2023 Cadillac Lyriq vs. Genesis GV60: Rookies Go Down to the Wire

Electric vehicles may not be the present for most of America in 2022, but they are the future. The industry agrees; of the two luxury brands represented in this comparison test, Genesis claims it will launch only electric models after 2025 and Cadillac promises an exclusively battery-powered lineup by 2030.

Neither manufacturer is new to electrification—Cadillac dabbled in plug-in performance with the overpriced but sneaky good ELR, and Genesis recently released a battery-powered version of the G80—but neither has offered a dedicated EV. Enter the Cadillac Lyriq and Genesis GV60, a pair of critically important electric SUVs that offer a glimpse of what we can expect from these companies' electron-fed futures.

When we look back at this pair toward the end of the decade, will they represent fumbled first attempts or the starts of something special? Let's dive in.

The Cars

The Lyriq is the first Cadillac built from GM's Ultium electric-vehicle technology, which also powers GMC's new Hummers, the Chevrolet Silverado EV, and the upcoming electrified Chevrolet Blazer. Our test vehicle was just the second example to roll off the production line, VIN002 to be exact. More on that later.

The Lyriq is launching with a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive trim badged 450E. The 450 designation represents 450 newton-meters of torque, which is rounded up per Cadillac practice from 441 Nm, or 325 lb-ft in freedom torques. The badge is mostly inscrutable to Americans, but we also like big numbers on our luxury cars. Our Lyriq Debut Edition has a sticker price just shy of $60,000, but these versions are sold out; similarly equipped models are now available at around $63K. Deliveries for dual-motor AWD Lyriqs are slated for early 2023.

The Cadillac is an obvious looker. Slim, dramatic lighting elements and the large, grille-aping panel up front hint at the Lyriq's electric powertrain while a lengthy dash-to-axle ratio and vertical, tailfin-esque motifs at the rear communicate pure Cadillac elegance. The production Lyriq is nearly unchanged from the 2020 concept and we're thrilled to start seeing these on the road.

Relative newcomer Genesis takes a slightly different approach. The GV60 is the luxury marque's first take on Hyundai/Kia's E-GMP platform, which also underpins the excellent Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Something of a surprise, the GV60 is the stubbiest of that trio, looking more aggro-anime hot hatch than luxury SUV. Genesis deserves praise for its multitude of interior and exterior color options, but the advantage goes to Cadillac in design and sheer presence.

The GV60 is exclusively offered with a dual-motor AWD setup. Upgrading from the base Advanced trim to the range-topping GV60 Performance raises power from 314 to 429 hp and adds a Boost function that unlocks 483 hp for 10 seconds at a time. Base pricing approaches $60,000 and our Performance model in Uyuni White stickers for $69,560.

Battery, Range, and Charging

Looking at efficiency, these two are right on top of each other, but only one breaks the elusive 300-mile barrier. Despite being just as efficient as the Cadillac, the GV60's 77.4-kWh battery capacity limits it to 235 miles between charges. GM equipped the Lyriq with significantly more battery capacity—102.0 kWh—which means the Tennessee-built Caddy offers 312 miles of range.

Ah, but not so fast; the GV60 may have fewer miles' worth of electricity in its battery, but it can restore them faster. Hyundai/Kia's E-GMP vehicles are the only EVs under $60,000 with an 800-volt electrical architecture. Volts and watts and DC and AC can get confusing, but the GV60's 800-volt system means it has some of the fastest charging in the industry.

The Lyriq's charging power tops out at 190 kW, but the GV60 can charge at up to 235 kW, a nearly 25% advantage. Eventually, the GV60's peak charging power could swell to 350 kW with over-the-air updates, widening the gap even further. Cadillac counters with either two years of unlimited public charging at EVgo stations or a credit of up to $1,500 for home charging station installation through Qmerit.

Cabin Competition

Although the gap is smaller than it once was, interior appointments are what separate the premium from the pedestrian, the luxury buyer from the layperson. Both of these electric SUVs distinguish themselves from their respective parent companies' lesser products, to mixed results.

We'll start with the Genesis. The first thing you'll notice is the deep teal upholstery with tennis-ball green contrast piping and stitching; your eyes then cast over a crystal ball in the center console that, upon starting the vehicle, flips to reveal the GV60's rotary shift knob. Some patterned plastic trim and switchgear are borrowed from the Hyundai/Kia parts bin, as is the specific type of silvery plastic used throughout, but the material quality is overall strong.

Everything in the GV60's interior is round—door handles, climate controls, mirror adjustments, air vents, the novel fingerprint reader—meaning there's not a sharp corner in sight beyond the bezels of the infotainment display. The design comes off cute and bordering on gimmicky. We're reminded of the design-first ethos of cars like modern Minis or the 2000 New Beetle. This cabin likely won't age well, and it feels disjointed from the exterior's crisper execution.

Even if the design is a little much, the Genesis cabin is supremely usable. The infotainment system is responsive and easy to navigate with redundant controls from the center rotary controller and touchscreen. Regenerative braking strength is adjusted with paddles behind the steering wheel, and there are physical buttons for high-frequency actions like adjusting the climate control or activating the heated and cooled seats.

As for the back seats, Genesis didn't skimp out. The materials are just as nice as what's up front, and although the floor is a little high (typical of skateboard-chassis EVs), head- and legroom are acceptable even for full-size adults. Sun shades, a panoramic roof, USB ports, and ample storage space improve the back-seat experience. The cargo area is on the tighter side, though, and you can't remotely fold the rear seats from the hatch area.

In the Caddy, first impressions are strong. Unlike the Genesis, color is used sparingly—the center console drawer and a floor storage tray are lined in embroidered royal blue leather, and that's about it—and the artfully perforated leather seats make for commanding thrones. You sit higher in the Cadillac, too. Laser-cut wood, brushed metal door handles, and sculpted speaker grilles are especially impressive at the Lyriq's relatively modest price point.

Cadillac upped its switchgear game, too. Where recent Cadillacs pulled heavily from the rest of the General Motors catalog, most pieces in the Lyriq are bespoke to the brand. The seat controls, window switches, and turn signal stalk feel weighty and expensive, although there are a couple misses with the flexible regenerative braking paddle (borrowed from the Chevrolet Bolt EV) and a center rotary controller that takes too much effort to click and makes an unpleasant noise when doing so.

As for infotainment, the Lyriq combines the infotainment display, digital instrument cluster, and a second auxiliary touchscreen left of the steering wheel under a single 33-inch piece of curved glass. This is a much more impressive array than Mercedes-Benz's Hyperscreen, as we found it near impossible to discern where one display ended and the next began.

The digital suite is outstanding from a design perspective, we just wish it worked better. Basic vehicle functions like opening the glove box or toggling the headlights are buried behind menus. The Cadillac's three regenerative braking modes require diving into driving settings, too. There are strengths here—the Google Maps integration with charge location planning comes to mind—but the Genesis infotainment is easier to live with.

The rear seats of the Cadillac are more generously padded, provide additional support, and offer a couple extra inches of kneeroom compared to the Genesis. Headroom is similarly tight but acceptable. Materials and design are just as strong as what's up front, to the point that one editor is counting down the days until the Lyriq is their new airport taxi.

Cargo room is more generous than what's in the Genny, plus there's usable underfloor storage that even includes a spot for the retractable cargo cover. For what it's worth, the Lyriq can tow up to 3,500 pounds compared to the GV60's 2,000-pound towing capacity, and the Cadillac has nearly an inch of additional ground clearance.

The Drive

If the local roads are curvy and you enjoy driving quickly or showing off the acceleration of your new EV to your pals, the GV60 is a better tool for the job. Chalk it up to the rear torque vectoring, that 10-second Boost mode that bumps horsepower and torque to 483 hp and 516 lb-ft, and a near-800-pound weight advantage.

The Genesis also offers quicker steering response than the Cadillac; there's nearly a full rotation less when turning lock to lock. This augments the agility advantage inherent to the GV60's chassis and powertrain tuning.

The GV60 is a joy to hustle down a road in ways the Lyriq can't comprehend. To put its performance in numerical context, the GV60 reached 60 mph in 3.6 seconds to the Lyriq's 5.7 seconds.

The Cadillac is a different, far more luxury-oriented creature. Instead of the "check this out" off-the-line acceleration of some EVs, the Lyriq gently glides off on accelerator tip-in before metering out a generous, seamless tide of torque. EVs' potential for instantaneous throttle response and torque can expose a jerky right foot, but it's a challenge to be anything but smooth in the Lyriq. As for handling, the Cadillac exhibits notable body roll, but it's one motion and done, with no wallowing or instability. Unless you're driving a mountain road with constant quick transitions, it's unlikely to bother anyone.

Neither car's ride is overly firm, but the Genesis has notably more tire and wind noise, as well as some head toss you won't experience in the Cadillac. Blame its shorter wheelbase and larger wheels. The Cadillac's ride can feel slightly floaty at times—this RWD model lacks fancy active dampers, instead relying on traditional passive shocks—but it's a byproduct of its creamy, cushioning quality. Rougher surfaces infiltrate the cabin more than we'd like, though. Given GM's otherworldly talent at tuning its air suspension and magnetic damper systems, we imagine any uncouth behavior will be fixed when those technologies arrive on the later uplevel models.

Cadillac includes the hardware necessary for GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving system on every Lyriq. When operational, we think it's the best driver assist system in the industry—yes, better than Tesla's "full self-driving" Autopilot—but sadly, Super Cruise won't be available in the Lyriq until an over-the-air update slated for late 2022. The base lane-keeping assist pings and pongs between lane lines, and the cruise control regularly exceeds its set speed on downhills.

Hyundai/Kia's Highway Drive Assist lane centering and adaptive cruise control isn't perfect, but it represents an obvious advantage over the Cadillac in that car's current state. In the Genesis, the system provides strong steering assistance and is capable of following gentle curves, although it consistently rides the outside lane line. Under certain circumstances, the GV60 will even change lanes for you (with your hand loosely gripping the wheel) at the tap of the turn signal stalk. The Genesis system will also work on any road, whereas Super Cruise functions only on pre-mapped highways.

Assembly Issues

Before we wrap, we have to mention the concerning build quality of our Lyriq; the example loaned to us was simply unfinished. The problems we encountered included but were not limited to: an interior panel that came loose to expose foam and adhesive, a flimsily attached charge port door that flapped around in windy conditions and shuddered while it motored up and down, obvious spray lines in the paint finish, and constant vibration through a loosely attached rearview mirror that made it difficult to use.

We reached out to Cadillac, whose representatives stated that what we encountered were early build problems and that the company is working to refine its parts and assembly processes to resolve the issues. Hopefully customers won't experience the same things we did.

The Verdict

These are very different first swings at a dedicated electric luxury SUV, but their excellence ups our expectations for these automakers' varied EV lineups due to arrive by the end of the decade. One is colorful, playful, and quirky; the other stately, elegant, and restrained. Both succeed at their intended purpose, which made it extremely difficult to choose a winner. Had Cadillac delivered a Lyriq with sorted build quality and functioning Super Cruise, it would have had a real shot at taking the crown. Until that promise becomes reality, though, the Genesis gets our nod.

2nd Place: 2023 Cadillac Lyriq 450E

Verdict: An outstanding Cadillac, a good value, and a great EV, but one we'd feel better recommending for 2024.

1st Place: 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance

Verdict: A youthful, engaging EV that portends good things for Genesis electrics to come.