2027 Cadillac Lyriq-V review: Quick drive

Cadillac's quickest-accelerating production model ever isn't one with a roaring supercharged V8 petrol engine – it's actually an electric SUV.

Say 'howdy y'all' to the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq-V, the premium American automaker's latest arrival in Australia, and the first of its V-Series models to make it Down Under.

It's also the first V-Series electric vehicle (EV), bearing the nameplate in a line of storied all-American high-performance vehicles like the CT4-V and CT5-V, and of course the Escalade-V.

Since none of those are coming to Australia, we're going to have to make do with the new electric V-Series SUVs, though only the Lyriq-V is confirmed for our market for the time being – there's no word on the smaller Optiq-V yet.

The numbers are still impressive: dual electric motors, outputs of 459kW of power and 880Nm of torque, a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.6 seconds. And, you can get all that for under $100,000 plus on-road costs.

After launching the Lyriq with what can only be decribed as a lacklustre value offering relative to premium European rivals 12 months ago, the model year 2027 (MY27) range is far more competitive, with the V in particular shaping as a lot of e-performance SUV for the money at a smidgen under six figures.

Is it any good though? We had an early test drive in Melbourne ahead of its market launch to find out.

How much does the Cadillac Lyriq cost?

After the Lyriq was first launched in 2025 priced from a cool $122,000, the range now opens from $90,000 and the new Lyriq-V is priced at $99,000 – all prices exclude on-road costs.

The price adjustments have coincided with some specification changes, too. The outgoing Lyriq Luxury is gone for MY27, and all model grades get a smaller 92kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery pack (down from 102kWh), resulting in less claimed WLTP driving range.

We'll get to the powertrain stuff further down, but the other changes include the removal of the two front knee airbags, bringing the inflator count to six, while active lane-centring and traffic sign recognition have been added across the range. Further, the AKG Studio premium sound system now has 23 speakers (up from 19 in the old Lyriq Sport) and Dolby Atmos capability.

At $99,000 plus ORCs, the go-fast Cadillac lines up well against traditional premium SUV rivals.

Audi has just slashed tens of thousands of dollars off the SQ6 e-tron for MY27, though it still comes in at $129,900 for the SUV and $134,900 for the Sportback (both before ORCs). What's more, the SQ6 e-tron has less grunt than the Caddy and is nearly a second slower to 100km/h, but offers more WLTP driving range (528km).

The BMW iX3 50 xDrive is currently the quickest version of the Neue Klasse SUV currently on sale in Australia, priced from $109,900 plus ORCs. It's less powerful and slower to 100km/h than the Cadillac, though offers nearly double the driving range from its larger 108kWh battery pack, at a claimed 805km on the WLTP cycle (versus 471km).

Volvo's new EX60 lines up nicely with the Cadillac on price in P10 AWD Ultra Trim, at $101,990 plus ORCs. However, like the Germans, the EX60 is less powerful and slower, but offers substantially more WLTP driving range (660km).

At the other end of the spectrum, however, Cadillac could just as easily be lumped in with 'challenger' brands like Tesla and Zeekr, which offer similar performance for less money.

The Tesla Model Y Performance – which, interestingly, is made in Germany for Australia – starts from $89,400 plus ORCs and can dash from 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.5 seconds. It offers more range too, at a claimed 580km on the WLTP test cycle.

Meanwhile, the Chinese luxury arm of Geely, Zeekr, has the 7X Performance AWD priced from even less at $72,900 plus ORCs, with a potent 475kW dual-motor powertrain good for a claimed 3.8-second 0-100km/h sprint time, and a driving range of 543km (WLTP).

To see how the Cadillac Lyriq lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What is the Cadillac Lyriq like on the inside?

The Lyriq-V's cabin is more or less carried over from the standard Lyriq, with a few little V-Series touches for the 'if you know, you know' crowd.

The black Nappa leather seat trim with 'Sky Cool Grey' accents is unique to the Lyriq-V, as is the sportier steering wheel with V badging on the centre hub, rather than the Cadillac shield.

You also get racier elements in the digital driver's instrument display, with V-specific content and displays particularly when you press the VMax button on the steering wheel. There's a red glow to the display theme, which is specific to the V-Series model as well.

The Lyriq's 33-inch curved LED display is a technical highlight, offering gorgeous display quality and clarity thanks to its 9K-capable resolution. Animations are buttery smooth, while the colours really pop against the deep blacks. Annoyingly, Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring appears in a letterbox-style arrangement rather than taking up the whole display, but it otherwise worked fine.

After launching without connected services and features like embedded satellite navigation, Cadillac has since addressed this after rolling out Cadillac Connected Services last year, and the Lyriq-V benefits from arriving with full functionality at launch.

The Google built-in interface offers things like Google Maps out of the box, as well as compatibility with the myCadillac mobile app, which gives owners access to remote functions and online services.

Further, there's Google Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) integration and access to additional infotainment applications via the Google Play Store. As with the Lyriq Sport, the Lyriq-V comes with eight years of complimentary Cadillac Connected Services and three years of Cadillac Connected Services Plus (ie: video streaming, web browsing, gaming), as well as over-the-air software updates for the life of the vehicle.

I'm also a big fan of the upgraded 23-speaker AKG sound system, which can be dialled up to give off concert hall vibes. Audio quality is great, and the deep, thumpy bass is a bit of fun if you like that sort of experience – I enjoyed reliving a few concert moments from the past...

Beyond that, it's more of the same. The electrically adjustable front seats are cushy and offer heating, ventilation and massage functions, and the general execution of the cabin is smart on first impressions.

There's contrast top-stitching and piping for the trim, flourishes of aluminium and silver trim to contrast with the swathes of black, knurled detailing for things like the infotainment controller, and cupholder accents, plus knobs for stuff like the air vent adjustment and seat massage controls.

There are also good storage options, from the open centre console and the rubberised phone slot that doubles as a wireless charger, to the deep-ish door pockets. It's all fairly practical without being revolutionary in this area.

However, without playing into old stereotypes, once you sit in the Lyriq-V and start driving it over a few bumps, it does raise a couple of questions around build quality.

Yes, the trims and upholsteries present nicely and there are plenty of glossy details throughout, but we noticed a number of squeaks and creaks coming from the interior trims and the seats during our time with the Cadillac, which is not something you'd be particularly happy with in a brand-new 'premium' vehicle costing $100,000.

I'm also not a huge fan of the gloss-black button banks on either side of the steering wheel, which feel a bit plasticky to use and can occasionally result in mispresses given they're not individual buttons. The brittle stalks for the indicators and column-shift drive selector are also a little more Chevrolet than Cadillac in my opinion – as is some of the switchgear.

In the back, the Lyriq's long 3094mm wheelbase pays dividends in the passenger space department, with almost capacious levels of kneeroom and legroom, as well as good headroom despite the sloping roofline and panoramic sunroof.

The rear seats aren't as strongly bolstered as those up front, and the base itself is quite flat along with the floor. While that may not be great if you're wanting to be held in place while cornering, it means two adults will have more than enough space back there, and you could reasonably fit a third without too many complaints.

A third zone of climate control is controlled via the panel behind the centre console, alongside a pair of directional rear air vents. You also get two USB-C outlets, map pockets behind the front seats, bottle holders in the doors, and the requisite ISOFIX and top-tether points for kiddy seats.

When you're not carrying kids in the back, teenagers and adults can enjoy the fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, which offers a bit more of the Cadillac executive experience.

Behind the second row Cadillac quotes 793 litres of cargo capacity, presumably measured to the roof, which expands to 1722L with the rear seats folded – though as you can see, they don't fold completely flat.

It might sound like an odd complaint, but the cargo cover feels incredibly cheap, as if it was nicked from the Chevrolet parts bin. There's also no spare tyre, as with many EVs, as the Lyriq's rubber has 'self-healing' technology built-in.

To see how the Cadillac Lyriq lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What's under the bonnet? EV

The Lyriq-V gets a more powerful dual-motor electric powertrain, boasting 75kW/160Nm more grunt than the standard Australian-market Lyriq AWD.

The Lyriq-V is touted as Cadillac's fastest-accelerating production model to date, pipping the manic CT5-V Blackwing by 0.1 seconds based on Cadillac's official 0-60mph (0-97km/h) claim of 3.3 seconds.

We managed to beat the manufacturer's claimed energy consumption figure during our time with the Lyriq-V, which included a mix of suburban and freeway driving as well as a more dynamic stint through the winding B-roads of Warrandyte and Park Orchards in Melbourne's east.

It's worth noting that the MY27 Lyriq range has a reduced maximum DC fast-charging speed of 130kW (from 190kW), which according to Cadillac will replenish up to 107km of range in 10 minutes.

To see how the Cadillac Lyriq lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Cadillac Lyriq drive?

So for the important part...

My time with the Lyriq-V was rather brief, with my loan starting and ending on either side of a busy weekend packed with prior engagements. Still, it didn't take me long to realise that in most scenarios, when left in its standard Tour mode, the Lyriq-V behaves very similarly to the base Lyriq Sport.

Despite the big outputs and performance claims, the Lyriq-V is a smooth, quiet and relatively comfortable example of a big, luxury electric SUV. The ride didn't feel all that different on 22-inch alloys (versus 20-inches in the Sport) despite the lowered sports suspension, and I found myself liking and disliking similar things to the standard Lyriq as a result.

In Tour mode the Cadillac's 2.6-tonne tare weight is quite noticeable, even with the adaptive dampers set to their most comfortable setting. The Lyriq can be a bit jittery and unsettled over the high-frequency, low-impact imperfections common to city and suburban roads, but then settles really nicely on the freeway.

Throttle calibration is very progressive and smooth, even if this SUV can feel a touch lethargic off the line. When you give it a bootful, it will take a moment to bring you that full wallop of torque in order to ensure a level of smoothness and refinement, such is the Cadillac way.

Steering feel and weighting is fine, but the Lyriq's size and weight can be felt during lower-speed and tighter manoeuvres, to the point where it can occasionally feel cumbersome if you need to quickly change direction, or you come into a tight corner or roundabout a touch hot.

The weight is also felt under brakes, when those red-painted Brembo front stoppers are put to hard work if you're coming to a stop from higher speeds. You can adjust the regen to basically offer one-pedal driving, and it's worth noting that Cadillac has done an impressive job of calibrating a single-pedal mode that doesn't immediately make everyone in the vehicle nauseous as you learn its ins and outs.

As mentioned earlier, there are some squeaks and creaks from various cabin trims and the front seats on the move, particularly when going over cobbled surfaces or sharper city hits that the Lyriq clearly doesn't like to stub its toes on. One particular gripe is the squeaking of the black steering wheel trim on the upper rim when you grab it to turn, which is where the autonomous Super Cruise lighting is meant to be – it just feels a little cheap.

It's at its most comfortable at a cruise on the highway, where the ride really settles and there's less impact response, while the cabin is nicely insulated from road and wind noise – no doubt helped by standard Active Noise Cancellation technology.

That all changes when you press the VMax button on the steering wheel, though. All my complaints of the driving experience basically went out the window.

With configurable settings for steering, throttle, suspension and more, you can put everything in the Lyriq-V into Max attack while also playing a synthesised powertrain sound that is apparently inspired by the Cadillac LMDh race car – which can also e-rev when the vehicle is parked or in Neutral. You can also just turn it all off if you prefer the serenity of electric motors.

Competition Mode and Launch Control are best left for the racetrack; I didn't test these systems as I only drove on public roads. Still, the full whack of the dual-motor powertrain is unlocked in Velocity Max (VMax) mode, giving the Lyriq-V an impressive shot in the arm in terms of acceleration and response.

The steering and suspension also liven up in this mode, turning the Lyriq-V from what I found to be heavy and unsettled to almost lively and lithe. That said, it can't defy physics and it really is more of an enthusiastic GT rather than a proper track monster.

Cadillac also deserves praise for the calibration of its driver assistance systems, which in this fully-featured MY27 iteration are actually quite good.

Adaptive cruise control and 'Hands on Lane Centring Assist' make light work of extended highway stints, and blind-spot assist and rear cross-traffic assist come in handy given the Lyriq's sharply raked rear roofline and slim rear window.

Further, the HD surround camera offers good all-round visibility and a few selectable views, though it's a shame you don't get a full-screen view on the infotainment side of the curved display.

The rest is all relatively unobtrusive, which is why I don't have much to say about them.

To see how the Cadillac Lyriq lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

Standard specifications for the Lyriq-V are largely carried over from the Lyriq Sport, save for some added performance equipment and a V-specific appearance package.

2027 Cadillac Lyriq Sport equipment highlights:

• Adaptive LED headlights
• 21-inch alloy wheels with Satin Dark Android finish
• 275/45R21 tyres with self-sealing technology
• Brembo performance front brakes
• • 390mm front fixed caliper disc
  • 345mm rear sliding caliper disc
• Proximity key entry
• Hands-free start (NEW)
• Automatic parking assist
• 4 drive modes – Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice and My Mode
• 33-inch curved display incl. digital instrument cluster, infotainment and auxiliary touchscreens
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger
• Google Built-in
• • Google Gemini
  • Google Maps
  • Google Play Store
• Cadillac Connected Services – eight-year complimentary subscription
• • Cadillac Connected Services Plus – three-year complimentary subscription
  • Over-the-air software updates
  • myCadillac app connectivity incl. remote commands, location services and charging management
• 23-speaker AKG Studio sound system with Dolby Atmos, headrest speakers (NEW)
• Active noise cancellation
• 3 x USB-C ports – Full function
• 2 x USB-C ports – Charging only
• Power-adjustable front seats
• • Power lumbar
  • Heating
  • Ventilation
  • Massage
  • Driver memory
• Heated rear seats
• Ambient lighting
• Tri-zone climate control

2027 Cadillac Lyriq-V adds:

• 22-inch triple 6-spoke alloy wheels – Satin Graphite finish
• • incl. laser-etched V-Series emblem
• 275/40 R22 tyres with self-healing technology
• V-Series exterior package
• • Front and rear fascia designs
  • Body colour lower trim, wheel mouldings
  • Unique side rocker design
  • V badging
• V-Mode incl. Velocity Max, Competitive Mode and Launch Control
• Continuous Damping Control – CDC
• Brembo performance brakes – Red
• Black 'Noir' Nappa leather with Sky Cool Grey accents

To see how the Cadillac Lyriq lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Cadillac Lyriq safe?

The Cadillac Lyriq hasn't been assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, and therefore doesn't have a current safety rating.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• 6 airbags – front, front-side, curtain
• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous emergency braking
• • Pedestrian and cyclist detection
  • Intersection assist
• Blind-spot assist
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane-centring
• Parking sensors – front, rear
• Surround-view cameras
• Traffic sign recognition
• Tyre pressure monitoring

To see how the Cadillac Lyriq lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Cadillac Lyriq cost to run?

The Cadillac range in Australia is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assistance. The high-voltage battery, meanwhile, is covered for up to eight years or 160,000km – whichever comes first.

For MY27, Cadillac Australia has extended service intervals for all models – including the Lyriq-V – to 24 months or 24,000km, whichever comes first.

To see how the Cadillac Lyriq lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert's Take on the Cadillac Lyriq-V

Cadillac has had a slow start in Australia – even if we don't have the VFACTS figures to prove it – but the MY27 Lyriq could be a sign of better things to come.

A much improved value equation puts the base Lyriq Sport in the striking zone of buyers looking for Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemptions with novated leases, while the new high-performance Lyriq-V flagship shapes as a well-priced alternative to electric SUVs from Audi, BMW and Volvo.

But Cadillac giveth and then taketh. The reduced battery capacity and DC charging speeds seem silly – even if it's for European regulations – when rival brands offer much more range and faster charging. Same goes for the removal of the front knee airbags – why skimp on safety?

Issues with the base variant also carryover somewhat, at least when in its standard Tour setting. The ride is jittery and borderline unsettled in the city, it feels a little heavy and cumbersome in tighter manoeuvres, and there are some trim squeaks and creaks that just shouldn't be there.

The longer service intervals are welcome, as is the added dynamism and performance from the V's extra go-fast goodies.

Still, I don't know if it does enough to really stand out from the crowd, apart from its imposing and somewhat polarising looks. Also, why is there no interior colour option other than black for what is pitched as a performance luxury flagship? Where is the optional Kona Brown Nappa interior, Cadillac?

Jokes aside, the new Lyriq-V gives Cadillac a solid alternative to premium European EVs, with the USPs of performance and value, despite its charging and range setbacks.

While it's probably not a match for the cheaper Model Y and 7X Performance models, performance-hungry electric SUV buyers might now have much more reason to walk into the brand's one local Experience Centre in Australia...

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Cadillac Lyriq. Click here to get a great deal.

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MORE: Explore the Cadillac Lyriq showroom