The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq surges into the electric SUV market in the first half of 2022. With its recently refreshed lineup, Cadillac attempts to reestablish itself as a high-quality luxury brand. The Lyriq represents the next step in completing that mission. Electric vehicles are the future, and Cadillac joining the EV world certainly garners attention. The real question is, can it stand up to the competition? The biggest of which might be the automaker who’s been dominating the EV space for years, Tesla. The Tesla Model Y SUV shares its class with the Lyriq, and will be one of its biggest opponents.

What we know about the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq

Besides the fact that it runs completely on electricity, here’s what we know about the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq. The Debut Edition will have estimated 300-plus miles of driving range on a single full charge. Cadillac estimates it will produce 340 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. The SUV is initially releasing with only rear-wheel drive, but the 2023 Lyriq Performance All-Wheel Drive Model will be available starting in early 2023. It has a 12-module, 100.4 kWh Ultium battery, and rear-wheel Ultium Drive Unit. The at-home charger has rates up to 19.2 kW and the DC fast charger for public charging stations has rates up to 190 kW.

As of the original availability, there is only one option for both interior and exterior colors. They are Satin Steel Metallic on the exterior and Sky Cool Gray interior. Two more colors become available starting in Fall of 2022, Stellar Black Metallic on the exterior and a Noir interior. Presumably, a new color (or two) will come with the performance model when it releases in early 2023. 20-inch diamond-cut, dark android finish, gloss-black aero insert wheels are the standard and 22-inch reverse-rim alloy wheels with a polished gloss-black finish are an available option.

Can it beat the Tesla Model Y?

The Tesla Model Y is considered one of the best electric SUVs in the market. That’s not going to change any time soon. However, there are some weaker points the Model Y has that the Lyriq can take advantage of in particular. A few advantages the Model Y already has over the Lyriq are price point, driving range, and speed. Tesla’s Long Range SUV can go from 0 to 60 in just 4.4 seconds. The Long Range model also can travel up to 326 miles on a single charge, which is better than Cadillac’s estimate. The estimated starting price for the Lyriq is $60,000, and the Long Range Model Y starts at just $53,190.

The Model Y has an optional third row of seats as well, for an extra $3,000. Cadillac has not yet announced a three-row version of the Lyriq, but it’s always a possibility. As of now, the Lyriq has a 2+2 seating arrangement with captain’s chairs in the front and back. The place where the Lyriq can really beat the Model Y is the technology and features of the interior. The Model Y is heavily reliant on its massive touchscreen to control everything, which isn’t as much as many other vehicles. The Lyriq, using Cadillac’s many luxurious features from other models, can take advantage of this.

2023 Cadillac Lyriq technology

The Lyriq comes with all kinds of high-quality technology like you’d expect when buying any other Cadillac. Hands-free supercruise is a highlighted feature, and it gives drivers the ability to enter cruise control without keeping their hands on the steering wheel. It’s basically self-driving but you have to be paying attention the entire time because it’s not completely autonomous. It also comes with a 33-inch curved diagonal advanced LED display which covers most of the front dashboard. Think about the massive screen in a Tesla, but curve it and turn it horizontally.

The Lyriq also comes with a 19-speaker AKG Studio sound system, next-generation active noise cancellation, over-the-air software updates, and ambient lighting. This isn’t any regular ambient lighting though, the Lyriq’s ambient lighting allows you to personalize the interior with an app on the 33-inch screen. There are 26 colors to choose from which shine from the footwells to the door panels.

Is the Lyriq safer than the 2021 Tesla Model Y?

Tesla is well known for the safety of its vehicles. For the most part, the automaker is usually at the top of all safety ratings. The Tesla Model Y is no different, and it received a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Lyriq’s rating is obviously not yet available, since it hasn’t been released to the public. What we do know are the safety features included in the vehicle.

Standard safety features include adaptive cruise control, blind zone steering assist, automatic parking assist and emergency braking, following distance indicator, pedestrian detection, HD surround vision, and more. Cadillac’s comprehensive suite of safety equipment is being called the Cadillac Smart System and is automatically included in every Lyriq purchased.

These two vehicles have plenty of wins and losses to one another. So far, it seems like the Lyriq will be much bigger competition than most may have expected it to be. The Tesla Model Y will need to put more of a focus on standard technology and convenience features to keep up with new electric SUVs. The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq is coming out soon, and it demands to be taken seriously. Could Cadillac’s new EV put it back on the map as a top luxury automaker?