2005 Cadillac SRX

Whatever happened to luxury cars with names? Thanks to the Europeans with their S Classes and 3 Series, the international luxury class is eaten up with letters and numbers. For those of us card-carrying members of the CRS (can’t remember, um, stuff) team, keeping the CTS, STS, ESV, ETC straight is evermore challenging. Now Cadillac enters the middle luxury SUV (there we go again) class with the new SRX. Thanks loads, guys. I may not be able to spout the letters quickly, but I will certainly remember most everything else about this new vehicle. Cadillac has a BFC on their hands. That’s a BonaFide Contender.

The good news
Cadillac has crafted a vehicle that is fresh without being strange, accommodating without being oversized and luxurious without being prissy. I love the SRX’s size, its unique amenities and its performance.

The angular architecture that has evoked either a love-it or hate-it reaction in other Caddys comes into its own here. This is a beautiful vehicle that looks like nothing else out there. Seated on the new platform that has also given rise to the new STS sedan, the SRX is more station wagon than off-road vehicle. But it certainly qualifies as the most elegant wagon imaginable and has the systems to keep you moving on slick roads.

In either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the SRX also offers the choice of a new 3.6-liter V-6 with variable valve timing or the next generation 4.6-liter Northstar V-8, also with VVT. I have driven both. While the all-wheel drive model with the Northstar V8, long a hallmark of strength and liquid smoothness, provides seamless performance for the SRX’s size and weight, the V6 affords some fuel and cost economy.

In either case, the SRX feels like a luxury sedan, not a luxury sport utility. It doesn’t have the sport edginess you feel in the Infiniti FX45 or BMW X5 4.4i, although its stats compare favorably to both those. The SRX feels calmer, more laid back. The V6 certainly doesn’t have the authority the V8 does, but who’s complaining?

Unusually sunny weather didn’t afford the chance to try this SRX’s lauded stability control system, but it has fared well in other independent tests, keeping this big wagon moving in icy and snowy conditions as well as – and in some cases better than – its competition.

The 116.4-inch wheelbase contributes to not only the traditional Cadillac-quality ride, but also generous legroom, especially for second-row passengers. An optional third seat – something none of the competition offers -- folds electronically with the touch of a button, a terrific feature. Maximum seating is 7 (2/3/2). Total cargo capacity, with second and third rows folded reasonably flat, is 70 cubic feet.

Perhaps the best part, however, is the SRX lineup of extras. My V6 came with $13,660 in extras; the V8 AWD came with $11,145 in options. Among some of the notables on both are the Bose audio, navigation and entertainment systems. The screen for the rear DVD player folds up from the center floor console instead of down from the roof like most others. It solves my largest driver complaint about entertainment systems, namely a fold-down screen renders the rear-view mirror useless.

The SRX also has a magnificent sunroof called the UltraView ($1,800) that completely retracts to offer 5’6” of glorious sky. I love this feature not only for the light it sheds, but also because it provides a view to those most able to appreciate it. As a driver, I don’t spend much time gazing upwards.

The bad news
I love the SRX’s low step-in height compared to traditional SUVs, but the doorsills are ridiculously wide. People who buy Cadillacs wear nice clothes, which are bound to get dirty.

This same design also requires these people to lean waaaaay out into the weather to close the door. This inconveniences $50 haircuts, cashmere sleeves and middle-aged backs. All the points Cadillac designers get for putting the entertainment screen in the right place are lost for obstructing that same rear-view with the middle headrest. The headrest is a welcome idea. Its position is not.

Then there is the V-8’s 15 mpg city/20 highway gas mileage, predictable for a high-powered, heavy SUV and, last but not least, its price.

Is it worth it?
Although there is much to celebrate about this new SRX, the distinction comes with a hefty price tag in the case of the AWD V-8. I appreciate the fact Cadillac has bypassed the bargain here in favor of putting forth what they feel is an exceptional vehicle worth an exceptional price. It’s a gutsy move that showcases impressive new direction and capabilities for GM’s luxury nameplate. But up against such formidable and prestigious competition, some of which is more affordable, this cool SRX faces a huge challenge. The V6 RWD model certainly represents a far better value, but it lacks the prestige and grand driving experience of its V8 AWD brother. All I can say to Cadillac is, “LOL.” Lots of luck.

Particulars
Mid-size, front-engine, 5- or 7-passenger, 5-door sport wagon
Engine
Type: 3.6L V-6 VVT
Power: 255 bhp @ 6500 rpm; 254 lb-ft torque@ 3200 rpm
Type: 4.6L Northstar V-8 VVT
Power: 320 bhp @ 6400 rpm; 315 lb-ft torque @4400
Drivetrain
Transmission: Hydra-Matic 5-speed electronic automatic
rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 116 in.
Overall length: 195 in.
Curb weight: RWD V-6, 4229 lbs.; AWD V-8, 4527 lbs.
Gas mileage
RWD V-6: 16 mpg city/23 hwy;
AWD V-8: 15 mpg city/20 hwy.
Price
Northstar V8 AWD: base, $46,300; price as tested, $58,140
V6 RWD: base, $38,340; price as tested, $53,810

Website: www.cadillac.com

During her 16 years reviewing new vehicles, Beth Stein has written for Nashville's dailies (circ. 185,000), national magazines and BestStuff.com. She appeared coast-to-coast on-air for Road Test Magazine, Car And Driver Television and Motor Trend Television.