Fox News Autos Test Drive: 2021 Cadillac Escalade
The all-new Cadillac Escalade SUV is more like a luxury car than ever before, says Fox News Autos Editor Gary Gastelu.
Nothing to see here.
(Cadillac)
Cadillac has unveiled the production version of its upcoming electric Lyriq, and it's nearly identical to the concept version that was featured in GM's Will Ferrell-led Super Bowl advertisement promoting the automaker's electric car push.
The main changes to the edgy, LED light-laden four-door are the switch from ultra-slim to more conventional side mirrors, five seats instead of four, a reconfigured center console with a second front cupholder and wheels that have been downsized from 24 inches to a choice of 20 or 22 inches.
(Cadillac)
"The objective I gave my team was to design the Lyriq with the level of detail that they would a show car. The customer should feel like they’re driving in the future," Cadillac executive director of design Andrew Smith said.
The Lyriq’s illuminated black crystal "grille" isn’t used for cooling, but is a panel that houses the many sensors required for its various automatic safety systems and available hands-off Super Cruise highway driving system.
The midsized SUV is nearly as long as the three-row Cadillac XT6 or Tesla Model X and roughly the same size as the two-row electric Audi e-tron.
Cadillac says the rear-wheel-drive Lyriq has a 340 hp motor, weighs a hefty 5610 pounds and provides a range of over 300 miles per charge, courtesy of a 100-kilowatt-hour battery pack. A more powerful all-wheel-drive version will be added to the lineup at a later date, but Cadillac hasn’t said when that will be.
The Cadillac Lyriq can be recharged with 195 miles of electricity in 30 minutes.
The Lyriq features 190-kW charging capability that can fill the battery with 76 miles worth of electricity in 10 minutes at a DC fast charging station and 195 miles in a half-hour. A 19.2 kW AC home charging module that’s good for 52 miles of charge in an hour is offered and quicker than any electric car on sale today can achieve.
The Cadillac Lyriq interior features a 33-inch OLED display. (Cadillac)
The interior design is largely conventional, save for a 33-inch wide OLED display incorporating the instrument cluster and infotainment system touchscreen interface.
The Lyriq will start at $59,990 when the Tennessee-built model goes on sale in early 2022, compared to $66,995 for the Audi e-tron and $91,190 Tesla Model X.
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Full pricing information will be released closer to when Cadillac begins taking reservations this September for the Lyriq, which will initially only be available in black or silver with a grey or black interior.