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cadillac lyriq Full OverviewProsGreat lookingUnique and stylish interiorDrives like a classic Cadillac in the best ways ConsInfotainment interface is a bit fussySilly door handlesWorrying assembly issuesThe 2023 Cadillac Lyriq represents an important reset for the storied American luxury brand. After a resurgence around the turn of the millennium that started with the Art and Science-design Cadillac CTS and Escalade and through a period that ended with the demise of the CTS-V Sport Wagon, Cadillac was on a roll. But it then squandered its momentum, ceding ground as a cool status symbol to archnemesis Lincoln and upstarts like Tesla. The industry-wide pivot to electrification is a chance for the brand to wipe the slate clean, and the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq 450E is the first fruit of that labor. But is it another CTS, or is Caddy having another ELR or CT6 moment? We're about to find out.What Makes the Cadillac Lyriq Tick?Cadillac's association with General Motors has often been more of a curse than a blessing, resulting in sport sedans with unrefined truck motors and/or switchgear shared with $20,000 Chevrolets. In the Lyriq's case, however, the association is no curse. The Lyriq rides on GM's new bleeding-edge modular Ultium electric vehicle platform, which allowed Cadillac designers the freedom to pen a midsize SUV that somehow manages to recall the mid-century modern greats of Cadillac's postwar years while also looking contemporary and visionary.Propelling our Lyriq 450E Debut Edition test car and its long dash-to-axle ratio and kammback rear end is a rear-mounted motor good for 340 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, backed by a quick-charging 102-kWh battery pack. The EPA says the Lyriq should be able to cover 312 miles on a charge, and the 190-kW peak rate helps ensure you aren't spending much time tethered to a public charger when necessary. A dual-motor all-wheel-drive Lyriq is also planned. You can get the full details of the rest of the Lyriq package, including its passive suspension system, by checking out our First Drive here.How Fast Is the Lyriq?With just a single, modestly powerful motor, we weren't expecting Tesla Model Y Performance, uh, performance out of our rear-drive Lyriq test vehicle, yet it still impressed. The Lyriq zipped from 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds and through the quarter mile in a respectable 14.2 seconds at 100.5 mph. That's significantly slower than many electric SUVs in the segment (most of which offer dual-motor all-wheel drive as standard), including the slowest Model Y we've tested, which needed 4.1 seconds to 60 mph and a 12.4 second quarter mile at 114.8 mph. Yet it's as quick or quicker than many of its gas-powered contemporaries, including the Lincoln Nautilus, Genesis GV80, and Mercedes-Benz GLE.And although its 134-foot 60-0-mph performance leaves us a little wanting, the Lyriq manages a respectable 27.2-second figure-eight lap while averaging 0.64 g. Not bad considering its 5,654-pound curb weight.Is the Lyriq Better on the Road?The Lyriq drives wonderfully out in the real world. Unlike the violent rip-your-face-off acceleration you get in many of its EV competitors, the Lyriq is tuned more conservatively, in many ways mimicking how a big, understressed V-8 performs. Dip into the throttle and you get one big tidal wave of torque that you can surf long past any legal speed limit in this country. "The throttle pedal is well damped, too," said associate editor Duncan Brady. "EVs with instant torque tend to expose less smooth driving habits, but the relaxed response in the default Tour mode makes it easy to drive smoothly." Those looking for more thrills, fret not, as dual-motor and V versions ought to pack more than 500 horsepower.The Lyriq's brakes are tuned well, too. The one-pedal driving mode is smooth and perfectly calibrated, allowing you to come to a complete stop, and should you ever need more braking power, pulling the paddle on the left side of the steering wheel results in even more regenerative deceleration. Those who prefer to brake the old-fashioned way will also find lots to like, as the pedal feels natural and offers plenty of bite.Contemporary high-end Cadillacs are known for their fine ride quality thanks to the wide use of MagneRide dampers, but the Lyriq makes do with a more traditional setup using what GM calls "Passive Plus" frequency-selective dampers. As far as our finely tuned auto journalist butts are concerned, the likely cheaper passive dampers are nearly as good as the fancy magnetorheological ones. The Lyriq floats over all but the harshest impacts—without actually becoming floaty, as did many of its predecessors. Also, like many of its mid-20th-century forerunners, the Lyriq isn't overtly sporty but it handles competently. Put it this way: The Lyriq won't leave you white-knuckling on a curvy road, but it also won't ever be mistaken for Cadillac's finely tuned V performance models, either.Inside the Cadillac LyriqThat's just as well because it's worth slowing down for a beat and appreciating the Lyriq's interior. For the first time in a Cadillac this millennium, the Lyriq features bespoke switchgear and hardware not shared with lesser Buicks, Chevrolets, or GMCs. The new controls make a great impression. "They're beautifully weighted," Brady said. "The real metal and heavyweight feel of the knobs remind me of Bentley. These are not things I anticipated would stand out in Cadillac's new EV, considering how many of the brand's cars share controls with other GM stuff." More than just looking good, the Lyriq is surprisingly functional, too, with hidden storage (such as the drawer lined with blue leather in the center stack), comfortable front seats, and an incredibly spacious back seat and trunk.Still, there's some obvious room for improvement. For starters, Cadillac's infotainment system shows much promise—the curved displays and its Google Maps integration are particularly great—but the UX doesn't make good use of the space, displaying blocks of apps that are difficult to navigate with the control knob. Similarly, the door handles appear to have been engineered in virtual space; getting into the car requires you first press the door handle—which is really just a button masquerading as a handle—to get the latch to release and then grab onto a separate handle hidden in the window trim to pull the doors open … unless you're getting in back, as there aren't any grab points back there. The Lyriq, despite being rear-drive in this test car's case, also lacks the frunk that's become so common on EVs.On the worrying side of the ledger, we experienced build quality issues with our early production Lyriq test vehicle. The charging port cover flapped in the breeze, the rearview mirror vibrated subtly at highway speeds, and a handful of inconsistent panel gaps in the interior distracted from the otherwise beautifully furnished cabin. And although the hardware for it comes standard, our Lyriq also didn't have GM's excellent Super Cruise advanced driver assist system due to the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage. Cadillac says owners will be able to add it at a later date with a software update and an indeterminate subscription fee.Is the Lyriq Worth It?Despite the build issues, though, the Lyriq still feels like a striking value at its $62,990 base and as-tested prices. Stellar to look at, good to drive, and generally easy to live with, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq 450E Debut Edition provides both a viable and enticing path forward for the brand as we rapidly approach the middle of the 21st century. Second chances are rare. The Lyriq proves that Cadillac isn't wasting one.Looks good! More details?2023 Cadillac Lyriq 450E (Debut Edition) Specifications BASE PRICE $62,990 PRICE AS TESTED $62,990 VEHICLE LAYOUT Rear-motor, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV MOTOR TYPE Permanent-magnet electric POWER (SAE NET) 340 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 325 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 1-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,654 lb (49/51%) WHEELBASE 121.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 196.7 x 77.8 x 63.9 in 0-60 MPH 5.7 sec QUARTER MILE 14.2 sec @ 100.5 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 134 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.79 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.2 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 97/82/82 mpg-e EPA RANGE, COMB 312 miles ON SALE Now Show All

Ford set a daring bar when it slapped a $41,669 base price on the new all-electric F-150 Lightning full-size pickup. That MSRP places the least expensive Lightning Pro model weirdly in line, price-wise, with an equivalent gas-fed, base-model, four-wheel-drive F-150 XL pickup. It doubled as a preemptive challenge to other makers of electric pickup trucks. Rivian's stunning R1T, our 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year? That starts at $67,500, but it's also smaller and aimed at luxury customers. So what about Chevrolet's new Silverado EV, the Lightning's (most) direct competitor?It looks like Chevy is trying to clear Ford's price hurdle, promising that the 2024 Silverado EV will start at $39,900—in WT trim with a smaller battery pack, with an undetermined amount of range. With destination charges estimated by GM at $1,695—the same as Ford charges to deliver its Lightnings—that price officially lands at $41,595. Do a little math, and that means the least expensive Silverado EV undercuts the least expensive Ford F-150 Lightning by $74. Clever, Chevy, clever.But this isn't the first Silverado EV that'll go on sale. We'll get a 400-mile "Work Truck" (WT) first, and we don't have pricing info on that. Later on down the line, we'll see the RST and First Edition models—ditto, no pricing info on those, either. The last variant to go on sale (for now) will be that smaller-battery WT version at $41,595. Because it's not available at launch, and we don't have pricing information on the trims that will be available first, it's a little hard to determine what sort of value the first run of Silverado EVs will offer potential owners.The cheapest WT model won't be available until the fall of 2023, along with the more mainstream Silverado RST and RST First Edition trims. Pricing for those models, as well as the 400-mile Silverado EV WT beating them all to market, is forthcoming.

Measured against a Scat Pack, Hellcat, or Demon muscle car, the 2023 Dodge Hornet's 265 horsepower won't register as anything to get excited about. But compare this new compact crossover with its exceedingly sedate competition, and it's clear that Dodge is doing things differently as it launches a long-overdue entry in the most popular segment in the U.S.The class favorites—the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue—all subscribe to a common formula: standard front-wheel-drive and just enough power to keep from getting run over while merging onto a freeway. When it goes on sale in December 2022, Dodge's base model, the Hornet GT, will buck convention with standard all-wheel-drive and enough grunt for a claimed 6.5-second 0-60 time. For speed junkies, there's also a catalog of performance parts that won't void the warranty and a quicker plug-in-hybrid model.A Base Model That's Hardly BasicWe should note that Dodge is saying the Hornet GT's Hurricane4 turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 which pairs with a nine-speed automatic, will make 295 lb-ft of torque and at least 265 horsepower. Don't be surprised if a few more horses show up for production. That level of performance and all-wheel-drive traction won't come free, though. While the RAV4 and CR-V start around $28,000, the cheapest Hornet will cost around $31,500. Dodge justifies that number by also loading its offering with premium standard equipment, including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, rear parking sensors, and dual-zone climate control.We'll have to drive a Hornet GT before declaring it a value compared to similarly powerful competitors, but the base price comes in about $4,000 below that of the smaller, racier Hyundai Kona N and more than $8,000 under the price of the Mazda CX-50 with the optional 256-hp turbo engine.Plug In to Power UpFor an extra $10,000, Hornet buyers can step up to the R/T model with a plug-in hybrid powertrain promising at least 285 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. The R/T, which goes on sale in the spring of 2023, drives its front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission using a turbocharged 1.3-liter I-4 with a 44-horsepower starter/generator. A 121-horsepower electric motor turns the rear wheels. The 15.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack allows for more than 30 miles of pure electric driving, while Dodge's PowerShot feature attempts to lure gearheads with gas in their veins into opening their minds to electrification.With the tap of a steering-wheel paddle, PowerShot unleashes an additional 25 horsepower for 15 seconds at a time, trimming the R/T's 0-60 time by a full second, down to a claimed 5.1-second sprint. Dodge is also crowing that the R/T is capable of 0.90 g of lateral grip and is driving home the plug-in's performance positioning with 18-inch wheels, Brembo four-piston front brake calipers, and dual exhaust. A Track Pack, available on both the GT and the R/T, adds 20-inch wheels, two-mode electronically adjustable dampers, and Alcantara seats.The Compact Crossover That Goes Like HellWhile a Hellcat V-8 isn't in the cards, Dodge's fascination with the underworld lives on in the Dodge Hornet GT GLH concept. Those three additional letters stand for "Goes Like Hell" and invoke the 1980s Dodge Omni GLH—a hot hatch modified by none other than Carroll Shelby himself for Dodge. The modern incarnation of the GLH sports a lowering kit that drops the Hornet one inch, an unspecified power increase, a sport dual exhaust, 20-inch wheels, a unique rear valence, and GLH graphics.These parts will be offered as Direct Connection aftermarket parts, and—when installed by an authorized dealer—won't void the car's warranty. It also seems likely that Dodge will eventually offer a similar package direct from the factory.The Italian JobIf photos of this new small SUV trigger déjà vu or the specs sound familiar, that's because the Hornet is a 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale wearing a Dodge mask. These compact crossovers offer the same powertrains, use the same bodies, and come out of the same Italian factory. More of this badge engineering seems inevitable if Stellantis is going to keep Dodge, Alfa, and the dozen other automotive brands under its care well fed with new products.At the price point and performance being advertised, it looks like Dodge is on the winning side of this particular parts-sharing arrangement, but we're left wondering: Is the Hornet a discount luxury crossover, or is the Alfa Romeo Tonale a Dodge in a tailored suit? We'll need more time with both vehicles to answer that.If there's one thing to kvetch about, it's that the blunt front-end styling of the Charger and Durango look out of place transplanted on the softer lines of the Hornet compact crossover. Oh, and we feel cheated that this new SUV looks nothing like the excellent 2006 Dodge Hornet concept.Can the Hornet Make Compact Crossovers Cool?Compact crossovers aren't wildly popular because they elevate your street cred. These small utility vehicles end up in millions of American garages every year because they're relatively affordable, efficient, and readily swallow a couple of car seats and a stroller. For Dodge, that reality is both an opportunity and an obstacle. There are relatively few options for buyers who need an affordable, practical vehicle and want something that's fun to drive. Maybe there's a reason that's the case. Is there a market for a more expensive, less efficient utility vehicle that's designed around performance and aimed at the masses? Only time will tell.