2024 Cadillac LYRIQ vs 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was a striking vehicle with a design that commanded attention. Its exterior styling was reminiscent of a long sedan, despite being an SUV, with a long hood and low ground clearance. The design drew inspiration from the classic Seville, featuring a long wheelbase, short tail, and wide track. The front of the LYRIQ was adorned with vertical light bars and a solid grille that incorporated lighting effects, creating a captivating light show when unlocking the car. The interior was meticulously crafted, with leather-wrapped seats, polished controls, and a sweeping 33-inch OLED display that was both functional and aesthetically pleasing. However, the floating center console was a design misstep, offering little practical space.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, on the other hand, took a more conservative approach to styling, drawing inspiration from the popular RAV4. It offered a spacious interior with seating for up to eight and ample cargo space. The Platinum trim added a touch of luxury with leather and artificial suede upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, and a smart, upscale appearance. The interior emphasized functionality, with logically laid-out controls and a climate system that was easy to use. However, the infotainment interface had some drawbacks, such as a small volume knob and the inability to view multiple main-menu screens simultaneously.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was built for long-distance comfort rather than sporty driving. It featured a dual-motor powertrain with 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, providing continuous all-wheel drive. The standard setup was a single rear motor with 340 hp and 325 lb-ft. The LYRIQ's 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack offered a claimed range of 314 miles with rear-wheel drive and 307 miles with all-wheel drive, though real-world testing showed closer to 260 miles. Charging was efficient, with the ability to top the battery to 80 percent in about 30 to 35 minutes. However, the LYRIQ's handling was hindered by its weight, resulting in understeer and uninspiring steering feel.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max focused on performance with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time AWD, producing 362 net horsepower. It offered satisfying acceleration and a traditional six-speed automatic transmission, avoiding the droning common in CVTs. The Hybrid Max had a fuel economy trade-off, achieving 27 mpg compared to the standard hybrid's 36 mpg. It could tow up to 5,000 pounds and provided a soft, isolating ride quality. Handling was secure but limited, with early tire scrub and squeal when pushed hard.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ had some build quality issues, with misaligned rear fenders and a motorized charging port that would drop open. The interior had functionality problems, such as a glovebox that couldn't be easily opened while driving and a small center cubby. The floating console offered little practical space, and the rotary selector for the touchscreen was difficult to use. Despite these issues, the LYRIQ provided generous headroom and legroom, though its cargo space was smaller than most compact SUVs, with 28 cubic feet behind the seats and 60.8 cubic feet when folded.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid offered comfortable seating in all three rows and nearly 100 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. The Platinum trim featured a Portobello interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, and supportive cushions. The second-row captain's chairs provided a pass-through to the third row, which was reasonably comfortable for adults and tall teens. The Grand Highlander offered 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 97.5 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ featured a 33-inch OLED screen with three sections, offering touch-enabled controls for lighting and gauge cluster layouts. 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, and the 19-speaker AKG stereo offered variable surround sound modes.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Toyota Connected Services provided features like a Wi-Fi hotspot and a digital voice assistant. The system was easy to use, though the inability to view multiple main-menu screens simultaneously and the low-contrast font were drawbacks. The Platinum trim included a head-up display, a digital rear-view mirror, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS. It came standard with 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.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering a comprehensive suite of safety features and driver-assistance technologies. It received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but fell short of the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating due to "Acceptable" ratings for headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection.