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Walk Around

Cadillac's latest designs are all full of sharp edges and well-defined creases, and the new SRX is no different in that respect. The 2010 Cadillac SRX looks very much part of the family, and is far less slab-sided than the outgoing truck.

Its design impact starts with a jutting, pointed nose, very complex headlamps, and a racy, rounded lower spoiler with a large air intake for engine cooling. The side window treatment ends in a forward-slanted D-pillar leading to the Cadillac trademark knife-sharp vertical taillamps.

All in all, it's a very pleasing, crisp and modern design on a chassis that is nearly six inches shorter than the original SRX, with a 4.6-inch shorter overall length, and a 2.1-inch lower roofline. But is also about an inch wider, allowing for more interior comfort and more shoulder and hip room.

The SRX features a power liftgate that can be set for full opening, or programmed for three-quarter opening to keep the sheetmetal safe in low-roofed garages and parking structures.

Interior

2010 Cadillac SRX

Loaded is too weak a word for the interior accoutrements of the new 2010 Cadillac SRX. Most models will have an enormous list of standard equipment including pushbutton starting, a tilt-and-telescope steering column, upper and lower adjustable ambient lighting. Available are adaptive headlights, a huge, two-segment power sunroof with 95-percent UV protection, a power tailgate, a full-color driver information center between the main gauges, OnStar, and satellite navigation with voice recognition.

Audio entertainment starts with a radio system with 2-gigabyte memory that will download up to 20 CDs to its memory through a single-CD loader. Then there is a very, very good optional Bose sound system with AM/FM/XM/CD capability, USB and iPod inputs, an optional 40-gigabyte hard drive for music storage, and optional upward-tilting twin screens and wireless headphones for dual rear-seat entertainment through DVDs or radio.

The comprehensive driver information center has two main sections, one for the vehicle and one for the trip you're on. With the navigation system, it has the capability of displaying speed limit signs, because the system knows what road you're on and what the posted limit is.

The rear seat is split 66/33 and reclines through a fairly wide range of adjustment but does not slide back and forth, so available legroom is fixed. When up, the rear cargo area holds 29.2 cubic feet of cargo, and when folded down, the seatbacks lock into place to create a nearly flat load floor and space for more than 61 cubic feet of cargo (compared to 32.4 cubic feet and 69.5 cubic feet for the previous three-row SRX). The cargo area behind the second seat features an under-floor storage area for precious cargoes and a U-shaped channel built into the floor that accepts any number of sliding hold-down cleats. Cadillac will offer first- and second-seat doggie screens that secure into the roof to keep canines contained.

We found the SRX interior to be beautifully made and finished, sumptuous, comfortable, quiet, and very easy to use. The steering wheel is nice and thick, the pedals are adjustable, as is the column, and the eight-way power seats with memory are beautifully made, supportive yet cushy. The center stack is full of buttons with icons and words on them, but it's all well laid out, very intuitive and easy to understand and use.

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