2004 Cadillac SRX Review

Cadillac keeps coming up with surprises that promise to pull it closer to the top of the luxury vehicle group, which is dominated by foreign nameplates. The latest surprise is the SRX sport-utility "crossover'' vehicle, which has car and sport-ute attributes.

The SRX is Cadillac's first car-based sport-ute, being built from the same platform as Cadillac's rear-drive CTS sedan. That's unusual because most crossover vehicles are derived from front-drive sedans. (The SRX also is offered with all-wheel drive.)

The four-door SRX is five inches longer than the CTS at 195 inches, and that length, a taller height than the CTS and rather narrow width for this type vehicle make it look much like a tall station wagon. It's higher than a car, but not as high as a truck-based sport-ute, and thus is easier to enter.

Station wagon is an unwanted description in the U.S. auto industry because it's feared that many mostly older baby boomers will think a wagon is too domesticated -- and thus undesirable. But prestigious European automakers think wagons are just fine and sell popular ones here.

The SRX looks slick, whether you call it a sport-ute, crossover or wagon. It has Cadillac's fairly new crisp-edged styling to make it readily identifiable as a Cadillac, but backs off a bit from the edgy CTS styling to give it a more elegant appearance.

Getting in calls for more effort than one might expect from a car-based sport-ute because of rather high door sills. The CTS provides room for up to seven passengers with an available third-row seat -- or has space for five adults with two rows of seats. However, the center of the second-row seat, which slides fore and aft, is too firm for comfort on anything but short trips. The third-row seat is difficult to reach and is best suited to children.

Cargo room is good with two rows of seats, especially with second-row seatbacks folded forward. There's scant cargo space with the third-row seat in its normal position, but it deftly -- if slowly -- power folds into the floor at the push of a button to enlarge the cargo area.

The 260-horsepower V-6 version of the SRX costs $37,995, while the 320-horsepower V-8 versions lists at $46,300. Both engines work with a responsive five-speed automatic transmission, which has a separate manual shift gate that works well. However, the transmission gear position is displayed in the main instrument pod only during the manual shift mode; otherwise a driver must look to the floor console for the gear position.

All-wheel drive is optional at $1,900 as a stand-alone option and also is offered in a pricey $7,145 package that contains such items as a navigation system, Bose sound system and General Motor's innovative Magnetic Ride Control Suspension.

Cadillac says the SRX "drives like a sport sedan,'' but that's an exaggeration. It does have precise speed-sensitive variable-effort steering, confident handling and an easily modulated brake pedal. Stopping power is OK but sportier car-based sport-utes such as the Infiniti FX45 and Porsche Cayenne have shorter stopping distances.

The ride is smooth, with the suspension easily soaking up bumps and pot holes. However, it occasionally became bouncy on wavy pavement.

The all-wheel-drive system lacks low-range gearing for rugged off-road driving, but makes the SRX more stable on slippery roads.

Standard are traction control and anti-lock brakes, as are front side air bags and head-protecting side curtain air bags for the first two seating rows. GM's OnStar telematics assistance system also is standard.

The V-8 provides strong acceleration, but don't count on the V-6 matching it; that's because even the V-6 version of the SRX is heavy at 4,164 pounds with rear-drive and 4,320 pounds with all-wheel drive. The V-8 version weighs up to 4,442 pounds with all-wheel drive.

Expect mile-per-gallon figures to be in the mid-teens in the city and low 20s on the highway. Cadillac recommends premium fuel for the best performance.

The SRX is well-equipped. Even the V-6 version has virtually all the comfort and convenience and safety items you'd expect in most luxury cars. The V-8 version adds such items as rear air conditioning, heated front seats, power adjustable pedals and wood interior trim.

Options include a $1,200 rear-seat DVD entertainment system, $325 XM satellite radio and $1,800 UltraView power sunroof. There's also a $2,400 UltraView Plus power sunroof that includes a vented glass roof over the third-row seat and a power sunshade.

The quiet interior looks good, but foreign rivals generally do a better job with the appearance of their cockpits. Speedometer and tachometer numbers should be larger for an easier read. The steering wheel tilts manually, but some competitors offer power tilt-telescopic steering wheel operation.

The SRX is above-average in many respects, but lower-cost foreign rivals such as the Acura MDX, Infiniti FX and Lexus RX 330 are tough competitors.

CADILLAC SRX

Prices
$37,995-$46,300

Likes
Fast with V-8. Fluid handling. Roomy. Mostly smooth ride. Available all-wheel drive.

Dislikes
Tall doorsills. Occasionally bouncy ride. Small gauge numbers.