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Cadillac's smaller sport utility vehicle, the SRX, finally is downsized enough to warrant the "smaller" label, and for 2010 seats just five people. The SRX's V-8 and rear-wheel drive platform also are gone.
The updates make the 2010 SRX better able to compete with the top seller in the luxury, mid-size, crossover SUV segment – the Lexus RX 350. In fact, Cadillac set the starting price tag for the new SRX some $7,000 less than last year's larger, seven-passenger model, and in the process substantially undercut the Lexus.
Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $34,155 for a base, five-passenger, front-wheel drive SRX with 265-horsepower, direct injection V-6 and automatic transmission. The starting retail price for a 2010 RX 350 with seats for five, front-wheel drive, a 275-horsepower V-6 and automatic transmission is $38,500.
Base SRX and RX 350 models don't have leather-trimmed seats but come standard with floor mats, two-zone climate control and power windows and door locks, among the amenities. Still, the base RX 350 has more standard features than the base SRX, including power-adjustable front passenger seat.
And some items that are offered as options for the base RX 350, such as rearview monitor, are listed as "not available" on the base SRX. So, buyers must move up to pricier trim levels of SRX to get rear sensors or rearview camera.
The big base price difference also doesn't necessarily apply to buyers looking for all-wheel drive. An all-wheel drive 2010 SRX has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $40,230, while a 2010 RX 350 with all-wheel drive starts at $39,900.
Cadillac has far to go to catch the RX 350, which posted U.S. sales of 93,379 in calendar 2009 compared with SRX sales of 20,237.
But the newly sized SRX offers something the Lexus RX arguably doesn't have – edgy styling.
Like Cadillacs in recent years, the SRX has sharply creased sheet metal outside with a bit of a pointy nose and vertical, fin-like taillights. It's a look that's all Cadillac and will not be confused with any other luxury brand.
Inside, the new SRX gets a dashboard layout and controls akin to those in the Cadillac CTS sedan. The plastic is nicely textured and doesn't look or feel cheap, and knobs and buttons are easy to understand. A space-age item is the color display that automatically rose from the top of the dashboard of the test car and showed the optional navigation system map and other features. It drew passengers' attention right away.
Still, I was nearly sickened by the overwhelming sweet fragrance of the optional leather in the SRX.
No longer on a rear-wheel drive platform, the front-wheel drive SRX is a bit narrower in width and shorter in height and length than its predecessor. The changes make the SRX closer to the RX 350 in size, although at 15.8 feet in length bumper to bumper, the SRX still is 2.5 inches longer than the Lexus.
The SRX is heavier, too, though it's less weighty than it was last year with its 303-horsepower Northstar V-8. The heft was noticeable in the test SRX as doors closed solidly and the vehicle, with optional 20-inch wheels and sport suspension, moved with purpose on the roads.
In fact, I sometimes wondered if the V-6 was going to provide the acceleration I was looking for, because at times, a slight nudge on the accelerator didn't seem to produce a noticeable response. So, I'd mash on the gas pedal to get moving quicker, and then I didn't get the slight, precise speed adjustments that I wanted.
To be sure, the SRX base engine is a smooth-running, 3-liter, double overhead cam, direct injection V-6 that's noteworthy for its Lexus-like fuel economy. With front-wheel drive, the SRX with this V-6 is rated by the federal government at 18 miles per gallon in city driving and 25 mpg on the highway. This is identical to the front-wheel drive RX 350 rating.
And because the SRX has a larger fuel tank – 21 gallons – it can travel farther between fillups than the RX 350 with the 19.2-gallon tank. While Lexus recommends premium fuel to achieve the posted performance numbers for its 3.5-liter V-6, Cadillac says regular unleaded gasoline is fine for the SRX.
Peak torque in the SRX is 223 foot-pounds at 5,100 rpm and compares with 257 foot-pounds at 4,700 rpm in the RX 250. A second SRX engine is offered: A 300-horsepower, 2.8-liter V-6 that's turbocharged and capable of generating 295 foot-pounds of torque as low as 2,000 rpm.
The SRX is well insulated for sound and provides a quiet ride without noticeable wind noise. The suspension in the tester sent some vibrations inside to passengers, but the sensations were mild and didn't detract from an otherwise comfortable, poised ride.
But the metal pillars around the windshield and especially those at the back window, by the liftgate, blocked views appreciably.
Driver and front passengers had a dickens of a time latching seat belts, because the mechanism to hook into at the sides of the seats was recessed so far down. Also, I scraped my arm and watch face reaching for the driver seat controls down by the door, and silver satin-looking trim on the air vents by the doors reflected annoyingly into the outside mirrors.
The SRX doesn't get across-the-board 5-out-of-5 stars in federal government crash testing like the RX 350 does. Crash protection for the SRX front passenger in a frontal crash was rated 4 stars, instead.
2010 Cadillac SRX
Base price: $33,330
As tested: $46,015
Type: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-passenger, luxury, crossover sport utility vehicle
Engine: 3-liter, double overhead cam, direct injection V-6 with VVT
Mileage: 18 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway)
Top speed: 132 mph
Built at: Ramos Arizpe, Mexico
Options: Premium Collection package (includes keyless access and engine start, tri-zone climate control, floor console, ventilated front and rear seats, navigation system, leather-trimmed seats, retractable cargo cover, 3.39 axle ratio, rain-sensing wipers, Bluetooth phone connectivity, power-adjustable front passenger seat, sapele pommele wood interior trim, interior accent lighting, 20-inch wheels and tires) $10,565; rear-seat entertainment system $1,295
Destination charge: $825