What's the difference?
General Motors Australia & New Zealand (GMANZ) has recently expanded its full-electric Cadillac SUV range in Australia from one to three models, with the new Optiq and Vistiq joining the pioneering Lyriq in the company's local line-up of luxurious US-sourced SUVs and pickups.
The five-seater Lyriq is now the happy medium of the Cadillac trio, as it’s positioned between the smaller Optiq and larger Vistiq; the latter with a unique seven-seat design.
We recently spent a week aboard the Lyriq to see if its opulence, practicality, performance, driving range and price provide a compelling alternative to full-electric or combustion-powered rivals for high-end luxury SUV buyers.
The electric car world has seen a few seven-seat SUVs hit the ground running recently and for good reason. The dream of lowering your emissions without sacrificing space for the family is a tempting one. But let’s be honest, there still aren’t a whole lot of options out there.
Enter the flagship Volvo EX90 Ultra Twin Motor Performance. It brings together the elegant design and thoughtful functionality Volvo is known for, now paired with a premium tech offering and a powerful new electric drivetrain.
Will it be enough to tempt buyers over the line? I've spent a week with it to find out.
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 Volvo EX90 Ultra Twin Motor Performance strikes a great balance between sophistication and practicality. It looks sharp, drives beautifully, and delivers a solid range with fast charging to match. Adding to that is a comfortable, family-friendly cabin with space for seven. It’s hard not to be impressed.
There are a couple of technology beats it misses but it's still an easy SUV to live with.