If you’re eyeing a 2025 Cadillac Lyriq, you’ve probably seen two very different stories: gorgeous luxury EV, and a laundry list of glitches and recalls. The truth on 2025 Cadillac Lyriq reliability lands somewhere in between, and that’s exactly what we’ll unpack here, with a focus on what this means if you’re buying or leasing one, especially used.
Quick take
2025 Cadillac Lyriq reliability at a glance
How the Lyriq is scoring so far
Taken together, the data paints a clear picture: the Lyriq is not a reliability leader. Early owners report a mix of trouble-free experiences and serious headaches, with a lot of variation car to car. The 2025 model year benefits from hardware changes and software updates, but it’s still built on a young EV platform with complex electronics and a dealer network learning as it goes.
How reliable is the Cadillac Lyriq so far?
Because the Lyriq launched for 2023 and volumes are still modest, we don’t have the long-term track record we’d like. But we do have three useful signals: independent reliability predictions, owner reviews, and real-world service stories.
What we know about Lyriq reliability today
Predictions, owner sentiment, and real service experiences
Independent predictions
Consumer testing organizations predict the Lyriq will be much less reliable than average, based largely on 2023–2024 owner surveys. Those surveys call out issues with in‑car electronics, charging, and some battery-related faults.
Owner reviews
Owner ratings on major sites skew positive overall, with many drivers praising comfort, performance, and styling. But a minority report major, repeat visits to the dealer for driver-assist glitches, charging failures, and electrical issues, sometimes leading to buybacks.
Service reality
Service experiences are uneven. Some owners report quick fixes; others see weeks-long waits for parts and dealers unfamiliar with Ultium EV diagnostics. Reliability isn’t just about what breaks, it’s also about how fast it’s fixed.
Key reliability takeaway
Common 2023–2025 Lyriq issues owners report
Patterns from 2023–2025 Lyriq owners point to a handful of recurring trouble spots. Not every vehicle will see these, but they’re common enough that you should know them before signing a contract.
Typical Lyriq trouble spots (2023–2025)
These are the most frequently mentioned reliability complaints from early Lyriq owners and surveys.
| System | Typical symptoms | How serious? | What to look for on a test drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| In‑car electronics | Frozen/black main screen, repeated error messages, hot infotainment screen, buggy radio or wireless charger | Annoying to potentially unsafe if you lose cameras or cluster | Cycle all screens, test cameras, audio, navigation, and wireless charging; note any lag or heat. |
| Driver-assist & safety | Adaptive cruise or lane-keep dropping out, random braking, collision-avoidance faults, driver assist unavailable messages | Can be safety-critical and very frustrating | Engage adaptive cruise and lane-keeping on a highway test; verify smooth, consistent behavior. |
| Charging & charge port | Won’t AC‑charge at home, finicky with some public Level 2 stations, charge-port door acting up, error messages mid‑charge | Can strand you or limit where you can charge | Test a Level 2 session if possible; open and close the charge-port door multiple times. |
| 12V & electrical accessories | 12‑volt battery failures, random warnings, trunk not opening, ambient lighting or exterior lights failing | Annoying, sometimes immobilizing | Check that every powered feature works, trunk, mirrors, lights, seats, HVAC, and look for warning lights. |
| Build quality & trim | Misaligned body panels, squeaks, rattles, charge-port door odd behavior | Mostly cosmetic, can affect long-term perception | Inspect panel gaps, listen for rattles on rough roads, and watch the charge port door open/close several times. |
Use this as a checklist when you test-drive or inspect a 2025 Lyriq, especially used.
Why issues feel so dramatic in EVs
Battery and charging reliability on the Lyriq
For many EV shoppers, battery reliability is the whole ballgame. The Lyriq uses GM’s Ultium battery architecture, which is shared across several GM EVs. So far, widespread high-voltage pack failures or rapid degradation are not a dominant theme. Instead, the issues you’re more likely to encounter relate to how the car manages charging and how its pack is mounted.
Lyriq battery & charging: what’s actually going wrong?
Most problems are around charging behavior and hardware mounting, not packs imploding.
Charging behavior & compatibility
- Some owners report AC charging failures at home or public Level 2 stations, while DC fast charging still works.
- Charge-port doors on early cars were clunky and occasionally problematic; Cadillac revised the mechanism at the end of the 2025 model year for smoother, more reliable operation.
- Software updates have aimed to improve charge behavior, but not all modules update over‑the‑air, dealers sometimes must perform them.
High-voltage battery mounting recall
- In 2025, GM recalled a small batch of Lyriqs for improperly secured battery attachment bolts, correcting loose or missing fasteners at the factory-service level.
- This recall is more about build process than design failure, but it underlines how important thorough inspection is if you’re buying used.
- Once corrected, this specific issue shouldn’t be a recurring concern, but always confirm recall repairs were done.
The good news on Lyriq batteries
Software, screens, and driver-assist gremlins
This is where the Lyriq earns its reputation, for better and worse. The sweeping screen and cutting-edge driver-assist tech are a big part of why people love the car, but they’re also where a disproportionate number of headaches live.
Infotainment & UI problems
- Frozen or black central display requiring a restart.
- Laggy or confusing settings menus, sometimes with duplicate or blank entries.
- Wireless phone charging that doesn’t work reliably with newer phones or OS versions.
- Screens running hot to the touch during use, worrying some owners.
These issues don’t always immobilize the car, but they affect your day-to-day experience and can knock out cameras or basic controls if they escalate.
Driver-assist & safety quirks
- Adaptive cruise or lane-keeping that drops out without warning or becomes unavailable.
- Unexpected braking events or warnings, which can feel unsafe.
- Systems that require repeated dealer visits and software updates to stabilize.
Because driver-assist features are supposed to reduce stress, not add it, this area heavily influences how owners feel about Lyriq reliability overall.
Why your dealer really matters
Recalls that affect the 2025 Cadillac Lyriq
By early 2026, the Lyriq has accumulated several recalls across 2023–2025 model years. Not every 2025 car is affected by every campaign, but if you’re shopping new inventory or especially used, you should verify that the VIN is clear of open recalls.
Major recall themes impacting Lyriq reliability perception
This list focuses on issues likely to matter to a 2025 buyer, exact campaign numbers may vary by VIN.
| Recall theme | Model years affected | Why it matters | What you should confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat-belt & restraint welds | Early 2023–2024 primarily | Potentially unsafe in a crash; quality-control red flag. | Dealer paperwork showing inspection and repair where required. |
| High-voltage battery attachment bolts | Limited 2025 batch | Loose or missing bolts could compromise crash performance or cause noise. | Inspection and torque check or bolt replacement completed; ask for documentation. |
| Electrical harness / insulation issues | Select early builds | Risk of shorts or warning lights; can trigger other electrical symptoms. | Verify no open campaigns, and ask if harness work has already been performed. |
| Software calibration & driver-assist updates | 2023–2025, ongoing | Fixes for driver-assist behavior, instrument-cluster bugs, charging quirks. | That the car has the latest software packages installed, not just infotainment updates. |
Always run a VIN check on the NHTSA site or with a dealer to confirm a specific Lyriq’s recall status.
How to check a Lyriq for recalls
2025 Lyriq reliability vs other luxury EVs
If you’re cross-shopping a 2025 Lyriq with other luxury EV SUVs, think Audi Q8 e‑tron, Genesis GV60/GV70 Electrified, Mercedes EQE SUV, Tesla Model Y/Model X, the natural question is where Cadillac lands on the reliability spectrum.
How the Lyriq stacks up
Looking at reliability, not just styling and features
Vs. Tesla Model Y/X
Tesla’s long-range EV experience hasn’t eliminated reliability complaints, panel gaps, suspension noises, and software bugs are common, but service processes and parts flow are more mature than Cadillac’s Ultium ecosystem. Lyriq often feels more luxurious inside, but Tesla is less of an unknown quantity long term.
Vs. Audi, BMW, Mercedes EVs
German luxury brands have their own electronic gremlins, yet their dealer networks are generally more practiced with high-tech vehicles. Lyriq’s predicted reliability scores are typically lower, but its purchase price and tax-credit eligibility can offset that risk for some buyers.
Vs. Korean EVs (Hyundai/Genesis/Kia)
Hyundai Motor Group EVs have battled some high-profile charging and software recalls, but many owners report relatively stable daily-driver experiences. Overall, the Lyriq tends to look like a higher-risk, higher-reward choice, gorgeous and distinctive, but with more variability in owner experience.
Buying new vs used Lyriq: reliability angles
A 2025 Lyriq can be appealing either brand-new or as an early used EV purchase a few years down the road. Reliability, warranty coverage, and price all shift depending on which path you choose.
Buying a new 2025 Lyriq
- You benefit from running hardware fixes (like the improved charge-port door mechanism late in 2025 production).
- You’ll have the full new-vehicle warranty, including EV-specific coverage on the battery and electric drive components.
- You’re more exposed to future software updates and recalls, which can be good (improvements) or frustrating (repeat trips to the dealer).
- If you lease, you essentially “time-box” your exposure to long-term reliability.
Buying a used 2025 Lyriq
- Early depreciation can make a lightly used Lyriq a strong value, especially compared with a new German luxury EV.
- You get a snapshot of how that individual car has behaved: look for service records, buybacks, or repeat complaints.
- Some early-build issues may already have been fixed, or, conversely, you may inherit a problem child someone else wanted to move on from.
- Buying through an EV-focused marketplace like Recharged adds a layer of screening: every vehicle includes a Recharged Score Report with verified battery health and service checks.
How Recharged can de‑risk a used Lyriq
How to inspect a used Lyriq for reliability red flags
Given the Lyriq’s mixed early track record, a casual walk-around isn’t enough. You want a structured approach that targets the systems most likely to cause frustration later.
Used Lyriq reliability checklist
1. Pull the full service history
Ask for dealer service printouts, not just verbal assurances. Look for <strong>repeat visits</strong> for the same issue (screens, driver assist, charging). Multiple attempts at the same repair can signal a chronic problem child.
2. Verify recall and campaign completion
Run the VIN through official recall tools and confirm in writing that all <strong>Lyriq-specific recalls and service campaigns</strong> have been performed. If anything is still open, build that into your price and timing expectations.
3. Deep-test the infotainment system
Spend at least 15–20 minutes parked and driving while cycling navigation, cameras, audio, Bluetooth, and wireless charging. Watch for lag, crashes, hot screens, or error messages. If it misbehaves on a short test, it won’t get better later.
4. Exercise driver-assist features
On a safe, open road, test adaptive cruise, lane‑keep assist, and emergency-braking alerts. The system should engage consistently and stay online. Any sudden dropouts or warning chimes deserve a second look, or a different vehicle.
5. Test AC charging in the real world
If possible, plug into a Level 2 charger (home or public) during your evaluation. Confirm the car starts charging quickly, stays connected, and shows sane estimated times. Flaky AC charging can turn into a recurring reliability headache.
6. Inspect build quality and noises
Check panel gaps, the alignment of doors and hatch, and the operation of the charge-port door. On a test drive over rough pavement, listen carefully for <strong>rattles or buzzes</strong> that hint at loose trim or rushed assembly.
Walk away power
So, should you trust the 2025 Cadillac Lyriq?
The 2025 Cadillac Lyriq is one of the most compelling-looking luxury EVs on the road. It rides well, the cabin feels special, and the Ultium powertrain delivers smooth, quiet power. From a pure driving and design standpoint, it’s a hit. Reliability is where the shine dulls a bit.
- Early reliability indicators and multiple recalls mean the Lyriq sits below average among luxury EVs for peace of mind.
- Most problems are software, electronics, and build-quality related, things you can often catch with a careful test and a good pre‑purchase inspection.
- Late‑build 2025 examples, with updated hardware and the latest software, are likely to be the safest bets.
- Leasing a new Lyriq can be a smart way to enjoy the car while limiting your exposure to long-term reliability questions.
If you’re the kind of buyer who can tolerate occasional software quirks in exchange for standout design and a refined driving experience, a carefully chosen 2025 Lyriq, especially one vetted with a thorough inspection and a battery‑health report, can be a satisfying choice. If you’d lose sleep over the possibility of dealer visits and software campaigns, you may be happier in a more proven EV or in a certified used Lyriq that’s already demonstrated a clean track record. Either way, taking the time to verify the specific vehicle in front of you matters far more than the brochure year printed on the back.
