2012 Cadillac SRX renders the Lexus RX pointless

2012 Cadillac SRX renders the Lexus RX pointless

Let’s take a quick trip back in time to the 1960s and early 1970s. A time when a gallon of regular hovered just around the 30-40-cent mark and its primary additive was tetra-ethyl lead. It was a time where conservation and efficiency were afterthoughts and a man’s wealth was determined by the size of their automobile rather than how much chrome it had. Foreign nameplates were just beginning to trickle their way into the world’s largest automobile market at the time with very limited success.
Typically, if you were an individual of wealth in search for a luxury automobile, you would beeline it to America’s second oldest brand—the marque whose slogan has stuck history as the “Standard of the World.” Elvis had many and so did countless other individuals of equal, prominent stature such as politicians and performers. And that’s because Cadillac was the undoubted buy word for pure luxury.

Even if you didn’t live to see this time, Cadillac’s reputation and corporate philosophy of producing cars with precision engineering and stylish luxury is indubitably embedded in history. Essentially, they were America’s Mercedes-Benz.
Now though, Cadillac isn’t the only brand you’re confronted with when in search for a luxury automobile. Much time elapsed since the brand’s last peak, even facing death for some time in the 1990s. It was not until Cadillac introduced the CTS that they began to regain some of the luxury market share, which was mostly lost to the foreign offerings. Fast forward to today, post-General Motors bailout, Cadillac has certainly come a long way.
In order to keep up with the foreign competition, Cadillac introduced their first crossover back in 2004 with the CTS-based SRX, which didn’t turn out to be so terrible, especially with its rear-wheel drive roots and 4.6l Northstar V8. It was a worthy competitor in its segment, but was still overshadowed by the foreign offerings. Plagued with General Motors’ pre-bailout shoddy build quality on top of being a quirky design, the SRX was a bit of a slow seller. It was rather unfortunate too since the rear-wheel drive SRX was scoring well across the desks of automotive publications, winning some titles such as one of Car & Driver’s Five Best Luxury SUVs for 2004, 2005, and 2006 and a nomination for the North American Truck of the Year award in 2004.

2012 Cadillac SRX renders the Lexus RX pointless

Exterior:

…out of all of the SRX’s direct competitors, the SRX takes the trophy for the best aesthetics.

Visually, the Cadillac SRX pretty much remains untouched for 2012. So I won’t get too into detail, but because this is my first take on the Cadillac SRX, I have to say that out of all of the SRX’s direct competitors, the SRX takes the trophy for the best aesthetics. Clearly American, yet modern and loyal to Cadillac’s hugely successful design language of “Art and Science,” the same that coined the CTS’s and XLR’s drop dead sexy looks, the SRX is quite the looker. Where as the segment-leading Lexus RX350 sacrificed its humdrum, yet subtly handsome looks for something more dramatic and equally mundane for the complete redesign in 2010, the Cadillac’s sharp, chiseled and edgy angles gives it much more presence and character that is wholly representative of the evolution of American auto design, something alone that is worth its own merit.

2012 Cadillac SRX renders the Lexus RX pointless

2012 Cadillac SRX renders the Lexus RX pointless

Interior:

The modern good looks transcend the insides as well. Forget any premonitions that this SRX is cheaply built, because it’s nearly the complete opposite of Cadllacs from the last three decades. None of the bargain-basement plastics can be found in this latest SRX. Nearly every surface inside of the Cadillac is covered in soft touch material or high-quality feeling leather. There’s a good balance between the execution of real wood and faux metal trim, contributing to a very warming and upscale ambiance to the cabin. And Cadillac’s pursuit for the “Standard of the World” can be well exhibited, holding true to the brand’s reputation for luxury.

There’s a good balance between the execution of real wood and faux metal trim, contributing to a very warming and upscale ambiance to the cabin.

There’s a great sense of attention to detail when compared to Cadillacs that I’m personally used to. Buttons were kept to a minimum and everything was legible, easy to operate and refined in their operations. And the infotainment system’s quick responses, ease of use and pleasant graphics were definitely praiseworthy much like its other versions found in other GM vehicles. However I could point out a hint or two that the Cadillac is still built to a budget as the interior was lacking some refinement. For instance, the vertical distance between the gas and brake pedal is completely off. The brake pedal was so high in relative to the throttle that I often found myself getting my shoe caught under the brake pedal. That’s not only bothersome, but a major safety issue as well. The next instance isn’t as dramatic, but when we decided to test out the 10-speaker Bose surround sound system, there was quite a bit of rattling whenever the subwoofer emphasized any sort of low frequencies. It’s a minor foible, yes, but it was just a little nuisance. Lastly, the seats I thought were bit too small. Though they had decent support, they were a bit hard for a luxury car and felt like they were positioned too forward, giving off the feeling that my face should always be up close and personal with the windshield.

2012 Cadillac SRX renders the Lexus RX pointless

2012 Cadillac SRX Specifications:

• Style: Crossover.
• Drive Type: FWD / AWD.
• Seating Capacity: 5.
• Base Price: $35,185.
• Price As Tested: $48,245.
• Engine: 3.0 liter V6 – 308-hp / 365 lb-ft of torque.
• Transmission: 6-speed automatic.
• 0 to 60 mph: 7.0 seconds.
• Top Speed: 132 mph.
• Curb Weight: 4,277 lbs (4,442 lbs for AWD).
• Fuel-economy (city/highway/combined): 18/25 mpg (AWD model gets 17/23 mpg).