The Hip New Cadillac Lyriq Is Not For Old People

With the Cadillac Lyriq now rolling down the production line, General Motors is hoping to claw its way into the fiercely competitive EV luxury crossover segment. Monied buyers have plenty of choices already; Tesla’s Model X and the Jaguar I-Pace provide a modern package with plenty of tech and performance.

Still suffering from an ‘old-man’ image, you’d think the company has no chance of competing with rivals, but the Lyriq is doing wonders for the brand’s identity. According to the carmaker, a staggering 70% of Lyriq customers are first-time Cadillac shoppers, with 68% identifying as Gen X (1965-1980) or Millennials (1981-1995).

This will give the company a much-needed boost – previously, Cadillac has always rated as the brand with the highest industry average in terms of customer age. The striking styling certainly helps this cause and eschews the stodgy styling once associate with the brand while still retaining key design cues.

Demand for the Lyriq has been spectacular. When order books for the Debut Edition opened, Cadillac reserved every single example in 20 minutes. To deal with the overwhelming demand, the all-American luxury carmaker reopened orders for 2023 models on May 19 and, astonishingly, managed to fill the order books on the very same day.

This not only demonstrates the strong demand for the Lyriq but the ever-increasing popularity of electric vehicles in general. GM is still accepting pre-orders for the luxury EV, but these will likely roll over to 2024. It’s also unlikely that everyone who paid the $100 reservation fee will go through with the purchase, meaning some hopeful owners may not wait as long as expected.

With a base MSRP of $62,990, the Lyriq represents good value for money within its segment. If, however, the 340 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque aren’t enough for you, Cadillac will introduce an AWD variant with as much as 500 hp on tap.

Another reason why the Lyriq may appeal to younger consumers could be down to the technology and convenience. The Detroit-based company announced recently that it will offer two years of unlimited public EVgo charging credits or $1,500 towards a home charger system to anyone who has pre-ordered a Lyriq.

What’s more, the cabin is bristling with cutting-edge tech. Buyers will be able to select from the much-loved Super Cruise system, an advanced 19-speaker sound system, and the 33-inch LED display. However, the best aspect of the Lyriq has to be its competitive driving range. The RWD variant is estimated to travel up to 312 miles between charges; this bests not only the Jaguar I-Pace but the Audi Q4 e-tron, too.

Chalk and cheese they may be, but the Lyriq and Escalade may propel Cadillac away from its dowdy image and transform it into America’s premier luxury automaker. The advent of future Cadillac Crest-adorned EVs should only strengthen this.