2007 Cadillac SRX

Cleaning Up Its Act

The Cadillac SRX gets a much-needed interior update and a lower starting price.

Since its launch in 2003, Cadillac’s midsize SRX has been overshadowed by luxury SUVs from BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz — despite a choice of strong V6 and V8 engines, a terrific high-tech suspension and lively handling that ranks near the top of its class.

Aside from General Motors’ flawed pricing strategy (which we’ll get into shortly), the SRX’s chief failing has been its interior, a hodgepodge of hard plastic that carried a strong whiff of GM leftovers. That painful wart has been lanced from the updated 2007 Cadillac SRX. Its exterior is mostly unchanged, but the cabin gets a serious upgrade in luxury and quality, making this Cadillac worthy of a second look from shoppers. Models with the V8 also now get GM’s six-speed transmission with a manual-shift function.

With GM determined to price its vehicles closer to reality, with less reliance on mega-discounts, the SRX’s other big change is on the window sticker: Where loaded V8 versions could once list for more than $60,000 — but actually sold for many thousands less — the V8 model we tested started at $43,315 and stayed below $51,000 with a generous helping of options, including all-wheel drive for $1,900. The base V6, rear-wheel-drive model starts at $37,110.

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Those prices are much more in line with top rivals, including the Acura MDX, BMW X5, Lexus RX 350 and Mercedes M-Class, and they avoid the sticker shock that probably discouraged some prospective buyers from checking out the Cadillac.

Exterior

Is the Cadillac SRX a sport wagon, an SUV or something else entirely? Whatever you call it, this Cadillac certainly looks milder and more at home in the city and suburbs than the massive Escalade, though they share Cadillac’s V-shaped, chrome-bedecked grille. Like the CTS sedan on which it’s based, the rear-drive SRX enjoys a nearly ideal weight balance front to rear, a boon to good handling.

For 2007, the SRX offers a range of new sport packages whose features include upgraded 18- or 20-inch wheels, a limited-slip differential (standard on V8 models), revised front and rear styling, a mesh grille, door sill plates and larger, four-inch dual exhaust outlets. A huge, optional UltraView sunroof covers a good chunk of the first- and second-row seats; the UltraView Plus adds a fixed glass panel over the optional third-row seat.