The SRX carries through the edgy Cadillac design that is so completely different than all the other curvaceous crossovers currently on the market. It has incredible finishing touches, attractive interior wood accents, rich leather seats and slick analog clock on the dash. When I was in high school, my friend Mary drove her dad’s yellow Cadillac. It was so big and so boatlike that we dubbed it “The Yellow Submarine” -- complete with a Beatles theme song.
At that point in the ’90s, though, I thought all Cadillacs were boats. Of course, that changed with the trimmer, slimmer CTS and the general revitalization of the Cadillac brand in the early 2000s.
During my recent test of the Cadillac SRX, however, I kept humming: “We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine. …” And I was immediately thrust back into the high school days of Mary’s dad’s yellow Cadillac.
This is the first time I’ve lived with the seven-passenger SRX in a full week test, and it’s a bit of a departure from the sporty direction that the Cadillac brand has taken in the past couple years.
After driving a slew of General Motors crossovers in the last few weeks, I have to say that the SRX, with a base price of $37,970, is the most expensive and the least loveable.
Part of this estimation comes from the immediately uncomfortable driver’s position I obtained behind the wheel. The seat bottoms were too big, the lumbar support hit me mid-back rather than the small of my back, and the steering wheel covered the top of the instrument cluster so that I couldn’t see the speedometer.
To be fair to Cadillac, I do have to point out that as a 5th-percentile female, I am the lowest common denominator that an automaker designs around. But to be fair to the readers, I have to point out that if you’re around 5-feet tall, you’ll have the same problems I did.
And I really wanted to enjoy my test week in the SRX. It carries through the edgy Cadillac design that is so completely different than all the other curvaceous crossovers currently on the market. It has incredible finishing touches, attractive interior wood accents, rich leather seats, slick analog clock and a steering wheel that fits really well in your hands.
But aside from the driving position, I wasn’t happy with how the SRX drove in general. The reason “The Yellow Submarine” kept popping into my head was that the vehicle floats along on the highway, and on the narrow city streets it feels a lot bigger than it actually is. Trying to gauge the size of the SRX was not easy, and with a length of 194.9 inches, this crossover is actually smaller than some sedans I’ve tested. While parallel parking, the thing that saved me was the standard Ultrasonic Parking Assist. Even so, I know I passed up spots closer to my destination because I felt too big to fit. On the flip side, I was able to back it into my garage at home – unlike those other GM crossovers I’ve been driving.
My favorite thing on this car was the optional UltraView power glass roof ($1,800 for the stand-alone option). And I really, really liked it. You very rarely get an open-air feel while driving an SUV or crossover, and this did it. It was attractive and easy-to-operate, and I had it open all week.
The UltraView on the test vehicle came as a part of a catch-all package called the V-6 Luxury Collection ($5,095), which included the Luxury Package, Premium Seating Package, sunroof, rear air conditioning and power-adjustable pedals.
The optional heated seats and adjustable pedals that came with the Premium Seating package were two additional features I liked and used. People can never understand why I use heated seats in the summer, so all I can say is: I’m a runner, and my back hurts. Heated seats help – especially when you’re in a car as much as I am.
The test vehicle came with the base 3.6-liter V-6 engine, which was fine. But it lacked the pep, and perhaps some of the sportiness, that could be gleaned with the Northstar V-8, which adds 65 horsepower and $6,205 to the price tag.
EPA estimates that the V-6 SRX should get 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. I averaged a solid 16 mpg in combined driving during the test week.
OK. So, I wasn’t a fan of the SRX. But every car has redeeming values and every car is built to favor different sizes and body types. The SRX just wasn’t my type.
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