Cadillac SRX

Cadillac’s SRX is a serious challenger to the best in the luxury crossover segment, and the availability of a turbocharged version only adds to its luster.

Competitors include the Lincoln MKT, Lexus RX350, Audi Q5, Acura MDX, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-class and the Infiniti FX45.

Cadillac’s styling is a strong point, and the brand has a distinctive face that is recognizable from model to model. The SRX sits tall, yet the roofline slopes nicely to create a sporty profile. The downside of the sloping roof is a slightly smaller cargo space, but for a majority of buyers, sacrificing a few inches of trunk space is not a major consideration.

Crossovers have become the utility vehicle of choice. In many ways, they’re the contemporary equivalent to the station wagons of a few years back. They offer good room for passengers, a flexible cargo space and the appeal of available all-wheel drive.

The SRX is one of Cadillac’s best products to date, and I was impressed every time I slid behind the wheel.

SRX base prices begin at $33,330 and top out at $51,360 for the test car, an all-wheel drive, turbocharged Premium model.

Many competing crossovers have larger engines, but the SRX makes up in power what it lacks in size. The base 3.0-liter engine delivers 265 horsepower, but for those who want a bit extra, the turbocharged 2.8 liter cranks out 300 horsepower.

The turbo is fun when you mash the throttle and feel a pleasant push in your back. The six-speed automatic transmission makes nice crisp shifts that enhance the feeling of acceleration.

Cadillac Sales Surge 142 Percent In July

Cadillac Sales

Cadillac continued its strong sales momentum in July with total U.S. sales of 14,919, more than double the total for the same month last year as SRX posted its best month ever and CTS had its best results of the year. It was the best month for the brand since August 2008.

SRX total sales rose almost eightfold, increasing 783 percent in July and marking the best sales month ever for the SRX since its original introduction in 2003. Redesigned for the 2010 model year, the SRX luxury crossover has posted triple-digit percentage sales increases for 11 straight months. In the past year, SRX has posted the largest gain in its segment for both sales and projected resale value. About half of all SRX sales are coming from competitor trade-ins.

CTS posted July sales of 5,516, a 132-percent increase from the same month last year and the best sales month since August 2008. Cadillac began shipping the all-new 2011 CTS Coupe in July to join the CTS Sport Sedan and CTS Sport Wagon. Escalade also had a strong month with sales up 22 percent to 2,209.

“As luxury buyers return to the market, they’re responding positively to the Cadillac line-up,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president of Cadillac sales and service. “SRX continues to attract new customers to the Cadillac brand in the crossover segment. The CTS Coupe adds another boost to the line-up with design and performance that stands out in the luxury sports car segment.”

Cadillac Escalade is the Most Stolen Vehicle in the US Again

The Cadillac Escalade – a notoriously easy-to-spot luxury sport utility vehicle – was the most stolen automobile in the U.S. in 2010, according to a news release from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HDLI) on Tuesday.

The HLDI – an organization affiliated with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety – said that 2007-09 models of the Cadillac Escalade had the highest rate of vehicle theft last year, based on rates at which people file insurance claims for stolen automobiles.

The Escalade is followed by the Ford F-250 pickup truck, the Infiniti G37 sedan, and the Dodge Charger with a HEMI engine. The rate at which these four vehicles are stolen is three to five times greater than the average rate for all other car models, according to the release.

"Sedate family cars and fuel sippers aren't on the hot list," Kim Hazelbaker, HLDI senior vice president, said in the release. "Thieves are after chrome, horsepower, and HEMIs."

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe, about to enter a blind turn on a narrow two lane road. Figuring 60 mph might be just a little hot for this corner, we hit the brakes, making the smart six speed automatic transmission decide a gear change down to second was in order.

As the tach needle swung around to brush the 7,000 rpm redline, the engine sounded off with a strained growl, sounding as if someone were putting a beehive through a bandsaw, not one of the best engine notes we've heard. The wheel felt lifeless as we turned into the corner, its power mechanism tuned more for comfort than track days. But the front end of the car pointed where we wanted, and our still considerable speed in the turn made the summer tires start to slide.


But the wide track of the car, 2 inches greater than that of the CTS sedan, and the grippy tires kept the CTS Coupe under control. Well, mostly under control. From behind the wheel we felt we had a tiger by the tail, the car on the verge of going over the side. The suspension stayed loose, letting it get a little unsettled. Although not the kind of precision handling supplied by a BMW, we enjoyed it.

2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo Photo Gallery

2010 HOT Cadillac SRX Turbo Photo Gallery

2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo Side View

2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo Interior

2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo Picture

Cadillac's SRX Turbo Premium offers style, power in a crossover

Cadillac's SRX is one of the few crossovers out there with some styling flair, and it mixes in a healthy dose of luxury ride and interior comfort.

I tested this new, downsized version of the SRX about six months ago and found it mostly to my liking. This model was the top-level Turbo Premium, which starts at $51,360. After adding a pricey rear entertainment system, it hit $53,480.

I was impressed with the SRX's ride, very luxurious and smooth over most of our crumbling Wisconsin roads and city streets. Railroad tracks and highway pavement seams are no more a bother than a cooked pea beneath your shoe. Helping here are 20-inch wheels and tires that suck up a fair amount of road imperfections, and independent sport suspension.

Handling is good with fairly precise feedback to the wheel coupled with a heavy steering feel. Push the SRX and it sticks well in a corner with no, or only minor, body roll. It's a luxury feel, but with a spot of sportiness, sort of like a Mercedes, yet not as racy as a BMW or Audi.

Power is decent. Under normal acceleration, the 2.8-liter V6 provides ample power, but this model tacks on a turbocharger to boost your horsepower to 300 and torque to 295 ft.-lbs. According to the dash gauge the turbo engages early on and helps add some oomph almost from the get-go, but pound the pedal when you need to pass - now - and the SRX really lights it up. Ripping down a highway entry ramp can be particularly spirited.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe - First Drive Review

While most Cadillac vehicles still have a way to go to satisfy as drivers’ machines, the second-generation CTS has appeared on our last three 10Best lists; in awarding its 2010 trophy, we called it “maybe the best American car ever made.” High praise, but its combination of unapologetically brash styling, modern luxury, and strong performance credentials—especially in high-po V spec—back it up. For 2011, the new CTS coupe joins the sedan and wagon, adding more style and a higher concentration of performance to the CTS’s winning formula.

Stunning Exterior Styling, Largely Familiar Cockpit

The CTS coupe is one of those cars that loves the camera, and it’s no less stunning in the flesh. Walking around the car, one notices several aspects of the design easily missed in photographs, such as the parallel “light-catcher” lines helping to break up the tall body sides, the tastefully glitzy twin center-mounted tailpipes, the remarkably seamless-looking joint between the body-side stamping and the roof, and the center spine that travels all the way back over the car’s huge rump. The windshield is two degrees “faster” up front than the sedan’s, and the razor-sharp taillamps and CHMSL/spoiler also have aerodynamic-enhancing properties. The only unfortunate bit is a credit-card-sized spacer panels above the recessed, solenoid-actuated door releases; they mar an otherwise perfect waistline. In any case, there is visual drama from every angle, and it works.

Inside, most CTS sedan components are imported without change, although the mood is intensified due to a lower mounting point for the seats, dropping occupants roughly an inch lower into the dash/console architecture. The window sills are high, making arm-out-the-window cruising a bit awkward, but surprisingly, the super-high rear end doesn’t gobble up every shred of rearward vision. It feels purposeful, and we found ourselves very comfortable during our drive.