Post-Gazette:
For once, I've found a car that lives up to its advance billing.
It's Cadillac's new 2004 SRX. Caddy prefers to see it as an SUV or crossover. But I think "station wagon" is closer to the truth. And that's OK. Whatever it is, many jaded auto writers have hailed it as a thoroughly exciting, elegant car that more than meets its European competition halfway.
SRX is truly a landmark, and it's only the latest evidence, after the CTS, that Cadillac has turned an important corner and is burning up the comeback road.
Style-wise, there's nothing out there like it -- especially from the front. Stacked headlights, egg-crate, blacked-out grille and a dramatic slope had heads snapping everywhere I drove. The profile reflects Cadillac's new styling direction with full wheel cutouts -- no fender skirts here like Caddies of old.
Instead, you get blade-like taillights and creases that look like Japanese origami in metal.
Our silver SRX was the model equipped with a 4.6-liter, 320-horsepower Northstar V-8, but a less expensive model, with a 3.6-liter, 260-horsepower V-6 also is available. My V-8 had a base price of $46,300, and after options were added, the bottom line was $50,320.
The V-6 model is considerably less expensive, starting at $38,690 -- not much more than a well-equipped Ford Explorer or Chevy TrailBlazer. And it looks just like the costlier V-8 model -- and nobody would be the wiser.
If I were Cadillac, I would make sure there were plenty of V-6 SRXs with just base equipment out there on dealer lots and advertise like crazy.
The SRX above all else is for the buyer who wants strong performance and handling but doesn't want the rough, edgy, high-speed feel of the BMW X5.
The only other similar model I've driven that I liked as much as the SRX was the Volvo XC90, which is priced in the same bracket. The Volvo has a slight edge in terms of safety and rollover equipment. But the ride is unmistakably like an SUV, albeit a good one, while the SRX has a much more refined and carlike ride.
In fact, thanks to the way the SRX handles bumps and potholes, and the way it absorbs uneven ride surfaces, it's one of the best -- maybe the best -- of the products in its class in providing a carlike experience.
Its size, by the way, is just about dead-on perfect for urban driving. It's easy to park, and that's made simpler by the parking assist system with which mine was equipped.
It's also got nifty features. If you order a third-row seat, you'll find its power folding at the touch of a switch for a flat floor. And, if you use it for seating, third-row passengers get theater-style comfort, sitting 5 inches higher than the second row and 7 inches higher than the first row.
It also has a Stability Enhancement System in which sensors monitor wheel speed, steering angle, brake and throttle pressure and other factors, and engaging the brakes and drivetrain to help you remain stable on the road. And if you like the sun, order the "UltraView" sunroof. It comes with integrated power shades and a wind diffuser, and stretches past the second-row seats -- the biggest sunroof around.
Tim and I bought a Jeep Wrangler in October. Since I was sixteen I've wanted a CJ7. Now I have it, and I love it. But it only accommodates four of us. There's virtually no room for our Golden Retriever. And every time we have guests, we need to rent a truck.
A week ago, Tim started talking up Cadillac's new SUV. The second he mentioned the "ultraview" sunroof that extends past the second-row seats, I've been keeping my eye out all over town for one. This vehicle could be our next big investment.
The Bottom Line -- Price: $50,320. Fuel economy: 15 city, 20 highway. Estimated annual fuel cost: $1,411. Powertrain: all-wheel drive, with 4.6-liter, 315-horsepower V-8 with five-speed automatic.
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Cadillac 2004 Cadillac SRX V-8