We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Car website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookies at any time
The start point for the best source of fleet information |
|
|
||||||
Let's be realistic here: a petrol only, 3.6-litre V6 American 4x4 is not going to feature very strongly on many business car choice lists.
Even if you are prepared to foot the fuel bill (typical consumption 20mpg), would your drivers be prepared to put up with the BIK bill (35% tax rate)?
No surprise then to discover that, to date, around 50% of all Cadillacs sold in Europe have been SRXs. And, while sales in the UK have been restricted by the car being available in left-hand drive only, it has still proved to be one of the most popular models in the range.
Like many crossover vehicles, the SRX is hard to categorise. It's part sports utility, part people carrier, part luxury estate wagon. The bold American styling is most apparent from the front while it manages to look more natural on British roads from the back. Obvious rivals are the Volvo XC90, the Audi All-road and possibly the Lexus RX.
For the right-hand drive market the SRX is available with either the 3.6-litre V6 (258PS) or 4.6-litre V8 Northstar (325PS) engine. Both feature automatic transmission as standard and, for the first time, sequential manual shifting plus a host of other electronic controls such as downchanges during hill descent and the splendidly named Performance Algorithm Liftfoot, which apparently "prevents upshifts for continuous spirited driving".
Seven seats are standard, though you would have to be a very small person to sit in the rear row in any comfort - the flat floor means there is absolutely no footwell so your knees end up somewhere around your ears. On the other hand, kids will love the fact that everything, including the tailgate opening and third row seat fold, is electric.
On UK roads the SRX rides comfortably and smoothly, as you might expect, while some work needs to be done on the damping over rougher surfaces, and the steering is vague but easy. Interior quality is excellent with the soft-touch surfaces and dashboard design matching European premium brands - there is none of the hard plastic and harsh styling found in the Cadillac saloons.
The SRX has it place - probably bought outright by a chairman who wants something different. There is a strong value-for-money element (around £7000 cheaper and better specced than the Volvo XC90 equivalent). That might just swing it if you can live with the looks.
BusinessCar magazine ©2019
Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
