Dodge Durango vs Cadillac LYRIQ

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was a striking vehicle with a design that commanded attention. Its exterior styling was reminiscent of a long sedan, with a long hood and low ground clearance, drawing inspiration from the classic Seville Elegante of the early 1980s. The LYRIQ featured vertical light bars with nine LED headlights that performed a light show upon unlocking, surrounded by a solid grille with lighting effects. The Sport trim had a more subdued appearance with a dark triangular motif. The vehicle's wraparound taillights and fender-mounted vertical lights created a unique and imposing presence, especially when paired with 22-inch wheels. Inside, the LYRIQ boasted luxurious details, including leather-wrapped seats, polished window switches, and a sweeping 33-inch OLED display. However, the floating centre console was a design misstep, offering little usable space.

In contrast, the 2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, particularly with the Silver Bullet special edition package, exuded a more aggressive and expressive look. The satin black hood, unique wheels, dark badges, and black exhaust tips added visual attitude to the SUV. Inside, the Durango maintained a subdued yet premium feel with dark red Nappa leather seats and a suede headliner. The cabin was solidly constructed, though some plastic surfaces detracted from the overall luxury feel. The Durango's interior was designed for comfort, with heated and ventilated front seats, a leather and suede-wrapped steering wheel, and thoughtful storage solutions. Despite its performance-oriented nature, the Durango offered a spacious and comfortable environment for passengers.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was designed for long-distance comfort rather than sporty driving. With over 800 kilometres of testing, it excelled on highways, offering a calm and poised ride. The dual-motor powertrain 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 claimed range of 505 kilometres with rear-wheel drive and 494 km with AWD, though real-world testing showed closer to 420 kilometres. Charging was efficient, with the battery reaching 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 braking system was strong, but the vehicle's heft raised concerns about its performance under hard use.

The 2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, on the other hand, was a powerhouse with a 710-horsepower supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine producing 645 pound-feet of torque. It accelerated to 96 km/h in 3.5 seconds and reached a top speed of 290 km/h. The Durango's towing capacity was impressive at 3,945 kilograms. Despite its power, the Durango's fuel economy was poor, with ratings of 20.5 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 13.8 on the highway. The SUV's performance was enhanced by a full-time AWD system, electronic limited-slip rear differential, and a competition-tuned adaptive damping suspension. The Durango's handling was firm yet comfortable, with excellent grip and braking capabilities. It performed admirably on mountainous roads, rivaling sport and performance-tuned German alternatives.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced challenges in terms of build quality and functionality. Misaligned rear fenders, a loose motorized charging port, and a problematic pull-out tray in the dash were notable issues. The glovebox was inconvenient to access while driving, and the floating console offered limited space. The centre cubby was small, and the rotary selector for the touchscreen was less intuitive than direct touch. Drive mode selection required navigating multiple menus. Despite these drawbacks, the LYRIQ provided generous headroom and legroom, with a spacious back seat. However, its cargo space was limited, offering 793 litres behind the seats and 1,722 litres when folded.

In contrast, the 2025 Dodge Durango excelled in form and function. The SUV offered a roomy and comfortable interior with heated and ventilated front seats, a leather-and-suede-wrapped steering wheel, and a large centre console with ample storage. The second-row captain's chairs provided good leg support, and the third-row seat offered enough room for adults. The Durango's cargo space was impressive, with 487 litres behind the third row, expanding to 1,226 litres with the third row folded, and a maximum volume of 2,409 litres. The power liftgate was conveniently placed for easy access.

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

The 2025 Dodge Durango came equipped with a Uconnect 5 infotainment system featuring a 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a native navigation system. The system supported dual-phone Bluetooth pairing and wireless smartphone charging. The SRT Hellcat included SRT Performance Pages for tracking performance metrics. The test vehicle featured a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, providing excellent sound quality.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ came standard with forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Cadillac's Safety Alert Seat. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system. The LYRIQ received a poor rating for its headlights from the IIHS and an acceptable mark for its front pedestrian collision avoidance system. It had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA.

The 2025 Dodge Durango's safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keep assist. However, its safety ratings were less impressive, with a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a three-star rollover resistance rating. The IIHS raised concerns about its performance in the small overlap frontal-impact test.