What happens when a good idea is executed in a poor fashion? One answer is the Cadillac SRX V6. It’s easy to see why Cadillac wanted to add this SUV to its lineup, thanks to its compact size and agile handling, but something went wrong in the translation from design sketch to the showroom floor.
Styling—both inside and out—is the leading cause for my displeasure with the SRX. The exterior design, with its slab-sided body and high roofline, may make for a very efficient package, but it just looks out of place when mixed with Cadillac’s sharp edge design cues. It seems like the SRX designers wanted to get out of the office early, so they asked their CTS colleagues to hand them over their sketches and they just did a cut-and-paste job in some places. Not to mention the 17-in. wheels give this luxury SUV a cheap, underwheeled appearance.
Inside the problems multiply. Could it be GM’s interior design staffers spent way too much time in Best Buy when planning the cockpit of the SRX? The center console looks like it would be more at home on the floor of my home office, which is where my PC tower sits. The myriad of grains and textures make the interior seem way too busy, as the matte and diamond pattern textures provide an uneasy vibe.
The base engine in the SRX is GM’s 3.6L V6 with variable valve timing. Producing 255 horsepower and 254 ft.-lb. of torque, the engine is anemic for the 4,164-lb. vehicle. The 5-speed automatic transmission also felt a bit clunky and imprecise when trying to pass during highway driving.
Cadillac’s SRX does deserve high praise for its ride and handling characteristics. This SUV traverses through the twists and turns of back country roads in a manner more like a sedan. A quick look in the rear view mirror provides a reminder this is a family hauler, thanks to its additional two rows of seats.
Speaking of seats, the third row is, well, useless for your average-sized adult and even a toddler may complain if stuck back there too long. Worse yet, using the third row just about eliminates any storage space for luggage or even groceries. That means a week-long trip with the kids; their gear and the dog may be out of the question, unless you leave the gear at home.
The SRX is an acceptable alternative to the hulking SUVs of the day, but in the day and age of the Lexus RX330, Mercedes-Benz ML and the Volkswagen Touareg, the competition remains a bit ahead of the game.
