Compare the2027 Cadillac Lyriq VS 2026 Tesla Model Y

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Lyriq are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model Y doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Lyriq’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Model Y doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Lyriq has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model Y doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Lyriq and the Model Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Cadillac Lyriq weighs 1132 to 1797 pounds more than the Tesla Model Y. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Cadillac Lyriq is safer than the Tesla Model Y:

	Lyriq	Model Y
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	18.8%	25%
Neck Stress	180 lbs.	210 lbs.
Neck Compression	24 lbs.	68 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	96/127 lbs.	298/427 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Cadillac Lyriq is safer than the Tesla Model Y:

	Lyriq	Model Y
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	118	358
Spine Acceleration	31 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	355 lbs.	567 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	39 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are almost 3 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Lyriq’s warranty.

The Lyriq has more powerful engines than the Model Y:

	Horsepower	Torque
Lyriq electric motor	365 HP	325 lbs.-ft.
Lyriq electric motors	515 HP	450 lbs.-ft.
Lyriq-V electric motors	615 HP	650 lbs.-ft.
Model Y electric motor	295 HP	309 lbs.-ft.
Model Y AWD electric motors	397 HP	389 lbs.-ft.
Model Y Performance electric motors	460 HP	487 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Car and Driver the Cadillac Lyriq electric motor is faster than the Tesla Model Y electric motor:

	Lyriq	Model Y
Zero to 60 MPH	5.7 sec	5.9 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	2.3 sec	2.4 sec

The Lyriq can travel longer on a full charge than the Model Y on a full charge:

			Miles
Lyriq
	RWD	Electric Motor	326 miles
	AWD	Electric Motors	319 miles
Model Y
	RWD	Standard 18" Wheels Electric Motor	321 miles
		Standard 19" Wheels Electric Motor	321 miles
	AWD	Performance Electric Motors	306 miles

For better stopping power the Lyriq-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Model Y:

	Lyriq-V	Model Y
Front Rotors	15.4 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	13.6 inches	13.2 inches

The Lyriq stops much shorter than the Model Y:

	Lyriq	Model Y
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the Lyriq has larger standard tires than the Model Y (265/50R20 vs. 235/55R18). The Lyriq’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (275/40R22 vs. 255/35R21).

The Lyriq’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Model Y Standard’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Lyriq has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Model Y Standard. The Lyriq’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels on the Model Y Performance.

The Cadillac Lyriq’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Tesla Model Y only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires standard on the Lyriq can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Model Y doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Lyriq has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Lyriq flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Lyriq’s wheelbase is 8 inches longer than on the Model Y (121.8 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Lyriq is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model Y.

The Lyriq -V Premium handles at .87 G’s, while the Model Y Premium AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Lyriq -V Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Model Y Premium RWD (25.2 seconds @ .79 average G’s vs. 25.7 seconds @ .77 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Lyriq has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y Premium AWD (7 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the Lyriq to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Lyriq Premium/Signature/V Series uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Model Y doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Lyriq has 2.5 inches more front legroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room, 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, 3.5 inches more rear hip room and 4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model Y.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model Y, the Lyriq has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Lyriq (except Luxury/Premium) offers an available heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model Y doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Lyriq’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Lyriq has standard extendable sun visors. The Model Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Cadillac Lyriq has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Model Y Premium/Performance.

The Lyriq Premium/Signature/V Series has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model Y.

The Lyriq is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the Model Y, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Lyriq offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the Model Y.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Lyriq equipped with available HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The Model Y, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Cadillac Lyriq empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

Compared to the Tesla Model Y’s traditional radio, the Cadillac Lyriq equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.