2024 Cadillac LYRIQ vs 2023 Volkswagen Taos

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos was designed to appeal to a broad audience, offering affordability and practicality while maximizing passenger comfort. Despite its higher base price compared to the Jetta, the Taos quickly became Volkswagen's third-best selling model in the U.S. in 2022. The Taos SEL, with its bold 19-inch alloy wheels and Cornflower Blue paint, presented a stylish and sporty appearance that helped justify its higher price point. Inside, the Taos SEL offered a premium feel with light gray accents, gloss black trim, and leather seats, making it resemble a more affordable Audi. The spacious interior, nearly as roomy as the larger Tiguan, made it one of the largest small crossover SUVs available.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ, with its striking exterior styling, commanded attention on the road. Its design, reminiscent of the classic Seville, featured a long hood, low ground clearance, and a unique style. The vertical light bars, LED headlights, and illuminated grille added to its visual appeal. Inside, the LYRIQ showcased Cadillac's attention to detail with leather-wrapped seats, polished controls, and a sleek three-spoke steering wheel. The 33-inch OLED display was a standout feature, offering a modern and sophisticated touch. However, the floating center console and some functionality issues detracted from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the LYRIQ's spacious interior and advanced technology made it a compelling choice for luxury SUV buyers.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos was equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission for front-wheel drive models, while all-wheel drive versions featured a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Taos offered up to five driving modes and additional settings for the 4Motion AWD system. However, the powertrain's response was unpredictable, with occasional surges of torque and delays in response. Despite its sporty character, the Taos struggled with a lack of power compared to competitors like the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona N. The Taos SEL's firm and stable handling, combined with excellent visibility, made it enjoyable to drive, but the brake pedal feel was inconsistent, and wind and road noise were noticeable at highway speeds.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ, despite its sporty exterior, prioritized long-distance comfort over performance. The dual-motor powertrain in the test car delivered 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, providing continuous all-wheel drive. The standard setup featured a single rear motor with 340 hp and 325 lb-ft. The LYRIQ's 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack offered a range of 314 miles with rear-wheel drive and 307 miles with AWD, though real-world testing showed a slightly lower range. The LYRIQ's handling was hindered by its weight, resulting in understeer and uninspiring steering feel. While braking was strong, the regenerative braking system helped reduce stress on the friction brakes. Overall, the LYRIQ's performance was more suited for highway cruising than spirited driving.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos offered a range of interior options, with cloth seats in the S trim, CloudTex artificial leather in the SE, and real leather in the SEL. The SE and SEL trims included cold-weather features like heated side mirrors and front seats. The SEL test vehicle also featured rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climate control, and a panoramic sunroof. The Taos provided ample rear-seat space, with plenty of legroom and comfort for passengers. Cargo space was generous, with 27.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 65.9 cubic feet with the seats folded down, though slightly reduced in 4Motion models.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced some functionality issues, with misaligned rear fenders and a problematic charging port. The floating console and small center cubby limited storage options, while the glovebox was difficult to access while driving. Despite these issues, the LYRIQ offered generous headroom and legroom, with a spacious back seat. However, its cargo space was smaller than most compact SUVs, with 28 cubic feet behind the seats and 60.8 cubic feet when folded.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos came equipped with standard digital instrumentation, with an 8-inch screen for S and SE trims and a 10.25-inch display for the SEL. The infotainment system varied by trim, with the Taos S featuring a 6.5-inch touchscreen and the SE and SEL offering an 8-inch touchscreen with additional features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SEL also included a native navigation system and an eight-speaker Beats Audio sound system. However, the user experience was hindered by hidden virtual controls, a complicated radio tuning process, and ineffective voice-recognition technology.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ featured a 33-inch OLED screen with three sections, offering touch-enabled controls for lighting and trip information. The infotainment system ran native Google Maps and Google Assistant, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The available Super Cruise system provided hands-free driving capabilities, while the 19-speaker AKG stereo offered excellent sound quality. The LYRIQ's technology was a highlight, with simple menus and accurate navigation estimates.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos improved its standard safety features, with Front Assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert included in the Taos S. The SE trim added VW's IQ.Drive collection of advanced driver assistance systems, including lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and emergency assist. The Taos also featured a post-collision automatic braking system and automatic high-beam headlights. Travel Assist proved to be smooth and accurate during testing, while Lane Assist operated without irritation. Crash-test ratings from NHTSA and IIHS were decent but not perfect.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS at the time of writing. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and Cadillac's Safety Alert Seat. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera system, and rear emergency braking.