The 2024 Cadillac Lyriq had high hopes for safety accolades but fell short of earning the prestigious IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating. Stricter criteria and a glaring flaw in headlight performance kept it off the list. Let’s break down the details and see how other EVs fared.
Tougher Standards, Tougher Competition
The IIHS raised the bar for safety in 2024. To earn a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award, vehicles must achieve:
- A “Good” rating in small front-overlap and updated side crash tests.
- “Acceptable” or “Good” pedestrian crash prevention scores.
- Headlights rated at least “Acceptable” across all trims.
While some EVs rose to the challenge, the Lyriq’s “Poor” headlight rating disqualified it from either award.
New Winners in the EV Space
The latest round of testing brought new winners to the Top Safety Pick+ list:
- Ford Mustang Mach-E (2024)
- Rivian R1S (2025)
Additionally, plug-in hybrids like the Mazda CX-70 (2025) and the Volvo XC90 (2024-2025) joined the ranks. However, no new EVs or PHEVs were added to the second-tier Top Safety Pick list this time.
The Lyriq’s Missed Opportunity
Cadillac introduced the Lyriq in 2023 as a luxury EV contender. Despite minor updates and a price cut for the 2025 model, its headlights remain a critical weak point. The IIHS flagged this shortcoming as a key reason the Lyriq failed to meet the award criteria.
The Lyriq did score well in other areas, including crash tests, but those strengths weren’t enough to offset its poor headlight performance.
Room for Improvement
Automakers often tweak their models in response to IIHS feedback. While Cadillac hasn’t announced plans to address the Lyriq’s headlight issues, changes could filter into later production runs. This could boost the Lyriq’s chances in future evaluations.
Looking Ahead
As EVs continue to flood the market, safety remains a crucial selling point. Cadillac has some catching up to do if it wants the Lyriq to compete with top-rated models like the Mach-E and R1S.
Stay tuned to see if the Lyriq can turn things around and secure a spot among the safest EVs on the road.
