Compare the2026 Cadillac LyriqVS 2026 Mercedes EQS SUV

Both the Lyriq and EQS SUV have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Lyriq has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The EQS SUV’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Cadillac Lyriq has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The EQS SUV doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Cadillac Lyriq achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Mercedes EQS SUV has not been tested.

The Cadillac Lyriq comes with a standard HD Surround Vision, while the Mercedes EQS SUV doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the Lyriq and the EQS SUV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the Lyriq 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the EQS SUV. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the EQS SUV ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Lyriq’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the EQS SUV’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 47 percent more Cadillac dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Lyriq’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. With 10 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Cadillac higher than Mercedes.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

On the EPA test cycle the Lyriq gets better mileage than the EQS SUV:

The Lyriq can travel longer on a full charge than the EQS SUV on a full charge:

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

The Lyriq -V Premium handles at .87 G’s, while the EQS SUV pulls only .86 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 EQS SUV (25.2 seconds @ .79 average G’s vs. 26 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

The Cadillac Lyriq may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 700 pounds less than the Mercedes EQS SUV.

The Lyriq is 5.1 inches shorter than the EQS SUV, making the Lyriq easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The Lyriq has a much larger cargo volume than the EQS SUV with its rear seat up (28 vs. 22.7 cubic feet).

Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Lyriq, using the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the EQS SUV.

The Lyriq has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the EQS SUV.

The Lyriq is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the EQS SUV, 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 EQS SUV.

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 EQS SUV, 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.

The Lyriq Premium/Signature/V Series has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The EQS SUV doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Lyriq is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The EQS SUV doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Cadillac Lyriq outsold the Mercedes EQS SUV by almost 10 to one during 2025.