The dawn of the electric SUV is here, with almost every premium automaker now offering at least one. The new BMW iX has proved to be an impressive one, with superb performance, incredible ride quality, one of the best interiors on the market, and a healthy 300 miles of range. However, there’s a new electric SUV that will offer some genuine competition to the iX and it comes from a less likely competitor–the Cadillac Lyriq.
Give the Americans some credit, Cadillac is on a role, lately. The new CT5-V Blackwing (review come soon) is an absolute riot of a machine, the CT4-V Blackwing is a genuine M3-rival, and now this Lyriq, which is packed full of electric promise.
The all-new Cadillac Lyriq is an all-electric SUV that seems a bit smaller than the iX but will make up for that size difference with far superior looks. Personally, I don’t hate the iX, as I think it’s just an okay-looking car. But the Lyriq is genuinely quite pretty, with sharp lines, a unique and futuristic rear light bar, and sporty proportions. On looks alone, I’d take the Caddy over the iX without pausing to so much as blink.
It also offers a very slick looking interior. It’s not as forward thinking as the iX’s, nor as luxurious looking, but it has a clean, minimalist look that’s pleasing to the eye. It’s also the nicest looking Cadillac interior to date.
What about under the skin, though? The new Cadillac Lyriq is built on a dedicated electric architecture, dubbed “Ultium”, just like the iX. The standard Lyriq will be rear-wheel drive, using a single rear-mounted motor to make 340 horsepower. A 100 kWh battery will provide an EPA-estimated range of 312 miles. That’s a similar range as the iX but quite a bit less power than the iX xDrive50’s 516 horsepower. However, the Lyriq’s has trick up its sleeve–price.
The Cadillac Lyriq will start at $62,900, which is almost $21,000 less than the BMW iX xDrive50, while boasting essentially the same range and almost the same size. To give Caddy even more of a value advantage, the Lyriq will be getting a dual-motor, all-wheel drive variant that will only cost $64,900 and should pack around 500 horsepower. Now the iX’s power advantage is gone, too.
Obviously, we have no idea if the Lyriq will be as premium, as fast, or handle as well as the BMW iX until we drive it. However, don’t count the Lyriq out just yet, BMW fans, as Cadillac has recently proven that it can hang with the best from Germany and even win. Plus, the Lyriq is about ten times better looking, so there’s that.
Keyword: Cadillac Lyriq Takes on BMW iX with $62,990 Starting Price