The Cadillac Lyriq marks the entry of General Motors’ luxury brand into the electric vehicle space. The midsize luxury crossover SUV got off to a quiet start in 2022 with a simple all-wheel drive design. That changes with the all-wheel drive option for the 2023 model, which indicates Cadillac is ready to push its new line of SUVs to a .
With competitors like Tesla, model names are as simple as a letter. Cadillac has instead opted for a flashier name. So what does “Lyriq” actually mean, and why did GM’s high-end brand choose that name for a crossover SUV?
On the official website of , the Lyriq is the first all-electric SUV from GM’s high-end brand. Development began in 2019 when GM announced plans for an all-electric future. The company showed off a range of products, including a crossover SUV, and said each would have EV variants much sooner than expected.
That project was ready for prime time in 2020 when GM revealed its Ultium batteries. The unique feature of their system that helped make the Lyriq possible is that cells can be stacked horizontally or vertically. Each car has a unique Ultium battery configuration for increased safety and weight distribution. And for EVs, proper weight distribution has an impact on their MPGe.
The Lyriq was unveiled in a virtual presentation in August 2020. A production model was shown at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show. And finally, in the first week of July 2022, the first Lyriqs went on sale in the United States.
The design language lines up with the rest of Cadillac’s offerings, making them somewhat as stealthy as EVs. , as most vehicles tend to show their EV status at a glance. But for drivers who prefer an understated luxury vehicle for their first EV, Cadillac’s crossover is a great option.
Why did Cadillac choose the name “Lyric”?
So, given the history and careful presentation of , where did that name come from? Is it a word borrowed from another language, with a deceptive meaning? Or is this name meant to evoke the exact English word it sounds like?
reports that it is essentially the latter. But for Cadillac, in particular, referencing the musical lyrics has an extra layer of meaning. GM has long said that no other vehicle brand has been mentioned in music more often. The longtime luxury name regularly pops up in everything from country to hip-hop.
The state of Lyriq in 2023
Now that we know the name references Cadillac’s deep ties to music, what about that particular “-iq” spelling? Second, it’s a row-level naming scheme. It replaces the CT# and XT# nomenclature that the brand previously relied on. While current designs don’t place too much emphasis on their status as EVs, the “iq” naming scheme reflects the automaker’s move to .
The “iq” scheme marks the beginning of a new era, and Cadillac positions the Lyriq as its herald, it reports. The crossovers’ overall popularity has earned the Lyriq its place in the luxury carmaker’s marketing plans. The full-size luxury car option, the Celestiq, sits closest to Tesla’s lineup of luxury sedans.
The only thing more important than driving the EV restart with a new SUV is the associated tax credit for U.S. buyers. Cadillac’s website informs prospective buyers that a $7,500 Federal Clean Vehicle Tax Credit is available to all of their EV buyers. The Lyriq is positioned as an unapologetically luxury priced vehicle, starting at $58,590. That tax credit should make prospective buyers quite comfortable choosing an EV as their next commuter vehicle.
