5 cu. ft. and those prioritizing an open cabin feel can look toward alternatives like Tesla’s Model Y.

Power and performance

This Cadillac uses an Ultium Battery Platform, which helps achieve a near 50/50 weight distribution alongside a low center of gravity. A more equal weight distribution provides better balance during cornering and overall stability during dynamic drives.

A standard rear-wheel drive (RWD) 2025 Lyriq has a single motor powering the rear wheels, 326 miles of EPA-estimated range, 365 horsepower, and 325 lb.-ft. of torque. The available all-wheel drive (AWD) version contains dual motors powering all four wheels, 319 EPA-estimated miles of range (or 303 EPA-estimated miles of range with the optional 19.2 kW module), 515 horsepower, and 450 lb.-ft. of torque. An AWD 2025 Lyriq also provides a 3,500-lb. trailering capacity.

This Cadillac’s four drive modes include Tour, Snow/Ice, Sport, and My Mode. Tour generates a smooth ride feel for daily driving, Snow/Ice helps prevent wheel slippage on slick terrain, and Sport has more responsive torque and better steering at higher speeds. My Mode allows for customization in areas like acceleration responsiveness, steering feel, braking, and electronically generated driving sounds.

Like most EVs, the 2025 Lyriq has regenerative braking, which increases range when a driver brakes. However, you can control the Lyriq’s regenerative braking with a pressure-sensitive paddle on the steering wheel, like Kia’s EV6. Drivers may also utilize one-pedal driving, allowing you to slow down and speed up solely using the accelerator.

While the 2025 Lyriq provides solid balance during cornering, its handling responses can lack precision, and the base model’s acceleration feels like it could use an upgrade.

Charging info

Drivers can use their charged Lyriq to provide a backup power supply to their home. Regarding public charging planning, in-vehicle apps help direct these routes, and DC public fast-charging will give you about 86 miles of range in 10 minutes.

Tech overview

One of the 2025 Lyriq’s most advanced tech features is its Super Cruise system, which provides hands-free driving on most US highways, reducing fatigue behind the wheel with capabilities like automatic lane changes. You won’t need to keep your hands on the wheel like Tesla’s self-driving software, but your eyes will need to remain on the road since its autonomy (self-driving) level is 2. Keeping your eyes ahead will prepare you to take over during emergencies.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) rates self-driving capabilities from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. Cadillac reports that over 34 million miles have been driven with Blue Cruise. The eastern half of the US contains more Blue Cruise-compatible roads than the western half, but western regions where EVs are more popular, such as California, contain thorough mapping for this self-driving tech.

This EV also contains Google Built-In compatibility, which includes features such as Google Assistant, hands-free user profile personalization, and Google Maps. Google Assistant allows you to control vehicle features with your voice. At the same time, hands-free user personalization can suggest routes based on your weekly agenda or contacts that you frequently call. The Google Play feature streamlines access to downloadable content like apps and podcasts on your infotainment display.

Cadillac splits the 33” display in half, with the left side holding the instrument cluster and the right providing primary touch commands for vehicle features, although the left side also has touch controls. According to its manufacturer, this display contains 9K resolution and emits over 1 billion colors. Over-the-air software updates help keep tech current, but the display’s menus involve a learning curve and would benefit from a simpler design.

Safety capabilities

The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has not yet rated the 2025 Lyriq’s passenger crash protection capabilities, but the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), which also rates vehicle crash protection, awarded this Cadillac its highest score of five stars.

Standard safety features

In addition to blind-zone safety alerts, the 2025 Lyriq provides automatic steering to help drivers avoid blind-spot collisions when performing maneuvers like lane changes. Lane keep assist with lane departure warning provides subtle automatic steering inputs to help you remain centered in your lane, and a departure will prompt audible and visual warnings.

Adaptive cruise control offers automatic braking and acceleration to keep you at a safe pre-set distance from the vehicle you’re following. Standard alerts include:

• Side bicyclist alert
• Forward collision alert
• Rear pedestrian alert
• Rear seat reminder
• Safety alert seat
• LED reflective windshield collision alert

The LED reflective windshield collision alert feature digitally projects a safety warning onto the windshield, similar to how a head-up (HUD) display operates. Front and rear park assist (front and rear parking sensors) is standard, while enhanced automatic parking assist controls steering while you brake and accelerate. Emergency braking will activate if a driver fails to respond to a vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian alert.

Automatic braking also helps mitigate or eliminate rear cross-traffic and intersection collisions. When you begin following another car, the instrument cluster display emits a green icon. If you follow too closely, this icon turns yellow before the LED reflects windshield collision alert feature activates.

Cadillac offers the digital rearview mirror feature with an automatic washer as an upgrade, but features such as HD surround vision and automatic on/off high beams headlights are standard. Hitch guidance with hitch view is standard on an AWD 2025 Lyriq.

Trim guide and owner considerations

The 2025 Lyriq is priced lower than many of its competitors. Below is a list of the starting prices and highlights for each of this Cadillac’s seven trims.

Luxury 1 – $58,595

An entry-level Lyriq, Luxury 1, gives you an i​​lluminated black crystal front grille and Cadillac crest, a panoramic fixed glass roof with a power shade, and the large 33” curved display.

Luxury 2 – $63,595

Moving into a Luxury 2 trim gives you Super Cruise hands-free tech, a 19-speaker audio system, and a rear camera mirror.

Luxury 3 – $66,995

A Luxury 3 grade features 22” dynamic split-spoke reverse-rim alloy wheels, illuminated front door sill plates, and heated rear outboard seats.

Sport 1 – $59,095

Obsidian chrome detailing with gloss black finishes and a single-motor RWD configuration help distinguish the Sport 1 trim.

Sport 2 – $64,095

The Sport 2 trim ups the ante with a hands-free power liftgate, ventilated and massaging front seats, and a noise-canceling cabin.

Sport 3 – $67,495

Alloy wheels measuring 22″ with dynamic split-spoke reverse-rims and a polished/Gloss Black finish help the Sport 3 shine.

Warranty coverage

Cadillac offers 2025 Lyriq buyers a four year or 50,000-mile basic warranty, whichever comes first, and a six years or 70,000 miles of powertrain coverage.

Final verdict

The mid-size electric SUV class is getting increasingly popular, and Cadillac’s Lyriq is helping fuel the hype. In 2023, Tesla’s mid-size Model Y SUV was the world’s best-selling vehicle. While we don’t expect the 2025 Lyriq to match the Model Y’s 2023 sales numbers, its design and tech are placing increasing pressure on Tesla, which remains the US’ lead electric auto manufacturer.

This Cadillac’s design is impeccable inside and out. Super Cruise self-driving tech increases daily driving convenience, and the 33” curved display helps compensate for minor drawbacks such as middling rear cargo space and a base powertrain with modest acceleration. The 2025 Cadillac Lyric qualifies for an 8.6/10 overall rating, especially with its starting price that gives several competitors a run for their money.