2004 Cadillac SRX

Sport Utility

4.6L 281Cu. In. V8 GAS DOHC Naturally Aspirated

Automatic

1GYDE63A240113202

Clear

GAS

Jumping out of the econo-box Scion xB and into something as cushy as the Cadillac SRX is a culture shock. After a full week of driving something small enough to fit in any parking spot on the street I'm now in a vehicle that needs its own loading zone. Obviously as a city denizen something as large as the SRX would never be a real option. But I'm reviewing the vehicle for every reader including commuters and suburbanites alike.That said I'm impressed with this gigantic, 194.9 inch long, crossover SUV. That's longer than the VW Touareg and Volvo XC90. In only a first few miles of driving there hasn't been time to check out the utility space, rear cargo room etc. I have been blasting the phenomenal Bose stereo that is the best that Bose has put in a vehicle that I've driven. Match that with the enormous sunroof and this is one of the most indulgent SUVs on the market. The BMW X3 had a similar sunroof, both would be a deal maker for me if I was in the market. It's as close to a convertible SUV as you can get.Over the next few days we'll get into the nitty-gritty of fuel economy, real-life utility and of course performance. But for now I'm going to enjoy the luxury and relatively strong new car smell (even after 7,000+ miles).2004 SRX-V6 $37,995, as tested $47,875 3.6L V6 VVT Engine, 260 horsepower 16/22 mpg city/hwy AWDOptions Luxury Package w/walnut trim, heated front seats Ultraview (sunroof) Bose Audio System Premium Paint - Red Line (the color not the Saturn line) A few observations on the interior of the SRX. First the layout of the center stack and gauges is terrific. Subtle amber digital readings are lifted straight from the German luxury makers but fits with the black and tan scheme of the interior. Once again black plastic makes the center dash much more appealing than silver colored plastic we've seen in other vehicles. I'm not a fan of the burled Walnut on the top portion of the leather-wrapped steering wheel but it works well on the shifter.The automated seats are a bit annoying. Pre-sets are hard to figure out and I admit to being too lazy to reach for the driver's manual. A better set-up would be more intuitive. I promise to read the instructions though.The gigantic "ultraview" or as we call it in the real world, sunroof, is still the favorite feature. Although with both front windows open the wind is pretty powerful. The SRX is definitely fitting the "luxury" bill even with more plastic on the door panels than we'd like to see, but almost all automakers are moving in that direction. The SRX didn't get a ton of use this weekend. With nowhere to go, running errands took up much of the SUV's time. Cadillac has a few different options for the SRX's cargo area. Autoblog's test vehicle has a cargo management system instead of an optional third row of seats for seven passengers. I can easily say those that go with the cargo management system are insane.Granted there aren't a lot of times when you need to cart seven people but three couples often go out together. And even if that seems like a rarity, the third row would still be more useful than the cargo management system. The first thing that's wrong with the management system is that it takes up a few inches of depth away from the cargo area. Instead of fitting into the existing floor, the carpeted system sits above the cargo floor.The compartments are well shaped and did hold groceries, boxes and other items extremely well. But I still couldn't get over the fact that it took up so much room from the overall space. Compared to the BMW X3, another car-based luxury SUV, the cargo area is just tiny. Sure the X3 was narrow but man it was deep. It could actually hold the furniture and odd shaped items always shown on TV advertising. Since I haven't tested the other competition like the Volvo XC90 and VW Touareg I can't compare them to the SRX and X3.And overall I do prefer the BMW. But we'll get to that in the wrap-up tomorrow. One thing I've seemed to overlook with the SRX this week is performance. Usually that's the first thing to be discussed. The SRX tester comes with the 3.6L V-6 VVT with 255 hp, 250 lb-ft of torque and a 5-speed automatic transmission with a useless "Hydra-Matic" that lets you shift gears manually but doesn't offer any performance gains. The SRX also has an available 4.6L Northstar V-8 at 320 hp and 315 lb-ft of torque. I've always said if someone is interested in a car with two different engines always test the lower powered one first to see if it's right for you.The V-6 has plenty of pep and ample power when you slam on the pedal. I'm sure the V-8 has a lot more oomph but does anyone really need it? As nice as the acceleration was the handling is much more supple and doesn't offer much feel for the road. And the brakes…Have you ever been driving down the street and come to a stop sign, hear screeching brakes and immediately think “Oh man, are those my brakes?” And luckily you see a slightly older car pulling up next to you revealing the real source of the screech. Well that happened this morning in the SRX. Except I was on a one-0way street with no other cars around. That’s right, a new Cadillac SRX with 7500 miles had screechy brakes. Now I’ll admit the reviewers before me probably murdered the car’s brakes. Slamming on them every chance they got to see what happens when a gigantic SUV goes from 50 to 0 in a few feet. But overall I wasn’t in love with the car’s ride despite the shoddy brakes. On Nov-02-12 at 12:27:56 PDT, seller added the following information: THIS VEHICLE HAS NO SUNROOF