The Cadillac SRX is a luxury crossover vehicle that combines the style and driveability of a sporty station-wagon with the versatility and power of an SUV. Having been produced since 2004, Cadillac seems to have now refined the model significantly and ironed out some of the early glitches, mostly in the interior, to create a really classy vehicle fitting of the Cadillac name.
2009 Cadillac SRX Performance
The SRX is mechanically based on the previous CTS sports sedan, with the result being that its drive is a perfect combination of sporty responsiveness and substantiality. Cadillac serves up two models, the V6 and the V8, which are basically a carryover from last year. The 3.6-liter V6 comes with 5-speed automatic transmission and produces 255-hp with 254 pounds-feet of torque. The 4.6-liter V8 features a new six-speed automatic transmission and a Northstar engine that generates 315 pounds-feet of torque. Fuel economy is also not too bad at 15 mpg for the V6 in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, as opposed to the V8 that does 13 in the city and 20 on the highway. The StabiliTrak system minimizes body-roll in tight handling conditions, and there is a choice between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel-drive. The Sport model also includes limited slip-differential with the AWD option.
One new feature for the 2009 SRX range is the really cool Adaptive Remote Start System which lets you start the engine, get the temperature of the cabin just right and the windows defrosted before you even leave your front door, and in fact it is possible from 200 feet away. Cadillac have also included the Magnetic Ride Control System developed by GM which senses driving conditions and automatically adjusts the suspension to create a smooth and responsive ride.
2009 Cadillac SRX Interior and Features
Cadillac is famous for its style, and the interior delivers on that with its massive optional UltraView Sunroof that gives a whole 5.6 square feet of open space, plus the classy curved centre stack and 8-speaker Bose sound system. They have thrown in GM’s now widely used OnStar communication system, XM satellite radio and DVD entertainment system.
There are however a few oversights inside the SRX that really make the difference between great and immaculate, and although this year’s model is better, it is an issue that the SRX has struggled with since it was first launched. The door panels look cheap and unfinished with their fake stitching, the glove box is awkward and poorly designed, and the remote controls in the sun visor are quite flimsy and don’t work with all garage doors. Another drawback is the cargo volume of the Cadillac SRX, which is only 69.5 cubic feet compared to the Lexus RX350 with nearly 85, the Acura MDX with 83.5 and the Volvo XC90 with 85.1 cubic feet. It makes up for this shortfall with its 41 inches of legroom for the second row seats, a really comfortable ride for even the tallest of passengers. The third fold-out seat however is really only for the kids with just 24 inches between it and the seat in front.
On the outside, if you choose the SRX Sport package you get a few exterior improvements that make the sleek, set-back look of the SRX even more attractive. There are 4-inch polished metal exhaust tips, tail-lights with a new vertical shape, and a V-shaped body coloured grille which even make it look faster. The V6 comes standard with 17-inch wheels while the V8 has 18-inch and you can even go with 20-inch optional wheels that set you almost up at full SUV height.
2009 Cadillac SRX Safety
The Cadillac SRX uses a high-strength steel in the body structure to prevent passenger impact in a crash situation, and this combined with the side and head curtain air bags gives the SRX better than average crash test results. It also incorporates a rear parking feature to alert the driver of anything behind the car.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Electronic stability system
- Four-channel antilock brakes with brake assist
- Side-impact airbags
- Side curtain airbags
- Tire pressure monitoring system