Top-shelf bargain! Cadillac Lyriq pricing undercuts BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus as electric luxury SUV race heats up

October 4, 2024October 4, 2024 Toby Hagon 7775 Views cadillac, Lyriq

Cadillac is heading for luxury territory with its new Lyriq SUV, the first of a new breed of all-electric cars designed to position the brand as a tech leader Down Under.

And the crucial new mid-sized five-seater won’t be as expensive as first anticipated, undercutting some key European rivals.

That said, the new Cadillac Lyriq is avoiding the intensifying EV price war brewing around $60,000 – led by Tesla – and instead pricing itself against BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Lexus.

The Lyriq will sell from $117,000 plus on-road costs for the entry-level Luxury and $119,000 for the Sport.

That makes it more affordable than the BMW iX (from $130,900 plus on-roads), Audi Q8 e-Tron (from $153,984), Lexus RZ450e (from $121,059) and upcoming Porsche Macan EV (from $128,400).

The two Lyriq models share the same level of equipment, with only styling differentiating them.

The Luxury is glistening in chrome highlights while the Sport has more dark finishes, body coloured door handles and black finishes on the 21-inch wheels.

Each comes with a panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, tri-zone ventilation, 360-degree camera, ambient lighting with 126 colour options, heated and folding exterior mirrors and powered front seats with inbuilt massage, ventilation and heating functions.

The standard seat trim is Inteluxe imitation leather or buyers can choose real leather or more supple Nappa leather as part of a selection of optional trims.

There’s also a huge 33-inch display screen that integrates the instrument cluster and central infotainment functions.

Continuing the tech theme is a 19-speaker sound system by specialist Austrian company AKG. It includes advanced noise cancelling that even anticipates the noise from bumps, providing a rival frequency to minimise what makes it to occupants’ ears.

2023 Cadillac Lyriq — The Cadillac Lyriq gets a 33-inch screen and 19-speaker AKG audio system

Servicing is required every 12 months or 12,000km and the first five services are included in the price, covering the first five years or 60,000km of ownership.

Safety gear includes eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control, rear pedestrian alert, intersection emergency baking and rear cross traffic alert.

The new Lyriq – first deliveries of which are due in December – will be available in eight colours; black, white, dark green, deep red, silver, grey, light blue and dark blue.

There’s also no shortage of Cadillac crests reinforcing the brand that so many Australians know, but which has to convince people to go American over the European brands that dominate in the luxury market.

The Lyriq gets a dual motor EV drivetrain making a combined 388kW and 610Nm, good enough to reach 100km/h in about five seconds (it’s a heavy beast, at 2774kg).

A 102kWh battery provides 530km of WLTP range.

The batteries can be charged at up to 190kW, which allows 128km of range to be added in as little as 10 minutes. Cadillac says 200km of range can be added in 15 minutes.

Home AC charging can be done at up to 22.1kW for a full charge in about five hours. The more common 7.4kW wallbox would take about 15 hours for the same charge.

The Lyriq will be covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with a separate eight-year, 160,000km warranty on the high voltage battery.

As with its luxury rivals, the Lyriq will miss out on the fringe benefits tax exemption that applies to EVs below the luxury car tax threshold (currently $91,387 for EVs). That’ll also likely mean modest sales, in part because Cadillac has nothing like the brand acceptance of the more established luxury marques.