HERNDON, Va. — It was, for most of the 20th century, the "Standard of the World." And while, on most levels, that phrase was more marketing spin than automotive reality, Cadillacs — and especially postwar Cadillacs — spoke to both America’s excellence and its aspirations. In the automotive hierarchy established by GM chairman Alfred Sloan, Cadillac stood at the top of the General’s food chain, unrivaled in its resources, and not yet blemished by the sharing of drivetrains or platforms.

Also of note: It was big in pop culture and, significantly, embraced by those creating that culture. Hank Williams died in one, Elvis might have lived in one (were it not for Graceland), and the Ghostbusters went busting in one. If you had the money, Cadillac was your ride. And if you didn’t have the money (or you were Driving Miss Daisy) you bought a nice one used.

That, of course, was then. And Cadillac’s all-new Lyriq EV is — we will hope — the now. This isn’t GM’s first foray into electrification, although it was GM providing the umbrella with the 1990 EV1, while Chevy conducted the "electric light orchestra," beginning with the plug-in Volt in 2010 and the all-electric Bolt for 2017. Cadillac, of course, took longer, given that many in its owner base have shares of Exxon/Mobil — or have their own wells.

Cadillac’s Lyriq looks to be a credible start. Stretching over 16 feet on a wheelbase of 122 inches, the Lyriq has a presence not evident on many of those competitive models, a few of which come from Porsche (Macan EV), Genesis (GV70) or Volvo (EX90). The sheetmetal has an edge, while the front fascia is appropriate to both Cadillac’s history and this century’s concept of design. There’s a little more wagon in its profile than SUV, but the finished product is still substantial, weighing 5,600 pounds, and that’s without kids or pets or the stuff that goes with them.

The dash is dominated by the big screen, here measuring some 33 inches of curved OLED touchscreen. And most of these 33 inches are intuitive, but there’s still more distraction from the main task — driving the damn thing — than I regard as necessary. And the transmission control has been moved to a stalk attached to the steering column, which frees the console area for what I regard as wasted space.

There is a nice bin beneath the console, but iPhone charging is relegated to a vertical space on the console; you can charge your phone, but you can’t see it while charging, which makes it less than useful for navigation.

Room for four is good, and the fifth on the rear bench can handle a lunch run or dinner hour. Passenger volume is 107 cubic feet, while with the rear seat up you’ll enjoy 28 cubic feet for cargo. If the rear seat is folded you’ll have over 60 cubic feet for luggage, athletic gear or manservant. Again, its profile leans toward wagon, so the Lyriq doesn’t offer the vertical height of a true SUV or Crossover. But you probably have an Escalade in the garage, anyway…

On the road, there is all the substance and composure the Cadillac imprint suggests. The 300+ miles of range is supplied by the rear-wheel drive Lyriq, and there’s a lot to be said for the psychological well-being of 300 miles when compared to the more typical 200+ miles of range. Opt for all-wheel drive and the range is decreased, but then, so is your all-season angst.

At the end of the day, I wish the Lyriq was smaller and more tossable, but there’s a lot to like in both its presence and presentation. Base price is about $60,000, while it tops out at something around $75K. And with the aggressive nature of EV marketing, Cadillac is currently offering a low-mileage two-year lease for just $349/month. (That’s with almost $5K down, plus taxes, title and license.)

In its design and execution Cadillac’s Lyriq may not be the "Standard of the World," but it might set the standard in your gated community.

— David Boldt (MyCarData)