Walk into a luxury SUV showroom in Columbus with sixty thousand dollars and a simple question — should the next car plug in, or should it still take gasoline? The Cadillac salesperson will show you a silent Lyriq; the Lincoln salesperson will point at a Nautilus Hybrid and its six-hundred-mile range. Both are right.
The 2025 Cadillac Lyriq Luxury is the pure-electric answer: up to 326 miles of EPA range, starting at $58,595 before destination. The 2025 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid is the electrified-gasoline answer: 310 horsepower, 30 mpg combined, starting at $55,940 before destination in Premiere Hybrid form. One asks you to change how you refuel. The other asks you to change nothing at all.
The early verdict: if you can charge at home, the Lyriq Luxury is the smarter luxury buy — quicker, quieter, and cheaper to run. If you cannot charge at home, the Nautilus Hybrid never asks you to plan your life around a plug.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
| Performance | Cadillac Lyriq Luxury (AWD) | 515 hp and a 4.8-second 0–60 run in MotorTrend testing; the hybrid manages roughly 6.9 seconds |
| Range and refueling | Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid | 600 miles per tank and a five-minute fill-up anywhere; the Lyriq needs a home charger to shine |
| Interior technology | Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid | The 48-inch panoramic display is the biggest screen in the class, and BlueCruise is standard on every trim |
| Cargo and space | Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid | 36.4 cu ft behind the second row and 71.3 max, against 28.0 and 60.8 for the Lyriq |
| Towing | Cadillac Lyriq Luxury (AWD) | 3,500 lbs against 1,750 lbs — but only the all-wheel-drive Lyriq is rated to tow at all |
| Value | Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid | Starts about $2,650 lower, and the hybrid costs only $2,000 more than the gas Nautilus |
| Running costs | Cadillac Lyriq Luxury | Electricity beats premium gasoline on a per-mile basis, and there is no oil to change |
| Best for families | Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid | More cargo, more rear legroom, and no charging stops on the way to grandma's house |
At a Glance
| Spec | 2025 Cadillac Lyriq Luxury | 2025 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid |
| Powertrain | Single-motor RWD or dual-motor AWD electric; 102 kWh battery | 2.0L turbo I-4 + 100 kW electric motor (full hybrid) |
| Power | 365 hp (RWD) / 515 hp (AWD) | 310 hp combined |
| Torque | 325 lb-ft (RWD) / 450 lb-ft (AWD) | 295 lb-ft combined |
| Transmission | 1-speed direct drive | Continuously variable automatic (eCVT) |
| Drivetrain | RWD standard; AWD optional (+$3,500) | AWD standard on every trim |
| EPA range / economy | 326 mi (RWD) / 319 mi (AWD) | 30 city / 31 hwy / 30 combined mpg; ~600-mile range |
| Charging / fueling | 190 kW DC fast charging; ~86 miles in about 10 minutes | 20-gallon tank; 5-minute fill-up at any gas station |
| 0–60 mph | 5.7 sec (RWD, MotorTrend) / 4.8 sec (AWD, MotorTrend) | ~6.9–7.2 sec (independent tests; Lincoln publishes no figure) |
| Towing | 3,500 lbs (AWD only; RWD not rated to tow) | 1,750 lbs max |
| Cargo | 28.0 cu ft behind 2nd row; 60.8 cu ft max | 36.4 cu ft behind 2nd row; 71.3 cu ft max |
| Starting price | $58,595 + $1,395 destination (Luxury 1) | $55,940 + $1,595 destination (Premiere Hybrid) |
Design & Exterior
Parked side by side, these two SUVs could hardly look more different, and that is the first decision a buyer makes — with their eyes. The Lyriq is the showpiece: long, low, and deliberately dramatic, with a black crystal grille that lights up, vertical LED blades, and a sloping roofline. At 196.7 inches long it is the bigger car here.
The Nautilus is the quieter design, and no less handsome for it. Lincoln redesigned it for 2024: clean surfacing, a restrained grille, and proportions that make a 193.2-inch SUV look smaller than it is. Where the Lyriq shouts, the Nautilus murmurs — for buyers who want luxury without an audience, that restraint is a feature. It is also the more practical shape: its taller roofline and boxier tail are why it swallows more cargo.
Interior, Comfort & Technology
Open the doors and the contrast gets sharper, because each cabin is built around a different idea of what a screen should be. The Lyriq wraps its driver in a single 33-inch curved LED display running Google Built-In with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Luxury 1 already includes heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic fixed-glass roof, wireless phone charging, and 126-color ambient lighting. Step up to the Luxury 2 and you add Super Cruise hands-free driving, a 19-speaker AKG Studio audio system, ventilated front seats with lumbar massage, and a hands-free power liftgate. The Luxury 3 adds 22-inch wheels and heated rear seats.
The Nautilus answers with theater of a different kind: a 48-inch pillar-to-pillar panoramic display, the largest screen in this class, with an 11.1-inch touchscreen below it handling the controls. The Lincoln Digital Experience software runs Google built-in, just like the Cadillac's. Every 2025 Nautilus now includes a four-year BlueCruise hands-free subscription as standard, a genuine advantage over the Lyriq, where Super Cruise is reserved for the Luxury 2 and 3. Higher trims add massaging front seats and a 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D audio system.
Space is where the Lincoln pulls clearly ahead. Rear passengers get 43.1 inches of legroom against 39.6 in the Cadillac, and the cargo figures are not close: 36.4 cubic feet behind the second row and 71.3 with the seats folded, against 28.0 and 60.8 for the Lyriq. The Lyriq has no frunk.
Performance & Driving Feel
On the road, the performance gap is the most lopsided part of this comparison, and it favors the Cadillac by a wide margin — at least in all-wheel-drive form. The dual-motor Lyriq makes 515 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, and MotorTrend recorded a 4.8-second run to 60 mph. That is sports-sedan pace from a 5,800-pound SUV, delivered in total silence. The single-motor rear-drive Lyriq, with 365 horsepower, is still quick: MotorTrend tested it at 5.7 seconds.
The Nautilus Hybrid is not slow, just less eager. Its 2.0-liter turbo four and 100 kW electric motor combine for 310 horsepower and 295 pound-feet, and independent tests put it at roughly 6.9 to 7.2 seconds to 60 mph — Lincoln publishes no factory figure. That is about two seconds behind the all-wheel-drive Lyriq. Around town it feels perfectly adequate. Its real trick is not speed — it is doing all of this while returning 30 mpg combined.
Ride quality is closer than the acceleration numbers suggest. The Lyriq's low center of gravity — that 102 kWh battery sits under the floor — gives it a planted, settled feel. The Nautilus, especially in Reserve trim with its adaptive suspension, irons out broken Ohio pavement with a fluency the Cadillac cannot quite match. The honest summary: the Lyriq is the quicker car, the Nautilus is the more relaxing one.
Range, Charging & Fuel Economy
This is the section that decides the purchase for most buyers, so it deserves the plainest language we can manage. The Lyriq runs on electricity and nothing else. The rear-drive model is EPA-rated at 326 miles, the all-wheel-drive at 319 miles — up from 314 and 307 miles on the 2024 car. The catch is charging itself: the Lyriq peaks at 190 kW on a DC fast charger, and Cadillac quotes up to 86 miles of range in about 10 minutes. MotorTrend, citing Cadillac, puts a charge to 80 percent at roughly 45 minutes, and independent charging guides put a typical 10-to-80-percent session at around 35 minutes. Edmunds called it the slowest-charging luxury EV it had measured.
The Nautilus Hybrid asks none of those questions. It is a full hybrid, not a plug-in — there is no cord, no charger, and no electric-only range figure to worry about. It simply returns 30 mpg city, 31 highway, and 30 combined, and with a 20-gallon tank that works out to about 600 miles between fill-ups. A five-minute stop at any gas station in Ohio restores the full range. Edmunds matched 30 mpg combined in its own testing, though MotorTrend and The Drive both observed mid-20s mpg on highway-heavy drives.
So the honest math is this: if you have a garage where you can plug in overnight, the Lyriq's charging is a non-issue — you wake up every morning with a full battery. If you park on the street or live in an apartment without charging, the Nautilus Hybrid removes an entire category of planning from your life.
Safety & Driver Assistance
Both SUVs come well equipped, and both earned strong crash-test results — with one important asterisk on the Cadillac's side. The Nautilus earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award for 2025, the institute's highest honor. The Lyriq earned a five-star overall rating from NHTSA, with five stars in every individual category, and Good ratings in the IIHS crash tests too — but its headlights were rated Poor, which is why it did not earn a Top Safety Pick award.
The driver-assistance suites are both comprehensive and both standard. The Lyriq includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection, lane keeping and centering, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and a 360-degree camera on every trim. Super Cruise, GM's hands-free highway system, is standard on the Luxury 2 and 3. The Nautilus counters with Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Vision 2.2 as standard, plus BlueCruise hands-free driving with a four-year subscription included on every 2025 trim, including the base Premiere.
Pricing, Trims & Value
The pricing story starts close and then spreads apart. The Lyriq Luxury 1 opens at $58,595 before the $1,395 destination fee, or $59,990 with it. The Luxury 2 is $63,595, the Luxury 3 is $66,995, and all-wheel drive adds $3,500 to any trim. The Nautilus Hybrid opens lower: the Premiere Hybrid is $55,940 before the $1,595 destination fee, the Reserve Hybrid is $65,180, and the Black Label Hybrid is $79,130. The hybrid costs $2,000 more than the equivalent gas Nautilus
Compare like for like and the picture gets interesting. A Lyriq Luxury 2 with all-wheel drive — the cheapest Lyriq with Super Cruise — costs about $67,095 before destination. A Nautilus Reserve Hybrid, which includes BlueCruise, the 48-inch display, and a far roomier cabin, costs $65,180 before destination. The Lincoln is cheaper and better equipped at that point in the range. The Lyriq fights back on running costs: electricity is cheaper per mile than premium gasoline. One honest note: the $7,500 federal tax credit that once applied to the Lyriq expired on September 30, 2025, so do not count on it when you do the math.
Pros and Cons
2025 Cadillac Lyriq Luxury
Pros: Up to 326 miles of EPA range with zero gasoline; 515 hp and a 4.8-second 0–60 run in all-wheel-drive form; Super Cruise on Luxury 2 and 3; 3,500-pound towing on all-wheel-drive models; 5-star NHTSA overall rating; lower running costs than any gasoline rival.
Cons: Slow DC fast-charging curve for the class — roughly 45 minutes to 80 percent; rear-drive models cannot tow at all; smaller cargo area than the Nautilus; no frunk; IIHS Poor headlights mean no Top Safety Pick award.
2025 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid
Pros: 30 mpg combined and a 600-mile range with five-minute fill-ups anywhere; the biggest cabin and cargo area here (36.4 / 71.3 cu ft); the 48-inch panoramic display; BlueCruise standard on every trim; IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for 2025; MotorTrend 2025 SUV of the Year.
Cons: Slower than the Lyriq by about two seconds to 60 mph; only 1,750 pounds of towing; needs premium gasoline for peak power; the hybrid costs $2,000 more than the gas Nautilus.
Who Should Buy Which?
Buy the Cadillac Lyriq Luxury if you have a place to charge at home, you want the quickest and quietest car in this comparison, and you like the idea of never buying gasoline again. It is the pick for commuters with a garage — provided you choose the all-wheel-drive model, because the rear-drive Lyriq is not rated to tow at all. The Luxury 2 with all-wheel drive is the sweet spot: Super Cruise, the 19-speaker AKG audio, and 515 horsepower for about $67,095 before destination.
Buy the Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid if you cannot charge at home, you regularly drive long distances, or you simply want the roomiest and most relaxing SUV for the money. It is the pick for families who need cargo space and road-trippers who want 600 miles between stops. The Reserve Hybrid is the sweet spot: BlueCruise, the Revel audio, and the adaptive suspension for $65,180 before destination — less than the comparable Lyriq, with more room inside.
Final Verdict
These are two excellent answers to the same question, and the right one depends on a single fact about your life: can you charge at home? If the answer is yes, the Lyriq Luxury is the better luxury SUV for most buyers. It is quicker, quieter, cheaper to run, and it goes farther on a charge than most drivers will ever need in a day. The Lincoln is the car you admire for its screen and its space; the Cadillac is the car you buy when the math and the driveway both point the same way.
If the answer is no — no garage, no charger, no patience for planning road trips around charging stops — then the Nautilus Hybrid wins, and it wins clearly. It is roomier, it goes twice as far between fill-ups, it refuels in five minutes anywhere in Ohio, and it carries the IIHS Top Safety Pick+. The one we would take home, given a garage with a charger, is the Lyriq Luxury 2 AWD. Given an apartment and a 600-mile road trip ahead, it is the Nautilus Reserve Hybrid. Which one fits your driveway? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper to own, the Lyriq Luxury or the Nautilus Hybrid?
The Lyriq is cheaper per mile to run — electricity costs less than premium gasoline, and there is no oil to change — but the Nautilus Hybrid starts about $2,650 lower and needs no home charger.
Can the 2025 Cadillac Lyriq tow?
Yes, but only with all-wheel drive — the dual-motor Lyriq is rated to tow 3,500 pounds. The single-motor rear-drive Lyriq is not rated to tow at all.
How long does the Lyriq take to charge?
The Lyriq peaks at 190 kW, and Cadillac quotes up to 86 miles of range in about 10 minutes. MotorTrend puts a charge to 80 percent at roughly 45 minutes, and independent charging guides put a typical 10-to-80-percent session at around 35 minutes.
Is the 2025 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid a plug-in hybrid?
No. It is a full hybrid — the 2.0-liter turbo engine and the electric motor work together, and the battery recharges itself while you drive. There is no cord and no charging, which is why it returns 30 mpg combined and about 600 miles of range.
Which SUV is safer, the Lyriq or the Nautilus Hybrid?
The Nautilus carries the stronger award record: it earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for 2025. The Lyriq earned a five-star overall rating from NHTSA, but its headlights were rated Poor, which kept it from earning a Top Safety Pick award.
Related reading: our Cadillac Lyriq Sport vs Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV luxury EV face-off, our Lincoln Nautilus Reserve vs Lexus RX 350 Premium luxury SUV buyer's guide, and our Chevrolet Equinox EV LT vs Hyundai Ioniq 5 SEL electric SUV buying guide.
By Stefany Aurora, ABBOhio Editorial. Prices are US MSRP before destination unless noted, and were verified against manufacturer and independent sources in November 2026.
