2010 Cadillac SRX

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Photos & Videos

Performance - What the Auto Press Says

Unlike its previous iterations, the 2010 Cadillac SRX shines for its especially smooth and powerful performance. It boasts a more car-like ride and better fuel economy than before. Test drivers heap praise upon the fun driving experience, even going so far as to say it's good enough to compete with the Lexus RX 350, the undisputed class benchmark.

• "The SRX's electronic dampers and rubber-isolated subframes provided a tightly controlled yet supple ride over Michigan's pockmarked pavement. Our initial conclusion is that the SRX has the ride isolation necessary to woo RX350 fans combined with the athletic handling required to run with the more agile European crossovers." -- Automobile Magazine
• "...[C]learly the story going forward is how it drives -- and it's enjoyable." -- AutoWeek
• "On the road, the SRX was exceptionally well-mannered. The vehicle's performance was smooth and insanely quiet, and the cabin was full of all of the luxury features you'd expect in a well-appointed vehicle. On the track, the SRX was even better -- a welcome surprise as many crossovers tout car-like rides but fail to deliver car-like driving abilities." -- Detroit News
• "Even on 20-inch wheels and tires, the FE3 upgrade manages to feel comfortable over those abundantly bad Michigan roads, while upping the cornering power, turn-in response and damping. Cadillac has matched the comfort and quietness of the Lexus without dishing in any of the RX's numbing isolation." -- Motor Trend
• "On the sunny side, once up to speed, the Cadillac steers smoothly and handles competently, especially in Sport mode. Its Haldex all-wheel-drive system, borrowed from Saab, is solid." -- New York Times

Acceleration and Power

The 2010 Cadillac SRX offers two engines - a base 3.0-liter V6 that makes 260 horsepower and an optional 2.8-liter turbocharged V6 that makes 300 horsepower. Since both are now direct-injection engines, fuel economy and power have increased from the 2009 model. According to Cadillac, the base engine achieves 18/24 mpg city/highway with FWD and 17/23 with AWD. The turbocharged engine achieves 15/21 mpg. Reviewers praise both engines, although a select few say the base engine could use more power.

• "The 3-liter models I tested offered plenty of power on the open road and on the track." -- Detroit News
• "The only place the new engine suffers is in torque output. With 223 pound-feet of torque generated at 5,100 rpm, the 3.0-liter isn't weak and it has six gears to help keep it in its relatively high power band. But it requires a couple of downshifts to make decent time in passing maneuvers. Maybe we're spoiled, but we want more kick." -- Edmunds
• "The six-speed automatic whips though the gears efficiently, but we noticed a little lag during acceleration." -- AutoWeek
• "The SRX now includes an ‘eco mode' that, when activated, helps maximize mileage. The base engine runs on regular gas, while the turbo version prefers premium." -- Cars.com
• "Only under hard acceleration does the engine display any signs of aural ferocity, letting the driver know that this CUV can get up and go. The new V6 offers sufficient power to move the 4,360-pound all-wheel drive SRX without ever feeling strained, even with three adult males on board." -- Autoblog
• "If a car could break a sweat, you'd need to mop the Caddy's brow every time you trudge up a hill or struggle from a stoplight. The SRX takes a lazy 8.5 seconds to reach 60 m.p.h., according to Car and Driver magazine. That's last in the class by a good margin, about 2 seconds slower than the Audi Q5 or the Acura RDX. Lincoln's excellent new MKT crossover is nearly 2.5 seconds quicker to 60 with its lusty twin-turbo V-6, although it is heavier and roomier. The many athletes in the segment will make the Caddy their caboose." -- New York Times

Handling and Braking

Test drivers have nothing but compliments for the redesigned SRX's ride and handling. While reviewers previously complained about slow steering, they now say it's incredibly precise. All in all, test drivers say driving the SRX is much more fun than they expected.

• "The steering offers more feedback than most crossovers yet is still nimble. We took more than a couple turns a bit aggressively; the SRX had no problems." -- AutoWeek
• "The SRX's suspension was taut and firm, the hydraulic power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering was more precise than I expected -- turning into corners very smoothly. The body did not roll heavily, even after a few laps on the short track. Performance may not be what someone buying this vehicle expects, but it's certainly what he or she will get." -- Detroit News
• "It's only in the afternoon when we take a few runs around the tight little autocross course that the base-suspension SRX starts feeling floppy, a little in over its head. (Here's an idea: Don't autocross your base-level SRX.)" -- Edmunds
• "Even with the base suspension setup, the SRX offers an excellent balance of ride and handling. The standard dampers keep body motions in check over broken and uneven pavement. Rough surfaces mid-corner did nothing to unsettle the SRX, with predicable body transitions that allowed the CUV to stay planted through the bends." -- Autoblog
• "Put the SRX into split quality surfaces and the ride barely changes. Dump it into potholes and run it through deep slush and it soaks up those imperfections while feeling as solid as a German luxury wagon. You can drive though the nastiest heaves one minute and barely jostle your passengers. Then toss it into a hard corner the next minute, and it doesn't pitch and yaw. It's bewilderingly solid." -- Jalopnik