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San Francisco: With
the popularity of large luxury SUV’s on the wane, it is the smaller, but
still substantial midsize crossover vehicles like the Cadillac SRX that
are becoming the new choice for many family buyers. Offering much of the
utility of an SUV, these tall station wagons are based on car platforms
so they ride more comfortably and handle more like sedans.
The SRX is no compact,
at 4,200 pounds and more than 16 feet long, but it certainly doesn’t
feel like a tank on the road. Related somewhat to the sleek mid-sized
CTS sedan, the tall wagon SRX zips around town or flies down the freeway
nearly effortlessly, but still gives you a third seat option (kids only,
please). That third seat folds electrically into the floor, and combined
with a flat-folding second seat, adds up to lots of hauling capacity.
When my TV died during the SRX’s week with us, we just drove over to
Best Buy and loaded a surprisingly large (and heavy) box into the rear
compartment. Plus the power rear door rose and closed with the touch of
a button.
The SRX wears
Cadillac’s recent edgy styling, with a bold, confident egg-crate grille
up front, like Cadillac’s have flaunted for decades, but flatter and
more sharply defined. The aggressive lines of the CTS are upsized for
this nearly six-foot-tall rig. The headlamp pods are as big as shoe
boxes, with surprisingly massive rectangular turn signals and fog lamps
flush mounted below them in the bumper. The tail lamps stand slim and
stately along the tailgate, harkening back to the famous fins of yore
but much less flamboyantly. This car looks really like a Cadillac and
will not be mistaken for a BMW, Acura, or Volvo. To my eye, it may be
the best looking Cadillac out there right now.
You can have Cadillac’s
famous Northstar V8 engine in your SRX if you want to. It boasts 320
horsepower and 315 lb.-ft. of torque, through a six-speed automatic.
This particular shifter debuted in the potent V-series sedans, but now
it’s standard for V8 models. You can also choose a 3.6-liter V6, which
my Light Platinum tester had. You get a vigorous 255 horsepower and 254
lb.-ft. of torque and save in price and fuel economy.
Like the V8, the V6
uses today’s high tech features to maximize performance, such as
variable valve timing, dual-stage variable intake manifold, electronic
throttle control, and more. The V6 uses regular gas, a bit of a savings,
considering estimated fuel economy of 16 City, 24 Highway (I averaged
15.8 mpg).
New this year is a
fresh interior. As luxury cars go Cadillac’s have to be nicer than the
ordinary, and with this new passenger compartment, the SRX moves upward.
Everything you touch is softer or finer. There is more hand
craftsmanship and better materials are everywhere, with rich wood on the
steering wheel and dash and a leather and wood steering wheel. I even
found a bonus glove box under the wood trim strip on the passenger side.
One mystery, I couldn’t
find the rear window wiper control. I looked in the owner’s manual and
discovered that it was in the ceiling console! Mystery solved!
New for 2007 is a Sport
package, which offers front and rear fascias, a body-colored mesh
grille, large polished dual exhaust tips, the six-speed automatic, and
20-inch sport wheels. This would more likely be the choice for the young
guy on the prowl who can’t afford an Escalade than for a soccer mom, but
who’s to say?
The SRX V6 starts at
$36,745, a typical price in this segment. However, like many cars today,
you can add a lot to them, so with the wood on the steering wheel,
Magnetic Select Ride Control, and the V6 Premium Luxury Collection
($7,150) with its many options, my test car’s price rose to $46,440.
One of the more
interesting features of the luxury collection is the Ultraview sunroof,
which opens up a huge space for first and second row riders. The largest
opening roof in the segment, it spans 5.6 square feet and adds a clear
window over the third row occupants.
If the huge Cadillac
Escalade is too rich for your blood, and ordinary SUVs leave you cold,
try Cadillac’s SRX handy crossover! By Steve Schaefer ©
AutoWire.Net - San Francisco
Cadillac Home Page
Byline:
Syndicated content provided by Tony Leopardo © AutoWire.Net
Column Name: The SRX may be the best looking Cadillac out there
Topic: The 2007 Cadillac SRX
Word Count: 789
Photo Caption: The 2007 Cadillac SRX
Photo Credits: Cadillac SRX Internet Media
Series #: 2007 - 08
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the Microsoft Word version here:
2007 Cadillac SRX
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2007 Cadillac SRX
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