Ford Explorer 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, 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 nine LED headlights that performed a light show upon unlocking. The grille varied across trims, with the Sport trim showcasing a dark triangular motif. The vehicle's imposing presence was enhanced by 22-inch wheels, while the wraparound taillights and steeply raked glass window added to its unique style.

Inside, the LYRIQ boasted a luxurious interior with attention to detail. The seats featured C-shaped headrests and were leather-wrapped, offering the expected support and adjustments of a luxury brand. The interior was adorned with polished black and chrome accents, and the armrest was padded with leather and trimmed with aluminum. The steering wheel and air vents had unique designs, adding to the vehicle's retro charm. However, the floating centre console was a design misstep, offering no usable space underneath. The 33-inch OLED display was a standout feature, seamlessly integrated into the interior without dominating the space.

The 2025 Ford Explorer continued to build on its sleek design with a refreshed front end that gave it a wider and more rugged appearance. The rear featured new LED taillights that bled into the liftgate, connected by a trim strip with the SUV's name. The Explorer's interior saw significant improvements, with upgraded materials, design, and displays that made it competitive in its segment. The vehicle offered a range of trims, including the new base trim called Active, the sporty ST-Line, the luxurious Platinum, and the performance-tuned ST.

During a Ford-sponsored driving event, the Explorer's ST-Line trim was highlighted, featuring extra-cost blue paint, a Premium Package, and an ST-Line Street Pack. The interior of the ST-Line was comfortable, with heated power-adjustable front seats and ambient interior lighting. The second-row captain's chairs were as comfortable as the front seats, but the third row was less accommodating for adults. The Explorer offered competitive cargo space, with a new tray in the dashboard for added storage. Overall, the 2025 Explorer presented a well-rounded package with a focus on comfort and practicality.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was designed for long-distance comfort rather than sporty driving. It excelled on highways, offering a calm and poised ride with plenty of power from its dual-motor powertrain, which produced 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. The standard setup was a single rear motor with 340 hp and 325 lb-ft. The LYRIQ's 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack provided a claimed range of 505 kilometres with rear-wheel drive and 494 km with all-wheel drive. However, real-world testing showed a range closer to 420 kilometres. Charging was efficient, with the battery topping up to 80 percent in about 30 to 35 minutes at DC fast charging stations.

Despite its power, the LYRIQ's handling was hindered by its weight of 2,630 kilograms, leading to understeer and uninspiring steering feel. The vehicle lacked handling-enhancing features like torque vectoring and magnetic dampers. Braking was strong, but the weight raised concerns about durability under hard use, especially when towing. Regenerative braking was available to ease the load on the friction brakes.

The 2025 Ford Explorer offered two EcoBoost engine options: a turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, and a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 with 400 hp and 415 lb-ft. All Explorers in Canada came with a 10-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The Explorer's driving modes included Eco, Normal, Sport, Slippery, Trail, Tow/Haul, and Deep Snow/Sand. The turbo four provided quick acceleration, while the V6 offered fast acceleration and a pleasant sound.

The Explorer's ride and handling were commendable, with a firm suspension that restricted unwanted body motions while ensuring comfort. The ST-Line's larger wheels and performance brakes enhanced its performance capability. The Explorer ST showcased its performance chops on an autocross course, while the Platinum trim demonstrated the V6's acceleration and sound. The Explorer's fuel economy varied depending on the engine, with the turbo four achieving 11.9 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 8.7 on the highway.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced challenges with 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 rotary selector for the touchscreen was less intuitive than direct touch interaction. Drive mode selection required navigating multiple menus, and the metal door handles were easily mistaken for window switches. Despite these issues, the LYRIQ offered generous headroom and legroom, with a spacious back seat. However, its cargo space was limited, measuring 793 litres behind the seats and 1,722 litres when folded.

The 2025 Ford Explorer offered seating for six in its standard configuration, with an optional second-row bench seat increasing capacity to seven. The ST-Line trim featured comfortable front seats with black artificial leather upholstery and cloth inserts. The second-row captain's chairs were equally comfortable, but the third row was less accommodating for adults. The Explorer's storage space was competitive, with a new tray in the dashboard for added convenience. Cargo space measured 461 litres behind the third-row seat, 1,302 litres behind the second-row seats, and a maximum of 2,429 litres.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ featured a 33-inch OLED screen with three sections, offering touch-enabled controls for lighting, the 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, with a helpful coloured bar on the steering wheel indicating system status. The 19-speaker AKG stereo offered variable surround sound modes, enhancing the audio experience.

The 2025 Ford Explorer introduced the Ford Digital Experience, featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The system included Google Built-in, Amazon Alexa Built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. A 5G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot was available, and web browser apps provided internet access. The system was user-friendly, with Google Maps and Google Assistant offering reliable navigation and voice command capabilities. The Explorer also offered B&O sound systems by Bang & Olufsen, with the ST-Line featuring 10 speakers and the Platinum and ST boasting 14 speakers and 980 watts of power.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ came standard with forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic braking, and Cadillac's Safety Alert Seat. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera system, and a rear camera displayed on the rearview mirror. 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 Ford Explorer featured Ford CoPilot 360 Assist+, which included adaptive cruise control with lane-centring assist technology. The ST-Line trim and higher offered Ford CoPilot 360 2.0, adding a surround-view camera system and BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system. The Explorer earned five-star side-impact and four-star rollover resistance ratings from the NHTSA. The IIHS rated the Explorer's crash performance well but gave marginal ratings for the headlights on Active, ST-Line, and ST trims, while the Platinum's headlights received a good rating.