Cadillac Merges Luxury, Technology, and Economy in the 2012 SRX

Unlike some luxury manufacturers, Cadillac has chosen a path toward creating a bold signature style that may not appeal to everyone. This can be a risky approach, but it pays big dividends when well executed.

Such is the case with the 2012 Cadillac SRX. This five-seat SUV presents a striking silhouette accented by a multipiece shield grille, vertical headlights, sharply creased fenders, and swept-back roofline. With touches of chrome on the roof rails, door handles, window frames, front fenders, and exhaust tips, the SRX stands out from the pack of jelly-bean-shaped competitors.

Inside the cabin, driver and front passenger are afforded a vast array of luxury and convenience features. Centerpiece is an 8-inch touchscreen that rises from the instrument panel and features three-dimensional imaging.

The touchscreen control panel is used to manage the navigation, climate, audio, Bluetooth, and vehicle systems. Redundant controls for basic climate and audio functions are located below the touchscreen. The heated steering wheel includes redundant control buttons as well.

Other interior features include heated or cooled power seats, Bose 5.1 surround-sound audio with ten speakers and 40-gig hard drive, and three-zone automatic climate control, plus wood and leather-trimmed dash, doors, and center console.

Rear occupants aren’t left out, either, as there’s a dual-screen DVD entertainment system installed in the back of the front seats. There is also plenty of legroom, shoulder space, and headroom—enough to comfortably accommodate three adults.

Should all those passengers need to haul a vacation’s worth of luggage, the cargo compartment should prove up to the task for all but the most lengthy of trips. Accessed via a rear hatch that can be programmed to stop at different heights, the cargo area includes a moveable fence and large under-floor storage space.

In both front and back areas, when occupants look up from their leather-trimmed seats, they’re afforded a stunning view of the sky thanks to a unique sunroof that spans 70 percent of the roof. Looking forward, automatic rain-sensing windshield wipers and adaptive headlights that turn with the vehicle provide enhanced safety.

Stability control designed to mitigate rollover, trailer-stability assist, rearview camera, and a full complement of air bags are some of the SRX’s other notable safety components.

Powering the SRX is a new 3.6-liter V6 engine rated at 308 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a six-speed automatic with a driver-selectable economy feature to improve fuel economy, this Cadillac returns an impressive 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

Press the gas pedal, and the SRX accelerates with authority. Driving dynamics are more akin to a sport sedan than a midsized SUV, an impressive feat of engineering given that this vehicle’s 4,277-pound curb weight in front-wheel-drive configuration—the all-wheel-drive version weighs 4,442 pounds.

The SRX is available in four configurations—Base, Luxury, Performance, and Premium Collections. All-wheel drive is offered on all but the Base model. Pricing starts at $35,185. As tested, the SRX FWD Premium Collection comes in at $48,245.