Cadillac Lyriq vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class

What's the difference?

The Lyriq Luxury combines handsome styling and luxurious appointments with responsive yet supple ride quality, the choice of relaxed driving or exhilarating performance as desired and a decent driving range. Its lack of towing ability may be a deal breaker for some, but it's certainly worthy of consideration by prestige SUV buyers with a penchant for electric power and (for now at least) sub-$100K drive-away pricing.

The new AMG C 43 may lack the drama and excitement we’ve come to expect from the German performance brand, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car. Yes, it could be more extroverted and the ride could be improved, but this is still a sharp-looking sports sedan with loads of punch.

This is a car that speaks to its times, with ever-stricter emissions regulations making it harder and harder for car companies to produce loud, wild and charismatic cars. So Mercedes-AMG has worked within those boundaries and come up with a car that retains at least some of those core elements that has made the brand so desirable over the years.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The Lyriq has a generous 3095mm wheelbase, is more than five metres long (5005mm) and almost two metres wide (1977mm, including mirrors). Its 1620mm roof height is relatively low for a large SUV, resulting in a sleek and sporty profile combined with a muscular surefooted stance fronted by a finely-etched solid grille.

It rides on five-link independent suspension with GM’s ‘passive plus’ dampers, plus there’s electric power-assisted steering and big Brembo disc brakes in each corner featuring classy Cadillac scripts on the calipers. Turning circle is 12.1 metres, which is to be expected for a car of this size.

The interior design is an elegant blend of soft-touch materials and discreetly textured surface finishes with an emphasis on chrome and satin chrome highlights. It’s also spacious as you’d expect, with the panoramic sunroof creating a bright and airy feel.

We applaud Cadillac’s adherence to tradition with physical buttons and knurled dials and knobs for controlling key cabin and driving functions, in preference to annoying and distracting touchscreen menus. There’s also nice attention to detail with small jewel-like Cadillac emblems and scripts contributing to its prestige look and feel.

Mercedes has created something of a problem for itself with its decision to introduce AMG styling packages for the majority of its range, including the C-Class.

It means the C 43 has to walk a fine line between looking like a unique AMG model, rather than just a C300 with a bodykit and not out-doing the C63.

To that end it has AMG’s now familiar grille with vertical bars, the unique and complex-looking 20-inch alloy rims and a small lip spoiler on the boot. But otherwise it is surprisingly understated for an AMG, lacking the more obvious and muscular stance of previous AMG offerings.

Inside, there’s a similar theme, with the typical Mercedes-Benz luxury appointments but with a sportier, AMG twist. The steering wheel is chunky and comes with AMG branding, metallic shift paddles and a pair of rotary dials/buttons that allow you to alter the various drive modes and settings.

The one on the right allows you to switch between the pre-set Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual modes, while the one on the left can scroll between the various individual aspects to tailor the settings to the conditions.

In typical modern fashion the design is tech-laden, with a digital display for the instrument panel (that can be switched between various graphics) and a large, tablet-style central multimedia touchscreen that controls the majority of the car’s non-driving functions.

The Lyriq’s 2687kg kerb weight (largely due to its hefty propulsion battery) and 3200kg GVM results in a modest 513kg load capacity, which could easily be used up by five large adults before you could think about loading their luggage. It’s also not rated for towing in Australia which limits its appeal as a recreational vehicle.

Driver and front passenger enjoy palatial space and comfort plus ample storage with a bottle-holder and bin in each door. There's also a large glove box, pop-out drawer in the dash and a ‘floating’ centre console equipped with a lower tray, three USB-C ports, a 12V socket, wireless phone charging and a felt-lined box at the back with padded lid that doubles as an elbow rest.

The rear doors open wide for easy entry to the rear bench seat which even for tall people (I’m 186cm) offers ample room for knees and feet, enhanced by a flat floor with no transmission tunnel for centre passengers to straddle.

However, the top of my head brushes the roof lining and the unusually high floor height (we assume caused by the underfloor battery) results in raised thigh angles that concentrate more weight on the lower back.

Given the rounded lower backrest cushions, which integrate with the ISOFIX child seat anchorages in the outer seating positions, also protrude into a passenger's lower back region, the rear seat provides less than ideal comfort for tall passengers in contrast to the sublime luxury up front.

Even so, rear passenger storage is well catered for with a bottle-holder in each door, pockets on both front seat backrests and two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest. The rear of the centre console offers two more USB-C ports, adjustable air vents and adjustments for numerous comfort settings.

The power tailgate provides access to the fully carpeted rear luggage area, which offers up to 793 litres (almost 0.8 cubic metres) of load volume with the rear seats upright and up to 1722 litres (almost 1.8 cubic metres) with the seats power-folded flat. This provides a versatile space for carrying everything from a mountain bike to flatpack furniture.

The luggage area also has four tie-down hooks, a 12V socket and a hinged floor section which when opened reveals an underfloor bin ideal for storing charging cables (see image).

The new C-Class has grown slightly in size compared to the model it replaces, most notably with a 26mm increase in the wheelbase which you can feel in the cabin.

The front seat space is good, with excellent adjustability for the power-adjustable seats and steering column. I had no trouble finding my ideal seating position which makes for a more enjoyable and uncompromised driving experience.

Rear space is a bit tighter (which is typical for this segment/size of vehicle), but thankfully the standard seats do have very deep sculpting in the backs which allow for more knee space and foot room.

However, at approximately 180cm (six-foot), I wouldn’t like to sit behind my seating position for long periods as my knees were touching the seat back, and headroom is compromised with the panoramic glass roof.

In terms of small item storage there’s a lidded console box in between the front seats as well as a pair of cupholders and a small tray where you can place your mobile phone.

It’s worth noting, though, that early examples of the C 43 in Australia do not have a wireless smartphone charging pad, with that reportedly being introduced from February production.

While that’s good news, it’s not really competitive in this day and age to offer a car costing six-figures without such technology.

There’s also only a single USB-C power outlet in the front, which is another disappointment, but there is a pair in the back.

Mercedes does win some points back for a respectable 455-litre boot, which has a nice wide load opening that will make packing luggage easier.

We’ll get to the major change under the bonnet shortly, but another significant alteration for this latest C 43 is the price.

It now starts at $134,900 (plus on-road costs), which pushes it well above its market rivals, the BMW M340i xDrive and Audi S4, which start at $104,900 and $106,200, respectively.

However, Mercedes has added more technology under the bonnet and loaded the C 43 up with standard equipment, including its '4Matic' all-wheel drive system, adaptive damping, rear-wheel steering and 20-inch alloy wheels.

In terms of creature comforts, the C 43 is well-appointed, with leather upholstery, a head-up display, augmented reality navigation, a panoramic sliding sunroof, and a Burmester 3D surround sound system.

There are two option packages for the C 43. The 'Digital Light Package' costs $2400 and adds Multibeam LED headlights with 'Ultra Range' highbeam, 'Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus' as well as active light function and cornering light function.

The 'Performance Ergonomics Package' includes AMG Performance front seats, an AMG Performance steering wheel in Nappa leather and microfibre and the 'AMG Track Pace' system for an additional $5200.

The Lyriq features drive units with single-speed transmissions located at the front and rear which provide permanent all-wheel drive. Each is equipped with an electric motor, which combined produce 388kW of power and 610Nm of torque. There are also numerous selectable drive modes. Claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time is a rapid 5.3 seconds.

The biggest talking point about this new car is the engine, with AMG downsizing from the old C 43’s six-cylinder to a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.

But it’s not just any turbocharged four-pot, because it is fitted with technology that Mercedes claims has been inspired directly from its Formula One team.

While the F1 team engine facility is based in England, this engine was designed and developed by the Mercedes-AMG team at its Affalterbach headquarters, but the concept of the electric turbocharger reportedly comes from the engine that powered Lewis Hamilton to multiple world championships.

The electric exhaust gas turbocharger - to give it its official name - uses a small electric motor on the turbocharger shaft to spin up the blades without having to wait for any exhaust gases to pass through it first.

To power the electric turbo the C 43 is equipped with a mild-hybrid 48-volt electrical system.

Mercedes claims this means reduced lag and improved throttle response for a sportier driving experience. 

It also helps make this small engine produce big amounts of performance, with AMG extracting 300kW of power and 500Nm of torque from this 2.0-litre, which is more power than the previous six-cylinder C 43 managed.

The engine is paired to a nine-speed multi-clutch transmission, which isn’t a dual-clutch with a pair of clutches operating on every second gear ratio, but instead uses a “wet start-off clutch” for better take-offs and smoother shifting on the move (at least in theory).

Power is sent to the road via all four wheels thanks to Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive system.

GMANZ claims official combined consumption of 22.5kWh/100km and up to 530km of driving range from the Lyriq’s 102kW lithium-ion propulsion battery.

When we collected our test vehicle the dash display was showing 100 per cent charge and an estimated driving range of 583km.

We drove 239km over five days and still had 52 per cent charge and 300km of range remaining when we did an overnight charge at home using the supplied AC charger with a domestic three-pin plug.

However, after 15 hours the charge only increased from 52 to 65 per cent for just 76km of extra driving range, so we would recommend installing a dedicated wall box for faster home charging.

In total we covered 297km across our usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving with average energy consumption just under the Cadillac's official figure, so based on our test results a driving range of around 500km per charge is credible.

GMANZ claims 7.4kW AC charging can add up to 43km of range per hour, which increases to 94km with 22.1kW charging. And up to 128km of range can be added in just 10 minutes using 190kW DC fast charging.

Despite the smaller engine you can hardly call the C 43 miserly, with a claimed combined urban/highway cycle rating of 9.1-litres per 100km. That’s only a 0.2L/100km improvement over the old six-cylinder.

On test, which included a return trip from Sydney to Bathurst via motorways and some dynamic back road driving, we saw a return of 11.8L/100km on the car's onboard computer.

While hardly hybrid-worrying, it’s impressive to think that driven modestly, such a potent engine can return a single-digit fuel figure.

The driving position is supportive and comfortable with multiple power-adjustment of the seat and steering wheel ensuring people of most heights and girths can enjoy luxurious travel.

The low dashboard height ensures vision to the front of the bonnet and its array of physical buttons, knurled dials and knobs minimise touchscreen use, which makes driving far less distracting than having to search through digital menus.

It’s very quiet given its electric drivetrain. Most noise emanates from the tyres but that is also minimised by the audio system’s noise cancellation technology and the cabin’s effective acoustic insulation.

Ride quality and handling are excellent thanks to the Lyriq’s suspension refinement and close to an ideal 50-50 weight distribution mostly influenced by the positioning of its drive battery.

This battery’s considerable heft (we reckon it weighs at least half a tonne) also creates ample sprung weight to assist the suspension in smoothing out bumps and its underfloor location ensures a low centre of gravity for surefooted cornering.

Standing start acceleration is more than impressive for a luxury car weighing almost 2.7 tonnes, with instantaneous torque from its two electric motors helping to propel the Lyriq to a neck-straining 100km/h in about five seconds.

This spirited response creates a sporty and engaging drive that belies the vehicle’s weight, particularly in Sport mode with its sharper throttle response and firmer steering feel.

We also like the choices for regenerative braking which include ‘One Pedal Driving’ mode with 'Normal' and 'High' settings, both of which make the quartet of disc brakes largely redundant (the High setting feels like heavy pedal braking) while optimising battery charge. There’s also a small paddle on the steering wheel which increases regenerative braking in response to the amount of finger pressure applied to it.

Our only criticism from a driver’s point of view is the absence of a head-up display (HUD) and traffic sign recognition (TSR), both of which are notable omissions for a prestige vehicle in this price range.

Let’s start with the good news. The new Mercedes-AMG C 43 is a quick car. The engine may be small in size but the electric turbocharger does its thing and provides plenty of punch.

You can get a performance boost, too, thanks to the belt-driven starter generator, which acts as a mild hybrid and gives you a surge of 10kW for a brief period if you need a sudden burst of extra speed.

The chassis is well-sorted, too, at least from a dynamic point-of-view. The rear-wheel steering can provide up to 2.5 degrees of turning, which improves handling at speed and manoeuvrability when parking.

However, there are some less-impressive elements to the C 43, too. The obvious one is the drama, or rather the lack thereof.

As I said at the beginning, the C 43 has never been as wild or raucous as the V8-powered C 63, but when you buy an AMG there’s a rightful expectation that it will provide some thrills.

The C 43 simply doesn’t have that character about it. Yes, it’s fast, but it produces that speed with efficiency rather than excitement.

And it’s not an engine size problem, because even the 2.0-litre four-cylinder A 35 and CLA 35 offer more ‘wow factor’ than the C 43.

Yes, the engine makes noise under acceleration (and it can be altered between discreet and sporty) but even at its best it sounds muted and lacks the evocative tone of a V8 or six-cylinder engine. 

Another disappointment is the transmission calibration, with the gearbox awkwardly shifting out of first gear on multiple occasions during our test drive.

In the taller gears it felt smooth enough cruising along, but given its low speed shifts we’d like to spend more time in the urban environment before passing final judgement. 

The other notable element of the driving experience we struggled with was the ride quality. While fine on the smoother motorways, our test drive included time on some patchy country back roads and the C 43, even in the ‘Comfort’ suspension setting, was simply too firm.

Riding on low profile tyres, the adaptive dampers struggled to isolate the cabin from the imperfections in the road, leading to a fussy ride at times.

Overall the C 43 is a good car, but it feels like there are still some areas where Mercedes could improve it to make it really live up to the AMG badge.

The C43 gets a comprehensive list of safety equipment that leaves little out. Obviously there are the usual passive safety items, like 10 airbags, including dual-front combined pelvic/thorax airbags and a front centre bag that drops between the front seat passengers to minimise the chances of a head clash.

Also included as standard is autonomous emergency braking front and rear (covering speeds between 7.0-200km/h), adaptive cruise control with active stop/go, a 360-degree parking camera, 'Active Parking Assist', 'Active Lane Keeping Assist', 'Blind Spot Assist' and, of course, anti-lock brakes with 'Brake Assist' and 'Adaptive Brakes' with Hold function and electronic stability control.

Also included are dusk-sensing LED lights, rain-sensing wipers and run-flat tyres with tyre pressure warning.

The C43 also comes equipped with Mercedes’ 'Driving Assistance Package Plus', which adds even more safety gear. This includes 'Active Blind Spot Assist', 'Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function', 'Active Emergency Stop Assist', 'Active Lane Change Assist', 'Active Lane Keeping Assist', 'Active Steering Assist', and 'Active Stop-and-Go Assist'.

While the C43 hasn’t been specifically crash-tested, the latest C-Class was rated by ANCAP with a five-star score for all models except the upcoming C 63 S E Performance.

The Lyriq comes standard with a five-year/unlimited km warranty including five years' of roadside assist, while the propulsion battery is covered by a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/12,000km whichever occurs first, with costs for the first five years of scheduled servicing or five scheduled services included in the vehicle’s purchase price. These servicing terms are generous for this segment, although some rivals offer similar enticements like Audi’s six-year ‘complimentary’ servicing for its Q8 e-tron.

GMANZ has a national network of 45-50 dealerships across most capital cities and some regional areas but not all offer vehicle servicing.

The C 43 is covered by Mercedes’ five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which has become the new standard for the luxury car market.

Service intervals for the car are at 12 months/25,000km, which is on par with industry standard.

Mercedes-Benz Australia will offer a service plan for the C 43, prices were yet to be confirmed at the time of publication but the company has indicated it will be similar to the C300. 

That means $550 for year one, $900 for year two, the third service costs $1000 and the fourth year service costs $2450 - for a total of $4900 for the first four years of ownership.