The Cadillac Lyriq is the latest and greatest offering from the brand if you don’t count the somewhat old-school Escalade V. Jay Leno might be considered old-school himself but he’s up to date on the modern automotive market. Put them together and you get a review through the eyes of a very experienced car guy.
The model Leno is driving is the 340 hp (254 kW) rear-wheel drive Debut Edition. When we drove it we were somewhat shocked at just how impressive it was. Leno however has a few things most of us don’t, namely, Cadillacs from 1918, 1925, and 1957, to name just a few. He’s always been a big Cadillac fan so impressing him might be harder.
Program Engineering Manager, Bryan Stewart, joins Leno for his experience in the Lyriq and the two of them spend a little time taking a tour around the vehicle to begin. Stewart shows off the small details like the duck Easter egg in the door jamb, the aero wheels, and the flow-through spoiler that clears the rear window through airflow instead of with the use of a wiper.
Read More: Will There Be A Cadillac Lyriq-V? Maybe
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Upon hopping in for a drive, Leno immediately remarks about the attractive design details. “It looks like a Cadillac on the inside… it’s not the old days of the chrome peeling off of the plastic, it’s nicely done,” he says. The driving experience is good overall too. Leno says that it corners nice and flat but still rides like a Cadillac.
He also likes the way it composes itself. It’s quick and comfortable but it’s smooth and quiet at the same time. He opines about how there was a time in history when he thinks that Cadillac was building the best cars in the world. That’s exactly the spot that the American brand is hoping to return to with the introduction of the Celestiq in the near future.
It appears, then, that the long wait for the Lyriq might be worth it. Pre-orders are still open for both the RWD and AWD versions of the 2024 Lyriq and deliveries are expected to begin in the Spring of 2023.