The Lyriq was Cadillac’s first electric vehicle, so it seems appropriate that the Lyriq-V is its first V-Series EV. For 2026, Cadillac has expanded the Lyriq lineup with a new high-performance variant that carries the storied V badge into the electric age.
Performance and Powertrain
The Spring Hill, Tennessee-built Lyriq-V comes equipped with a dual-motor all-wheel drive system rated at 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, good for a 0-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds. That makes it the quickest Cadillac ever built — quicker, in fact, than the 668-horsepower CT5-V Blackwing, which needs 3.4 seconds to reach 60. Much of the Lyriq-V’s edge comes from the traction advantage of its all-wheel drive system, because at 5,980 pounds, this is not a lightweight machine.
Go easy on the accelerator and the Lyriq-V will cover 285 miles between charges, which is a respectable figure for a vehicle of this size and performance. Complementing the powertrain is a high-performance suspension with computer-controlled shock absorbers, 22-inch wheels wrapped in low-profile 40-series tires, and large disc brakes with six-piston Brembo calipers. The result is a vehicle that’s been engineered from the ground up to do more than just travel quietly from point A to point B. It makes them even closer.
Pricing and Equipment
Lyriq-V pricing starts at $80,990, while a standard Lyriq begins at $60,695 with rear-wheel drive or $64,195 with all-wheel drive. The Lyriq-V comes very well equipped at that price point. There’s no front trunk, but the cargo area offers 28 cubic feet of space, which is reasonable given the sloping roofline that gives the Lyriq-V its sleek silhouette. Rear headroom and legroom are both generous despite the coupe-like profile.
The test vehicle was a Premium trim, priced at $85,290, which adds an opening panoramic glass roof in place of the standard fixed unit, alloy pedals, dark ash wood trim with built-in ambient lighting, and Nappa leather upholstery. This trim also upgrades to a 19.2 kW onboard charger, enabling Level 2 charging at 44 miles of range per hour. DC fast charging delivers 75 miles of range in roughly 10 minutes and can bring the battery from 10 to 80 percent in about 40 minutes.
All Lyriq-V models come standard with a 360-degree camera, a video rearview mirror, and a 23-speaker AKG audio system. The panoramic roof is paired with a full sunshade, which is a feature many electric vehicles with glass roofs annoyingly omit.
Technology and Connectivity
The Lyriq-V’s 33-inch digital display is legible in direct sunlight, and the infotainment system supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Google Built-In. That’s actually a point of distinction from Cadillac’s newer electric models, which have dropped CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of Google Built-In exclusively. Having all three options should make things easier for Cadillac’s complaint department.
Being an older platform, the Lyriq still uses a CCS charging plug rather than the NACS plug that GM’s newest EVs come with from the factory, but it is compatible with the Tesla Supercharger network via an adapter.
Driving Impressions
The V button on the steering wheel is, of course, the main reason to buy this model. Pressing it brings up a drive mode menu offering Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice, a configurable My Mode, and V Mode, which sharpens the steering, suspension, brake feel, throttle response, and even the simulated motor sound pumped into the cabin. Competitive Mode goes a step further by loosening the stability control for drivers who want the full experience.
Achieving the 3.3-second 0-60 time requires using the launch control system: floor the brake, floor the accelerator and release. But even in everyday driving, the performance boost is immediately noticeable. Merging onto a highway or executing a passing maneuver feels like point-and-shoot simplicity. The steering and suspension both firm up meaningfully, and the wide tires keep the Lyriq-V planted in corners. You’d have to well exceed any posted speed limit to get the tires to squeal, let alone slide, aided by the vehicle’s wide stance and the low center of gravity inherent to battery-electric architecture.
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Impressive as the performance is, the ride quality may be the real story. The last several Cadillacs driven, from luxury models to performance variants like this one and the hulking Escalade V, have been world class in this department. The Lyriq-V doesn’t even use an air suspension, just those computer-controlled dampers, yet on rough pavement it feels as though each wheel is simply stepping over the irregularities individually. My particularly punishing, poorly paved mountain test road was dispatched as though the bumps and potholes were painted on.
A one-pedal driving mode is available, which uses the electric motors to provide regenerative braking strong enough to bring the vehicle to a complete stop simply by lifting off the accelerator with no need to hit the brakes.
Driver Assistance
The Lyriq-V comes loaded with GM’s Super Cruise hands-free highway driving system, which continues to improve with each iteration. The adaptive cruise control and lane centering are smooth and natural, lane changes are handled cleanly via turn signal input or automatically when a slower vehicle is ahead, and the system operates on an impressively wide network of mapped roads. It rarely requires driver intervention on the highway, which gives it a genuine usability advantage over systems that activate and deactivate constantly. Eye-tracking keeps the driver honest, but it’s tolerant enough to allow a moment to adjust the radio or climate controls without immediately alarming. A double-decker head-up display provides speed and safety information on the lower tier and navigation on the upper.
The Bottom Line
The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V is a genuinely impressive performance machine dressed in luxury clothing. It’s not the obvious choice for track days, but after driving it, it wouldn’t be hard to understand why someone might take it to one. The combination of blistering straight-line speed, composed cornering, and a ride quality that shames vehicles costing twice as much makes a compelling case. With Cadillac now competing in Formula 1 and IMSA, it would be great to see a true sports car return to the lineup someday. In the meantime, vehicles like the Lyriq-V show that some of that sporting spirit is very much alive across the brand.
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