2010 Cadillac SRX
With all the success Cadillac has had in transforming itself into a world-class rival to European and Asian luxury marques, one notable exception has been the SRX Crossover utility. Now the first gen 2004 SRX just never caught the attention of upper income households. Now, SRX has been totally rethought. And the result is a smaller, sharper, more standout design. So let’s see if the second time is a charm.
The new generation 2010 Cadillac SRX luxury crossover utility cuts a significantly different swath than the original. For one thing, it’s smaller, losing a little more than five inches in wheelbase, and a little less than five inches in length. That makes the new SRX much closer to its targeted rival, the Lexus RX.
But, thanks to Cadillac’s edgy styling, the new SRX comes off bolder and more muscular than the Lexus. Up front is a shield grille, flanked by Cadillac’s signature vertical headlamps with available adaptive swivel lighting.
The SRX’s profile is dynamic, accentuated by short windows, side vents, and a fast-moving upward-swept accent line.
Out back, the raring-to-go look is extended by a roof spoiler and dual chrome exhaust tips.
Wheels are pushed to the corners, in either 18-inch or 20-inch.
Something else that has changed on the new SRX is cabin capacity. From seven it has dropped to five, again the same as the Lexus RX. But what a cabin they will ride in. The SRX interior styling mixes elegance with energy, with a hand-crafted look and fit and finish that is the best ever from a domestic brand.
Gauges and controls are displayed in a logical yet sophisticated manner. The wide center stack is home to an available 3D navigation system that rises from the top of the panel.
Other goodies include an available back-up camera, a Bose 10-speaker stereo system, and an integrated hard disk drive for audio storage.
Seats are fitted with soft leather. They are plush and very supportive with standard 8-way power for the driver and optional heat.
There is ambient lighting by night, and—if you choose—sunlight by day through Cadillac’s latest panoramic sunroof.
The rear seating area is ample space for three adults, with a welcomed two extra inches of legroom over its Lexus rival. The split bench has a center armrest and it also reclines, though the control is hard to reach.
The angled rear of the SRX cuts cargo room compared to its rival. Still, 29 cubic feet seats up, and 61 cubic feet seats down is within class specs. Plus, a flexible “U-rail” adjustable tie-down system and under-floor storage make it very versatile—all reached by an adjustable height power tailgate that is standard on all but the base model.
Under the hood, more big changes for the SRX. The previous V6 and V8 powertrains have been replaced by smaller more efficient designs. Standard is a new direct-injected 3.0-liter V6 with 265 horsepower and 223 pound-feet of torque. Optional is a 2.8-liter turbocharged V6, good for 300 horses and 296 pound-feet of torque.
Each ties to a 6-speed automatic with manual mode. The turbo adds an “eco mode” which alters shift points to optimize fuel economy.
While the 3.0 has adequate response for a 4500-pound crossover, our 2.8T tester delivered a strong launch, with a fast power build. Shifts are well-spaced and solid all the way up the ladder. We find a 7.6-second 0 to 60 very respectable.
Power is relegated to the front or to all four wheels through a sophisticated Haldex transfer case that is standard with the 2.8T. For optimal traction and balance, it can transfer up to 100% of torque front to back, and up to 85% side-to-side at the rear.
The SRX rides on an all-new chassis that is not shared with other GM crossovers. All-wheel-drive integrates with an available real-time damping system for a high degree of cornering prowess. We found the SRX to be very agile and quick-footed on both city streets and fast country sweepers, feeling more drivers’ car than crossover.
Ditto the brakes, with ABS, vented disc, and two-piston front calipers.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the SRX 2.8 Turbo are estimated at a modest 16 city/21 highway on premium gas. We saw only 16.8 miles per gallon in real-world driving.
SRX pricing begins over six grand less than last year, and lower than rival RX. Base is $34,155, with the 2.8T expected to sticker at just under fifty thousand.
The 2010 Cadillac SRX is a huge improvement, and now more clearly targeted towards its luxury-crossover rivals. It has the potential of doing for Cadillac crossovers what the CTS did for their sedans. But, quantum leap or not, it’s now a real charmer.
Specifications
- Engine: 2.8-Liter Turbocharged V6
- Horsepower: 300
- Torque: 296 Lb Feet
- 0-60 MPH: 7.6 Seconds
- EPA: 16 MPG City/ 21 MPG Highway
- Mixed Loop: 16.8 MPG
2025 Porsche 911 Carrera
Ever Evolving 911 Reaches New Heights
The Porsche 911 has existed for 60 years now! Amazing! And, you could argue that major changes over all those years have been relatively few, as constant incremental improvement is more the way that Porsche does business. With that in mind, let’s hit the track in the latest 911 and see what constant improvement means for 2025.
We’ve driven so many 911s here at MotorWeek, each seemingly more special than the last, so it’s a bit refreshing to be ripping around Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway in a 2025 Porsche 911 that’s about as close as you can get to base these days. And the fact that it’s just as fun as all those exclusive pieces says a lot about how far the 911 has come. Perhaps it also speaks to how much a base 911 will set you back today as well; more on that later.
For now, we’re just thinking about the next apex, holding steady throttle as we approach, and getting on it way sooner than you’d expect without upsetting anything, as the 911 rockets off the corner thanks to tremendous grip and a PDK trans that finds the perfect gear before we even gave it a thought. Even with very cold track temps, we never struggled for grip or battled any wheelspin coming off of corners. And trying to land it in that perfect spot in braking zones is easy with strong brake performance that was predictable and consistent lap after lap; no wandering, and great feedback too.
Yes, even the standard 911 is near pure perfection on a racetrack. It gives you all the right feedback, stays incredibly flat through corners, makes you always feel totally in control, and again is just plain fun. Unless you’re chasing lap times, there’s really no need to head further up the 911 tree. Though it is worth noting the few upgrades that were on our Carrera did help the situation a little. The 20- and 21-inch Carrera S wheels enabled plenty of grip from the 305 Pirelli P Zero tires, the Sport Chrono Package allows 0-60 sprints of 3.7 seconds, an extended range fuel tank meant we could lap all day without having to fill up, and the fantastic Sport Seats provided great support and better comfort than we remember experiencing in a 911. The Sport Exhaust system didn’t add anything to performance, but made things sound a whole lot better, and the oval silver tips look great too.
We never struggled for grip or battled any wheel spin coming off of corners.
Our track time got cut short thanks to a rare snowstorm in Coastal Georgia, but the white stuff and blue sky made the perfect backdrop for our Guards Red Carrera. Exterior tweaks for what is officially the 992.2 include a reshaped front fascia with improved aerodynamics. All front lighting is now contained within the Matrix Design LED headlight housing. The rear fascia has also been smoothed out, the license plate moved higher, and Porsche 3D block lettering spelled out across the back beneath the active rear spoiler and new decklid grille.
Even without Turbo in the name, the standard 911 engine is indeed a turbo these days, a 3.0-liter flat-six twin-turbo delivering 388 horsepower and 331 lb-ft strictly to the rear wheels in the Carrera Coupe.
Inside the cabin, the 911 continues its slow crawl towards the modern, now including a 12.6-inch fully digital gauge display and a start button located on the left side of the steering wheel, with drive modes easily accessible on the wheel itself. In another no brainer move, Porsche now makes the rear seat a no cost option, so you can choose if you want it or not.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 18 City, 25 Highway, and 21 Combined. That’s only slightly worse than average for the Energy Impact Score; 14.2 barrels of annual oil consumption with 7.0 tons of CO2 emissions.
The good news is this 911 had the fewest number of options of any Porsche that we’ve tested in some time, and it was still plenty awesome; the bad news is, a base Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe now starts at $122,095.
But can you really put value on “the force,” this mythical power that Porsche seems to have, that somehow turns average drivers into great ones? It’s useless to resist as far as we’re concerned, as it only gets better with the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-6
- Transmission: 8-speed PDK
- Horsepower: 388
- Torque: 331 lb-ft