2010 Cadillac SRX – Click above for high-res image gallery
The first generation Cadillac SRX brought General Motors' premium brand into the crossover segment, providing better fuel economy compared to similarly sized SUVs while also delivering significantly improved driving dynamics. We bought into that first-generation, rear-wheel-drive SRX when we reviewed it way back in 2007, but the luxury car-buying public apparently wasn't all that interested. Sales of the sharp handling SRX never took off, largely keeping Cadillac off of the luxury crossover gravy train long dominated by the Lexus RX 350.
Cadillac hopes to change its crossover fortunes with the introduction of the all-new 2010 SRX. This time out, the SRX is very different from the one it replaces, with a fundamental shift from a rear-wheel drive platform (with available all-wheel drive) to a front-drive setup (also with available AWD). Along with that shift in powered wheels, the 2010 model goes with smaller, more efficient powertrains. Cadillac doesn't try to hide the fact that the new SRX is gunning for the RX, but GM's designers and engineers didn't want to simply copy the strong-selling Lexus. Cadillac wanted its crossover to be more expressive inside and out, with state-of-the-art tech and superior driving dynamics.
Cadillac has already won a big battle with the Lexus in undercutting its entry price by some $3,500. The SRX starts at $34,115 while the base RX comes in at a more sobering $37,675 with delivery. Optioned out, though, the two vehicles come closer in price. Our Radiant Silver 2010 SRX tester came equipped with Cadillac's mid-level Performance Collection, which carries an MSRP of $45,820 including destination charges.
Among the option boxes ticked for our tester were all-wheel drive, 20-inch alloys, a navigation system and a moonroof. Our tester also came equipped with the standard 265 horsepower, direct-injected 3.0-liter V6 engine mated to a six speed automatic transmission. An uplevel, turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 capable of 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque will be available this Fall.
One common complaint about the outgoing SRX is that its styling was both startling and stale. The wreath-and-crest brand applied its "Art and Science" design aesthetic to the crossover body style, which resulted in acres of flat sheetmetal and creases sharp enough to cut cheese. While we didn't mind that car's styling, some accused it of looking more like a tall wagon than a conventional crossover, and prevailing thought has it that lower-to-the-ground aesthetic harmed sales. Thus, Cadillac designers have changed all that in a big way, giving the model more traditional upright proportions with dimensions very similar to that of the benchmark Lexus.
With less interior volume than its predecessor, the SRX has lost its third row of seats, but since those were only suitable for small children, we're guessing the empty nesters and young professionals that Cadillac is targeting won't miss them.
To bring the design of the SRX closer to the rest of the Cadillac family, designers have incorporated the next generation of the aformentioned Art & Science design cues. An in-your-face grille punctuated by a big badge resting between two huge, uniquely-shaped HID headlights give the front end a look that is unmistakably Cadillac. An elegant, sweeping roofline and a wide stance with a muscular looking beltline lend the SRX a suitably sporting appearance. Team Cadillac punctuated the SRX with long, vertical taillights that have long been a trademark design element for the brand.
Cadillac is hoping that luxury crossover buyers looking for brash, no-excuses exterior styling will find the SRX well suited to their wants, and it passes the Autoblog eye exam. But to seal the deal, the SRX needs to flat-out nail the interior test. Once inside the SRX, all eyes are drawn to the cabin's impressive center stack. With a jewel-like analog clock, high-end materials and the massive (and we mean truly huge) retractable nav screen in our tester, it's hard not to stare.
The seats are supportive and generous in size, the dual stitched dash is soft and pliable to the touch, and the thick, leather-stitched steering wheel is a joy to hold. We also found that the wheel's control buttons were easy to use, which is important considering all the tech and features at the driver's finger tips. Cadillac has also taken great pains to keep noise out of the cabin, and we were able to hold a conversation with passengers in the rear seats without raising our voices. And if you must have a moonroof, the SRX has got a good one. The large expanse of overhead glass was a topic of conversation for all who entered the SRX, as its absolutely huge dimensions gives occupants an unencumbered view of the world above them.
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