The new Cadillac SRX was put through its paces by our team, a few days after it became available to US customers

Try to think two disparate thoughts and your mind usually freezes up. Its like the old trick of trying to rub your tummy in circles while doing something else with your left hand like patting your head. The same thing applies to thinking of the USA and trying to imagine something small. Even getting to the US is a long journey, even from here in the Middle East. But once you land in the country, getting to your next stop is another long journey, usually over a couple of time zones. The airports are big, so are their coffees and so too are their cars. Which is why you can’t usually think of American car brands like Cadillac and small sizes of cars in the same thought stream. Well, think again.

We were in the United States this time to drive one such mystery. Cadillac had chosen to show us the new SRX in a scenic semi-rural locale near Los Angeles. And by the time we had connected through Dubai and Washington to the West Coast, you could forgive us if size of the car was the last thought on our mind. But the next morning, we were seeing the car in the flesh and yes, it hits you.

Now anyone who has seen the outgoing SRX will know that the main characteristics of the luxury SUV were that it had a smooth Cadillac ride, quiet interiors, three rows and a large panoramic roof. Infact, if we are not mistaken, it was the first to offer the panoramic sunroof. Yes, it was differentiated, but not by enough. Sales were between moderate to a trickle and certainly paled when measured against the popularity of the Escalade. In fact, after our test drive of the original SRX, we were pleasantly surprised that it actually didn’t get bogged down in the sand of the Ghala Golf Course. So it was a bit of a coincidence when we actually saw one of the older generation cars at Muscat airport as we flew out for this event. It means there should be a few around.

The new SRX is a completely different beast. First of all, it gets smaller, loses the third row, is available in 2WD mode in certain places and is built on a architecture that is only shared by Cadillac and Saab. That too may or may not actually come to life depending on what Saab’s future deal will be like. Ah yes and the interiors of the new SRX are made to look more like a car, the CTS, than any SUV in the family. The changes are so evident, we actually asked John Howell, Cadillac’s product director why they had bothered to call it the SRX at all. It deserved a new name. “Continuity,” says John. (If you’ld like to see his interview, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leLpVg_WWjc ).

Of course the question becomes more pertinent when you realise that the new SRX is to be followed in the not too distant future by two other SUVs, one of which will be a three-row car.

The new Cadillac is a strange place. It continues to be focussed on the luxury end of the market, but increasingly is pressured to deliver cars that are great to drive, powered by smaller leaner engines and has to recapture marketshare in its home market from other luxury brands. The new SRX fits right in.

“Cadillac is known for bold design. The 2010 SRX builds on that reputation,” said Clay Dean, Cadillac global design director. “As with the 2008 CTS, we advanced our Art and Science design to create a crossover for style-conscious customers.  The exterior features a dramatic diving gesture on the body side to impart the feeling of movement, even at rest.”

A multi-piece shield grille and Cadillac’s iconic vertical headlamps – with light pipe technology and available adaptive forward lighting – are the face of the SRX.  They blend into a tightly wrapped, sweeping body that tapers downward at the rear, giving the vehicle a sporty profile, Dean said.

The SRX has a wide stance, minimal overhang and wheels pushed to corners. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard and 20-inch wheels are offered.  A bold accent line dives across the body side and culminates at a chrome front fender vent that incorporates a side marker lamp.  An integrated spoiler on the rearward edge of the roof extends the sleek lines and improves aerodynamics.
The sunroof, one of the largest in the segment, covers 70% of the roof of the vehicle giving passengers a unique feeling of openness and freedom.

“Inside the new SRX, technical precision blends with old-world craftsmanship,” Dean said. “Hand-cut-and-sewn coverings on the instrument panel and ambient lighting details convey a finely tailored cabin.”

The 2010 SRX is well-equipped with a wide range of advanced and purposeful technologies putting it at the lead of the mid-luxury crossover utility segment.

Highlights include a “pop-up” navigation screen in the dashboard with three-dimensional imaging, adaptive forward lighting that swivels the headlamps in synch with vehicle steering,  power liftgate with programmable height setting,  integrated hard disc drive for audio storage and a dual-screen system for rear entertainment.  Bluetooth capability is standard.

The SRX is powered by a new, fuel-efficient direct injected 3.0 litreV-6 engine that delivers 283 grosss horsepower and 310 Nm @ 5100 rpm of gross torque.  The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.  Direct injection results in more power, better fuel economy and lower emissions. 

The 3.0 litre engine is a smaller-displacement version of the 3.6L, direct injection engine featured in the CTS sport sedan and named one of the world’s 10 Best Engines for 2009 by Ward’s Automotive.  Along with direct injection technology, the 3.0 litre engine uses Variable Valve Timing to optimize power and fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

The driving experience of the SRX blends the best elements of a sports sedan with the safety and excellent traction capability that crossover and SUV buyers value.  One of its core elements is a new, advanced AWD system, featuring an Electronic Limited-Slip Differential (eLSD.) The eLSD enables the system to distribute torque from the front to rear axle, and also side-to-side, across the rear axle. Developed in partnership with Haldex, a leader in AWD technology, the system provides torque to the wheel with the most traction.

The advanced AWD system provides excellent traction in slippery road conditions.  In all conditions, the system bolsters other driving dynamics, such as cornering.  The suspension includes an available, continuously variable real-time damping system in conjunction with AWD that delivers smooth ride quality by adjusting shock damping rates in response to road conditions.

The SRX features standard 18-inch wheels or optional 20-inch wheels.  The rack-and-pinion steering system is hydraulic and speed-sensitive, with tuning biased for sport sedan-style driving and strong on-center feel.  StabiliTrak electronic stability control is standard.

A strong body structure and chassis that absorb crash energy are complemented by Martensitic steel in the fully enclosed rocker sections.   Martensitic steel is one of the strongest available.  Its use in the rockers helps protect against intrusion during a side-impact crash, while also helping to maintain the structure during front and rear crashes. 

Additional safety features include standard head curtain side air bags, standard front seat-mounted pelvic/thorax side air bags, front safety belts with dual pretensioners and load limiters, rollover mitigation sensors and trailer stability assist.

Roll over Mitigation brakes individual wheels and reduces the driving torque to prevent roll over and to stabilise the vehicle.  Another important safety feature is the Pedal Release System.   This application proposes a system which, in the event of an impact of the motor vehicle, is able to disengage the brake pedal lever from the support body secured to the vehicle body, in order to minimize the risk of injury to the driver’s legs.

In terms of positioning, Cadillac hopes that the new SRX will appeal to the affluent suburban buyer who is an empty-nester, whose children have left the home. The car is just right for a small family and serves well as a runabout and a car that you take to the golf course or shopping mall. The rear bay is one of the most adjustable we have seen, with lots of stowaway points and the provison of tie-downs and a luggage rack.

The new SRX will now be a city commute and will move away from any semblance of trying to address the off-road user.
In this case the car seems to be just right for the brand’s future direction of a smaller engined car that is built to world standards and targets the value chain in the luxury segment. One thing it can do is bring in a younger customer profile into the brand.

This is a car that will have a better chance of succeeding in the Middle East region as well since there is a growing trend of customers in the entry luxury segment opting for the convenience of such small SUVs over the traditional car. What remains to be seen is how many buyers will choose Cadillac over the more established brands in this segment.