Long-Term Test: 2007 Cadillac SRX

Why we bought it
Durability
Performance and fuel economy
Retained value
Summing up

Inside Line's long-term review of the 2007 Cadillac SRX is complete. We accumulated nearly 25,000 miles and traversed six states over the past 12 months in an effort to test GM's commitment to improved quality.

Why We Bought It
Interior upgrades for the 2007 Cadillac SRX had been minimal. Our SRX has the redesigned instrument panel and optional Bose 5.1 audio upgrade. Mechanical differences are limited to the optional sport package and 4.6-liter V8, both of which we passed on. This long-term test of the Cadillac SRX is about more than a simple model refresh; it's a test of General Motors itself.

GM announced a renewed focus on build quality prior to our decision to test the SRX. This was big news, especially if the company followed through. We turned to Cadillac as a benchmark for this renewed commitment to detail. If GM's leading premium brand couldn't prove the company's dedication to the cause, then no other division would.

We added a Mercedes-Benz R500 to the fleet to coincide with the SRX's arrival. Our intention was to compare the two unique crossovers side by side. Cadillac versus Mercedes wasn't going to be easy, but if GM engineers were drinking the company Kool-Aid, then the SRX would be up for the challenge.

Durability
Rumors of SRX's carlike road manners and spacious interior spread among our office cubicles like wildfire. It wasn't long before the Caddy reached the status of the dedicated family vacation-mobile.

First stop proved to be the annual Edmunds family trek to Oregon. Director of Vehicle Testing Dan Edmunds noted in the SRX logbook, "Add me to the list of those pleasantly surprised by our SRX. It rides and drives well, and as far as I'm concerned the 3.6-liter V6 has nothing to be ashamed about. It's ready to go when I need to merge or pass, and it's backed by a well-calibrated transmission. The powertrain and rear-wheel-drive dynamics are quite good, and in many ways preferable to the Japanese competition in this class."

Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot spent 13 days and 3,000 miles at the helm of the SRX en route to Wyoming for a midsummer vacation. On the long-term blog pages Josh writes, "Ask anyone in the office and you'll find that I'm not a huge fan of traditional SUVs. I am, however, a fan of this Cadillac, which is based on the Sigma platform like the CTS sedan. The SRX has genuine feedback through the steering wheel, will go around a corner without embarrassing itself, is easy to park and doesn't make OPEC drool every time it passes a gas station. In other words, it doesn't irritate me like a traditional SUV. I'm a fan."

Limited steering wheel adjustability caused discomfort for some taller drivers, but was the extent of drivability complaints. We otherwise praised the Cadillac for its road manners and overall coziness. Inside the cabin we had some concerns, though.

The instrument panel layout is fairly intuitive and well laid out, yet the location of some secondary controls caused headaches. Managing Editor Donna DeRosa was not the first (or the last) to mention the poor placement of the parking brake release. Exasperated, she scribed in the logbook, "Whenever I reach for the brake release, I accidentally pop the hood. The two levers are stacked one on top of the other and both are designed as large hand-pull levers. I would chalk it up to driver error, but this is the third time it's happened to me."

We otherwise found the interior of the Cadillac quite functional. Cargo space is not plentiful, but it's large enough to swallow anything we cared to pack. We loaded bicycles, strollers and luggage in the back of the SRX. Thanks to fold-flat rear seats, this crossover SUV swallowed most items with ease.

Reliability concerns were nonexistent prior to the 20,000-mile mark. This is when we first noticed the ailing key fob. It locked doors remotely, but wouldn't unlock them. We learned there was a recall issued for the failure, so we drove to our local dealer and they reprogrammed the remote. Problem solved.

An extended panoramic sunroof is a selling point of the SRX. But time and heat take their toll on this large pane of glass. On multiple occasions we found it necessary to help the sunroof close with our fingertips when the motor couldn't do the job under its own power. Again, our dealer had a quick fix for this known issue. It cleaned and lubed the tracks as per a service bulletin and the sunroof worked like new.

Our SRX suffered no significant body damage during the course of our test, though it could have benefited from some cosmetic surgery. The build quality of the exterior proved questionable. Gaps between the driver's door and fender were evident, accentuated by misaligned cladding on the front doors. From a distance, the pillarless rear three-quarter view of the SRX is attractive, but from arm's length there is a noticeable lack of attention to detail. The hatch glass and side glass don't meet together properly, especially at the top corner. The design looks unfinished.

Build quality issues aside, we were pleased to find the Cadillac's Infrared paint impeccable. One year of varying weather conditions and the paint held its luster like a new set of veneers.

Maintenance warning lights marked only the 10,000- and 20,000-mile service intervals. This seemed too infrequent. We referenced Edmunds Maintenance Schedule to find additional recommended maintenance at 7,500 and 15,000 miles. We played it safe and forked over the additional $62.50 per visit for these two oil changes.

Martin Cadillac of Santa Monica serviced the SRX to our satisfaction. Wait time was minimal, though the service drive always seemed busy. We were sure to make an appointment ahead of time.

Total Body Repair Costs: None
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 12 months): $307.23
Additional Maintenance Costs: None
Warranty Repairs: Reprogram key fob and lubricate sunroof tracks.
Non-Warranty Repairs: None
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 4
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: None
Days Out of Service: None
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None

Performance and Fuel Economy
Our V6 SRX performed as well during its 1,000-mile preliminary test as during its final test at 24,000 miles.

A jaunt to 60 mph from a stop took the 4,400-pound crossover 8.3 seconds, while it completed the quarter-mile in 16.2 seconds at 86.9 mph. When it came time to stop from 60 mph, the Caddy required a respectable 134 feet. Senior Road Test Editor Chris Walton commented during brake testing, "The car stops consistent and straight, and the pedal is firm from first to last stop, though almost too firm."

Walton also completed handling tests on the Cadillac. He noted, "All things considered, the SRX remains fairly balanced on the skid pad. Steering is light but not numb." Its 17-inch Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires possess reasonably stiff sidewalls, and the result is a class-average 0.75g of lateral grip on the skid pad.

Steering in the SRX is precise, and the vehicle will eventually oversteer if provoked. Through the slalom the Caddy recorded a speed of 58.9 mph, which is good for a crossover SUV. When we weren't flogging the Cadillac at the track, we observed an average of 17 mpg. Our best single tank of fuel after nearly 25,000 miles was a much higher 22 mpg.

Best Fuel Economy: 22.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.1 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 17.0 mpg

Retained Value
By the time we'd racked up nearly 25,000 miles on the SRX, its market value dropped 25 percent, according to Edmunds' TMV^® calculator. That is a loss of more than $11,000 from its $45,000 MSRP. For reference, our long-term R500 depreciated 23 percent at nearly the same mileage, though its original MSRP was a much higher $62K.

True Market Value at service end: $33,777
Depreciation: $11,303 or 25% of original paid price
Final Odometer Reading: 24,689

Summing Up
We were impressed with the performance and carlike feel of the SRX. In this test, performance was secondary. Our real concern was build quality and mechanical durability.

Judging by our experience, we think GM's build quality has improved from previous generations, though our 2007 Cadillac SRX shows that improvement isn't synonymous with perfection. We think Cadillac still isn't on par with its Japanese and European competition in that department. Examples like the 2008 Cadillac CTS show GM is continuing this effort, and the new CTS demonstrates that the company is making gains.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.