COOL CADDY CROSSOVER

by Casey Williams

Cadillac and the 1950s are inextricable – both having come from the age of rock-and-roll, pompadours, pink trousers, and some of the most memorable voices of the last century. Elvis, Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and other aspiring superstars drove Cadillacs. Befinned, bechromed, and powered to fly, they were the height of cool…as is the Cadillac SRX among more mortal crossovers. Still sifting through the carnage wrought by 2009, we need a little 1950s optimism.
For 2010, Cadillac completely re-designed and re-engineered the SRX. The vehicle was moved from the Cadillac CTS’ vehicle architecture to one at least loosely based on the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain. A third-row seat is no longer available for club hopping and friend gathering, but the marketing wizards dropped the price several thousand dollars in exchange. SRX becomes a true crossover and not just a station wagon in cloak.
It is flash style, slashed in your face and refreshing for its invigoration – a little jewel with a huge egg crate grille, high belt line, fake chrome fender vents, and 20″ painted aluminum wheels. Vertical headlamps are spirited from the ’60s, but look great in the ’10s. The belt line and character surfacing that starts with the vents ends in two of the best-looking light-tubed taillamps ever to grace a Cadillac. They protrude from the body just enough to be fins without taking the fast train to ’59. The design is modern and crisp, but with a healthy dose of heritage. GM has mastered this design balance in recent years. Stellar.
A new age requires new powertrains. If you want a V8, forget it. As much as they’ve been a key part of Cadillac’s history, you’ll soon only be able to get a V8 in the CTS-V and Escalade. SRX comes standard with a smaller version of the CTS’ award-winning engine, displacing 3.0-liters and enhanced with direct injection to produce 265 horsepower while turning in 18/25-MPG city/highway. For a few dollars more, go for the Euro-spec 2.8-liter turbocharged V6 and its 300 horsepower. Both engines connect to the front (or all) wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission that shifts smoothly and keeps power at the ready. Properly equipped, the SRX can tow 3,500 lbs. – enough to move a motorcycle, jet skis, or 2 Smart cars.
Flashing light tubes to other motorists in town or on the highway, the SRX moves with vigor. Handling, enhanced by a four-wheel independent suspension system, tight steering, and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are pretty good also. Engineers could put the SRX on a weight loss plan to elevate its athleticism, but the wagon feels like three dead water buffalos wouldn’t jolt it in the least. There was some very un-Cadillac harshness over rough roads, but that is likely a function of the 20″ loafers.
None of that will matter from the clubroom interior that wafts through your senses with the smell of perfectly tanned hides the first moment you peek through the door. Real timber panels the dash, doors, and steering wheel. What isn’t leather or wood-covered, like the door, dash, and center console coverings, are French-stitched. Everything feels like it was crafted with an attention to detail that would embarrass Gucci.
There’s enough electronics and gadgets inside to have run NASA fifty years ago. Heated and cooled power seats caress your bum; 10 Bose speakers enliven your ears with CDs and XM Satellite Radio. An 8-inch touchscreen rises like an angelic cobra from the dash top to control audio and navigation. Heated rear seats, ultraview glass sunroof, reclining rear seats, power adjustable pedals, tri-zone climate control, rainsense auto wipers, and power liftgate are beyond. The rearview camera and parking sensors kept me out of parking barriers and foliage more than once. If you must, go for the whole boat and add the rear seat entertainment system and its dual screen DVD players with wireless headphones and remote control. Keep in mind it will cost you $1,295!
Unlike with the first-generation SRX, this model is no sport sedan. It is tall, roomy, and luxuriously appointed with enough ground clearance to actually get through snow or pull a boat out of the water. Given that much of its engineering was handled by Opel in Germany, it is no surprise the SRX feels heavy like a BMW or Mercedes. The suspension could use some hushing, but that’s about where the issues end. Every inch of it is modern and fully equipped.
As we cast off the last decade, we need more than optimism – we need a great crossover. The SRX isn’t a Lexus, BMW, or Infiniti. It is a Cadillac. You will mistake it for nothing else. Cool.

• Cadillac is a gay-friendly company
• Get a free insurance quote from our gay-friendly insurance partner
• Read other Cadillac reviews by gaywheels editors
• Find a Cadillac Dealer near you!

Photos Courtesy of GM