Cadillac Lyriq Gets A Convenient Upgrade: Deployable Door Handles

Traditional pop-out handles will replace the button-action door handles.

By: Suvrat Kothari

Jul 18, 2023 at 1:05pm ET

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The 2024 Cadillac Lyriq will come with a small update that could make a big difference in terms of convenience. The electric SUV will get deployable door handles, according to a new report.

Earlier, the Cadillac Lyriq required occupants to press a button to unlock the front doors, and then pull the door open using a small shark fin-shaped handle mounted at the bottom of the windows. The rear doors only got the tiny grab handles. This meant that it was a two-step process, and passengers had to grab the door itself to open it.

After pressing the button, the doors made a robotic sound and opened a few inches by themselves after which users were required to pull them out further.

The 2024 model will ditch this button-action door feature for the familiar lever-action door handles, as per GM Authority. It’s not a downgrade by any means, as they’re electrified, and sit flush with the bodywork. These deployable door handles will pop out when the driver with the key fob approaches the EV. Like conventional handles, it will be a single-step process.

Gallery: 2024 Cadillac Lyriq

To recap, Cadillac offers the Lyriq in two specifications and three trims. First is the rear-wheel-drive model with 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. It gets an EPA-estimated range of 314 miles from a 102-kilowatt-hour Ultium battery pack. In the InsideEVs range test, it cruised past the EPA range and delivered 330 miles on a full charge.

The all-wheel-drive model’s dual motors produce 500 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. The range is slightly less compared to the RWD at an EPA-estimated 307 miles.

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In our fast charge test, the Lyriq charged at 188 kW at an Electrify America 350 kilowatt DC fast charger, close to Cadillac’s claim of 190 kW of peak charging rate. In the 20-80 percent charge test, the Lyriq added 150 miles range but only reached 68 percent SoC. Moreover, the charging speeds were inconsistent, increasing the charging time quite significantly.

In the first half of 2023, Cadillac sold 2,316 units of the Lyriq and hopes to increase its BEV sales with upcoming models like the Celestiq and Escalade IQ.