2026 Cadillac Lyriq V Is No CTS-V Wagon, But It Is the Quickest Cadillac Ever

Ever since the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon died, there’s been nothing to replace it. Of course, it’s hard to follow up a low-slung longroof with a snarling V8 when that type of car barely exists anymore. It’s unlikely to exist in Cadillac form ever again, but the 2026 Cadillac Lyriq V isn’t too far off as a practical pavement pounder. And while nobody’s pretending that electric motors could provide the same audible experience as that old LSA engine, it’s still the quickest Cadillac ever made.

Let’s run through the headline figures straight away. Two electric motors, one at each axle, combine to make a “Cadillac estimated” 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. Cadillac claims a zero-to-60 time of 3.3 seconds, which makes it quicker than any other V model that came before it—even the 668-horsepower CT5-V Blackwing is a tenth of a second behind. All that go lowers its maximum range a bit, from 307 miles in the dual-motor Lyriq down to 285 miles using the same 102 kilowatt-hour battery pack.

To unlock that Blackwing-beating acceleration, you’ll need to use launch control. Unfortunately, Cadillac decided to take the BMW approach of offering way too many modes and customizable settings. To use launch control, you’ll need to use the Velocity Max mode, which unlocks the Lyriq V’s full power and performance. Then there’s Competition Mode, which lets the driver choose from a suite of traction management settings. Even the interior and exterior “engine” noises are customizable. Thankfully, all of those preferred settings can be saved to the V-Mode that’s accessed via the steering wheel’s “V” button or the infotainment screen.

There are some more performance hardware upgrades, too. Cadillac lowered the Lyriq V’s multi-link suspension (though, oddly, it doesn’t say specifically how much lower it is) and gave it a quicker steering rack than the normal Lyriq. Big red Brembos provide the necessary extra stopping power, which you’ll surely want. Cadillac says the Lyriq V tips the scales at 5,980 pounds—not that the beloved CTS-V Wagon was a featherweight either.

The Lyriq was always a pretty wagon-y SUV, so dropping the ride height as much as Cadillac has gives it big fast wagon vibes. Plus, those 22-inch wheels and tires fill out the wheel arches well, and its new front and rear fascias are so much lower. To my eye, the Lyriq V is the best-looking Cadillac and second only to the Corvette in GM’s entire portfolio, especially in its new Magnus Metal Frost color.

For all that’s been done to make this a hotter EV, not much has changed inside. The regular Lyriq’s cabin ain’t too shabby, and no one’s going to complain about spending time inside, but I do wish Cadillac did a bit more to set the V apart. There are some red accents, nice aluminum trim, quilted leather seats with contrast stitching, and the steering wheel gets aluminum trim for its bottom spokes and a “V” logo instead of a typical Cadillac crest. But otherwise, it just looks like a Lyriq.

It’ll definitely be well-equipped, though. As the top-dog Lyriq, the V comes with a 23-speaker AKG surround sound system with Dolby Atmos, a panoramic fixed glass roof, and a new dual-plane augmented reality heads-up display. Those may not be things you care about if you’re more into carving up autocross courses than zipping to Nobu in a hurry, but needless to say, the Lyriq V isn’t aimed at that anyway.

Cadillac isn’t saying when the Lyriq V will go on sale but production is said to start “early 2025,” and pricing starts at $79,990 after destination.

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