4 The Captain: My Review of the new Cadillac SRX4 3.0L

[Cmicasa the Great XvX]

(picture from Autoblog because my picture taken by Phone and in the Rain just looks SHITTY) :(

Yesterday and this morning I the 2010 SRX4 3.0L in Black because my dealer.. who has now merged his two Cadillac dealerships into one.. and killed off his GMC/Pontiac franchise... offered me a complete vehicle check-up and oil change and detailing on my V. Because it was gonna take them all day to get to me.. they gave me the SRX to drive.

I dropped my car off at 8AM.. and drove it all day yesterday and up until 11AM this morning. The interior is spectacular... but I do have one gripe... I can't figure out WHY... this vehicle got front Sonar and my CTS-V doesn't. Also.. more to the point... the Cupholder compartment should have a closure like the CTS. Other than that.. it's flawless.

BTW.. this vehicle handles magnificently... and absolutely KILLS all of the constant rants about how RWD is superior.

The REVIEW:

After an entire day with the new 2010 Cadillac SRX AWD 3.0L... I can honestly say that I am IN LOVE...
Like most things (people) we fall in love with.. they are never perfect. But the problems with the SRX are problems that are Optional in nature. By that.. I mean my biggest gripe with the SRX 3.0L is that I drove it 15 minutes after I stepped outta a 556HP Super Sedan. Had I actually gotten out of... say a 275HP Lexus CUV... then my disappointment with the 'quickness' of the Cadillac from 0-60 would be damn near moot. WHY?? Mostly because the differences only hurt the Cadillac there. The sheer handling ability of the SRX puts in easily in line with the BMW X5. The acceleration issue could be handles by what I see as what should be the STANDARD engine of the SRX... the 2.8L Turbo. In my mind.. GM just gave us the optional 3.0L engine first.

Funny thing is that the Dealership where I had to go also sells Jags along with Cadillacs. A woman who had brought here XF in for service due to dash lights not coming on says to me as the guy pulls up in this SRX loaner… “Now that’s a beautiful car. I hope they don’t give me the same loaner. I have a strong feeling I’ll be buying a Cadillac next go ‘round.”


Jump inside the new SRX and U suddenly feel like U have just sat in a perfectly contoured glove... specifically created to fit U. The vehicle is comfortable as hell. Seriously... the Driver's seat seemed to have a bit of the Recaro seating dynamic. Another thing U will notice immediately is that the Ultraview Sunroof is HUGE… like my CTS-V.. takes up the entire roof. And if U open it… Good LORD.. talk about a wide opening… U could fit four 21 year old “Girls gone Wild” showgirls in there and never have their sweet boobs touch the sides.


Push the Start button… and the vehicle fires up beautifully. Pull back into drive and U will notice that GM has created a car that resembles my wife’s Saab 9-3 in the Tranny Dept. This is the first Cadillac I have seen that actually has the Shifter Sport Mode position on the Left Side, and not moved towards the passenger to engage. I literally started off in SPORT mode.. and found myself in a situation where I genuinely found flaws of the 3.0L immediately. It runs better in Normal Mode in the 0-60 run… but once U are on the Highway or in need of passing on your favorite country stretch… Sport Mode is where U wanna be. It feels like U have suddenly awakened a V8 Powered sports sedan. It U will LOVE IT, and then realize… that if the 3.0L is this good on the road, the 3.6L would have been so much better. For the Lexus RX convert, Cadillac quite possible nailed it. It’s as smooth. It’s better looking. Its interior is of equal quality but better styled, and it actually HANDLES… WELL. An Acura MDX owner would not notice a thing in terms of acceleration.. .as I believe that the SRX and the MDX fall with the same times from start to merge speed. It's almost as if Cadillac benhmarked the BMW X5 for handling.. the Lexus RX for comfort... and the MDX for acceleration. My gripe is that it should not have catered to the whole market.. but just the EXCLUSIVE... namely people in the $45-60K range. But that is me being selfish.. and I would not want the rest of the possible buyers for this vehicle to be shunned by pricing. :unsure:

Even in the rain (as U can see I took the pics with my Smart Phone in the rain :wink: ), I had people gawking. At the office when I pulled in right next to an 2008 RX owned by a colleague, she was in awe, and I now have to swab the car down before I return it due to all her drool. :yup:

Bottom line.. the ride is TIGHT. Good Job Cadillac. Bring on the 2.8L Turbo and a 3.0L Turbo with 420HP and U can still keep the regular 3.0L and no one will notice that the 3.6L should have been the one. :happy:

[TheCaptain]

Thanks bud! I will agree with most of that from my test drive as well, except i can't comment on the "Normal" Trans mode. I only drove in "Sport" and "Sport: Tapshift", of which i can say, the sport mode shifts just about right where i want to when using tapshift mode. And it is a little "underpowered" compared to say... well, a 400 hp Camaro or something, but the suspension totally makes up for it!! It is so snappy and sporty in the corners i forgot all about the straight line speed!!

And i do have one on order... 3.0L (cuz i hate turbos) Premium AWD. Chrometech 20" 's in Carribean Blue Metallic. Just like my sig!

[TheCaptain]

Oh yea, and don't you just love the startup screen? That's what really sold it over the CTS for me (ok that and the CTS like handling with truck like height). That and you get NAV and 20" chrome rims and heated back seats for the same price as 18"s with no NAV on the CTS.

Startup screen

[Captain Awesome]

Darn... I thought the topic was for me!

[TheCaptain]

Though i really wish there was an option for the ugly wood trim. At least the CTS has the option to not get it or so as you please. Wood = ugly... but i guess i'll have to live with it.

[Captain Awesome]

Originally Posted by TheCaptain

Though i really wish there was an option for the ugly wood trim. At least the CTS has the option to not get it or so as you please. Wood = ugly... but i guess i'll have to live with it.

Is it REAL wood or plastiwood?

[TheCaptain]

It's real Sappele Pommele wood. I believe it is $460 for the option in the CTS.

[Captain Awesome]

Originally Posted by TheCaptain

It's real Sappele Pommele wood. I believe it is $460 for the option in the CTS.

Real wood is okay by me. If it were plastic, I'd say it looked cheap. Up close you can tell the real thing. In pictures, it's not so easy.

[Cmicasa the Great XvX]

Originally Posted by TheCaptain

Thanks bud! I will agree with most of that from my test drive as well, except i can't comment on the "Normal" Trans mode. I only drove in "Sport" and "Sport: Tapshift", of which i can say, the sport mode shifts just about right where i want to when using tapshift mode. And it is a little "underpowered" compared to say... well, a 400 hp Camaro or something, but the suspension totally makes up for it!! It is so snappy and sporty in the corners i forgot all about the straight line speed!!

And i do have one on order... 3.0L (cuz i hate turbos) Premium AWD. Chrometech 20" 's in Carribean Blue Metallic. Just like my sig!

I think U will be fine with the 3.0L. The biggest issue I had with the 3.0L now that I think about it was the tranny. After a whole day of me driving it started to actually feel like it was syncing up with my driving style. Like most GM drivelines... the SRX's seems to adapt to the driver.

I would say that I drove the car a total of 300-400 miles yesterday and today. Bottom line is that once U get the stigma the media has created about it out of your head... and the vehicle adapts to your driving style, U will have a pretty nice runner. My wife said that she was fine with the 3.0L as well... especially considering her Saab requires premium and she is constantly jealous of my Tahoe and G6 only needing 87 Octane

[Cmicasa the Great XvX]

Originally Posted by TheCaptain

Though i really wish there was an option for the ugly wood trim. At least the CTS has the option to not get it or so as you please. Wood = ugly... but i guess i'll have to live with it.

the wood only adds to the premium feel IMO. I have considered changing out my V's trim for Wood.

[Xanthos]

Originally Posted by Cmicasa the Great XvX

the wood only adds to the premium feel IMO. I have considered changing out my V's trim for Wood.

While I like wood trim when tastefully done, I much prefer piano black.
- X

[Cmicasa the Great XvX]

Originally Posted by Xanthos

While I like wood trim when tastefully done, I much prefer piano black.
- X

Dude I kno of people modding their 556HP LSA's to 600HP on a whim. Personally I'm actually cool with my stock HP.. but as an owner... it's nice to have choices, and as the HP example I just gave proves.. U can't satisfy everyone even when U give them way more than enuff

[DGthe3]

I think the only mistake with that car is that it doesn't have the larger 3.6L engine. 265 hp is nice, but with over 2 tons of bulk to move it needs the torque that larger (or forced induction) engines provide.

[Justin]

I'm actually torn between the SRX AWD and the Camaro for my next car. :-/. The Camaro is fun and sporty, but the SRX is a bit more economical for when I have to pack my sister's kids in the car, take long trips, etc.