STYLING | 7 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
The SRX's exterior styling left most of our staffers cold
Edmunds
distinctive, edgy styling
MSN Autos
With a jewel-like analog clock, high-end materials and the massive (and we mean truly huge) retractable nav screen in our tester, it's hard not to stare.
Autoblog
the new SRX looks like the CTS on stilts
CNET
The 2012 Cadillac SRX fits right in with other mid-size luxury crossover utes on the outside, while it has a uniquely Cadillac interior that, as in Cadillac's cars, makes it stand out in this class.
With relatively short front and rear overhangs, vertically stacked headlights, and a trapezoidal chrome grille the SRX is nicely proportioned and well detailed, without looking too cookie-cutter. Compared to the top seller in the class, the Lexus RX 350, the SRX has strongly sculpted, dramatic sides to complement the sharp front and rear appearance and make sure there's absolutely no boring angle—but no ungainly one either. A powerful character line beginning at the trailing edge of the front wheel well, culminating at the taillight lens. They extend back slightly, like vestigial tailfins, but unlike the fins of the 1950s this design actually helps aerodynamically by breaking the airflow from the body.
An integrated spoiler on the rearward edge of the roof also extends the sleek lines and further improves aerodynamics; although we see the exposed rear wiper, which could have been tucked underneath, to be a design miss on a luxury vehicle. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard and 20-inch wheels are offered, and when the doors are opened an illuminated logo shows through the sill plates.
The 2012 Cadillac SRX has an interior that's at once top-lux and distinctly American. Its hand-cut-and-sewn coverings on the instrument panel and ambient lighting make for a rich environment that continues Cadillac's commitment to excellent cabin appointments. The design is much like that of the CTS family, with an integrated center stack housing controls for climate and audio systems, and an optional navigation system rising from the center of the instrument panel (or withdrawing with the press of a button).
Conclusion
The 2012 Cadillac SRX isn't all that beautiful or attention-getting on the outside, but it's more distinctive than most other crossovers inside.
