Cadillac is doing big things now. The brand is on an EV trajectory with a lineup of electric vehicles that are stylish and technologically advanced. Its regular gas powered line up has seen better days, though. Aside from hot models like the Blackwing cars and the Escalade, most of Cadillac’s internal-combustion lineup is forgettable. That wasn’t the case 20 years ago when models like the original SRX were around.
Back in the early 2000s, Cadillac was getting settled into its role as a luxury brand that was going to take on the Germans. Cadillac debuted its Art & Science design language on hot models like the second-generation Escalade and it had a premium platform underpinning models that could take on the foreign luxury brands. Called Sigma, the platform was exclusive to Cadillac and could accommodate V6 and V8 engines of various sizes. The first model introduced on Sigma was the first-gen CTS in 2003, and the second was the SRX SUV in 2004.
The world got a preview of the SRX in 2001 with the Vizon concept. Cadillac said the Vizon blurred the lines between sport sedan and SUV; it was even described as a “performance wagon” in some spaces. The Vizon had a 119-inch wheelbase and an overall length of 190 inches. Power came from Cadillac’s Northstar V8 engine that was paired with GM’s first application of StabiliTrak all-wheel drive. The concept was well-received, and Cadillac announced that the Vizon would enter production to go up against the likes of the Mercedes ML, BMW X5 and Acura MDX.
When the SRX debuted in 2003 for the ‘04 model year, it wore styling that was pretty close to the concept. Riding on the Sigma platform meant that it had standard rear-wheel drive with all-wheel drive as an option. The production SRX had a slightly shorter wheelbase than the concept at 116.4 inches, but it was slightly longer overall at 194.9 inches. The real kicker was the SRX’s height and width. At 67.8 inches tall it was actually slightly shorter than a Chevy Venture minivan making the SRX more tall wagon than short SUV.
Buyers could option the SRX with either a base 3.6-liter V6 with 260 horsepower or the optional 4.6-liter Northstar V8 with 320 hp. Options like a rear-seat DVD player, huge Ultraview panoramic roof and adaptive magnetic ride control suspension turned it into a wagon that both driver and family could enjoy. There was actually some performance here, too.
In comparison tests in 2004, the SRX bested impressive competition. In a MotorTrend comparison test against the BMW X5 4.4i, Porsche Cayenne S and Infiniti FX45, the SRX beat all of them to 60 mph, doing it in 6.4 seconds. In a Car and Driver comparison against the Infiniti, Porsche and Volkswagen Touareg, the SRX came in first place with the publication calling it “the station wagon with the best combination of sport and utility.” Unfortunately, the SRX’s excellent combination of wagon and utility wasn’t long for this world. The second-generation SRX debuted for the 2009 model year, fully morphing it into a full blown crossover that’s still around today as the XT5.
Sadly, Cadillac never gave us anything like the first SRX again. If you wanted a V8-powered wagon for the masses, Dodge had you covered with the Magnum. It wouldn’t be until 2010 that we’d see a proper wagon from Cadillac in the CTS-V Sport Wagon, and that didn’t last long. If only the Cadillac of today could realize the winning formula that was the original SRX, it would probably have a hit on its hands.
