2010 Cadillac SRX Priced at $34,155

Cadillac’s newest midsize luxury crossover, the 2010 SRX, will be priced at $34,155 when it goes on sale later this summer.That figure includes destination charges which Cadillac has not broken down for us. All other prices mentioned in this post do not include destination charges.

At that price, the SRX is a near price leader for the segment, besting the outgoing 2009 SRX by the princely sum of $6,305.

Compared to its German rivals — the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 — the 2010 SRX costs $3,000-$5,000 less, though its rivals come standard with all-wheel drive. The Cadillac does not.

The Lexus RX — the perennial frontrunner in this segment — comes in at nearly $2,645 more, even though its price was lowered when it was redesigned for the 2010 model year.

Though the new SRX is smaller than the outgoing model, it’s still larger than its competitors. Even so, its interior dimensions are just average for the midsize SUV class.

2010 Cadillac SRX vs. 2010 Lincoln MKT Video

Some of the press conferences at the Detroit auto show focused on technologies that won't be available in the U.S. in the near future, but two luxury crossovers debuted at the show that will go on sale this summer. The Cadillac SRX and Lincoln MKT take different approaches to attract luxury buyers, and in this video we take a look at how they compare by looking at their styling, size, interior quality, seat comfort and features.

Up Close: 2010 Cadillac SRX

The first-generation Cadillac SRX didn't knock me out. It was a little like the first-generation CTS sedan in that its styling was the right idea, but it looked unfinished — like someone needed to take a file to it and smooth it out. Lo and behold, Cadillac filed away at the CTS a couple years ago, and now it's followed up with the 2010 SRX, which is the company's five-seat crossover SUV.

It has a bold but refined appearance that looks like a larger, exaggerated CTS Sport Wagon. The roofline slopes downward as the beltline rises, resulting in side windows that narrow to a squint by the time they end at the D-pillars. And here's where you'll find the most controversial element: taillights that rise in a peak to form little tailfins.

2009 Detroit Auto Show: 2010 Cadillac SRX

• Competes with: Acura MDX, Lexus RX, Lincoln MKX
• Looks like: Cadillac’s edgy design language at its best
• Drivetrain: 260-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 or 300-hp, turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6 with six-speed transmission; front- or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Mid-2009

We didn’t really have to imagine too hard about what the final production version of the SRX would look like. Cadillac had made it well-known that it would be nearly identical to the Provoq concept it showed at last year’s Detroit auto show, and wouldn’t you know, it does. That’s not a bad thing, as the new SRX is a handsome-looking SUV.

We’ll get into the name “SRX” and how little the new SRX shares with the old SRX, but first we have to address the new engines under the hood. There will be two distinct power plants with no differentiation in trim level. The base SRX will feature a smaller version of the V-6 engine found in the Cadillac CTS sedan. Here, the V-6 engine is 3.0 liters instead of 3.6 and will put out 260 hp instead of the 306 hp it makes in the CTS. It features direct injection and a six-speed automatic transmission to aid in fuel economy.

Optional will be an all-new 2.8-liter, turbocharged V-6 engine good for 300 hp. Why wouldn’t GM just give it the bigger V-6 from the CTS that produces 306 hp? We’re guessing it has to do with fuel economy, but at press time no mileage numbers had been provided by GM.

2010 Cadillac SRX Video

Cadillac is advancing the debut of the all-new 2010 SRX crossover with this YouTube video. The black SRX playing in a field of snow sure is fun to watch. Unfortunately, there aren’t any other specs to be had with the video, but we’ll have more photos and info next week.

GM Unveils Two New Engines

Way back in July, GM spilled the beans about some of its future product developments — pictures and all. One of those vehicles was a 2010 Chevy Equinox equipped with a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine that achieves sedan-like mileage.

Today, GM has shed more light on the four-cylinder engine that will power the base Equinox, as well as a new V-6 engine which will be on the higher level Equinox SUV.

Recall Alert: 2004 Cadillac SRX

GM has issued a recall for 17,301 Cadillac SRX SUVs due to a problem with the automatic transmission. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the transmission shift lever can be knocked from the Park position when the brake hasn’t been depressed or even when the ignition is off.

This is especially dangerous if the vehicle is parked on a hill (or at any angle) if the gear slips out of park and the car begins to roll. Dealers will replace components of the shift lever that should solve the problem, free of charge.

Owners can contact Cadillac beginning in December at 800-982-2339 or the NHTSA hotline at 888-327-4236.

First Look: 2010 Cadillac SRX

Cadillac has revealed three images of the production 2010 SRX crossover. Check out all three below and let us know what you think in the comments.

If you’re a current SRX owner, please be aware this is not based on the vehicle you’re currently in. The roots of this SRX go back to the Provoq concept shown at this year’s Detroit auto show in January. It’s loosely based on the same platform that underpins the new Saturn Vue, meaning that while this Cadillac may be bigger than the Vue, it will be considerably smaller than the current SRX. 

Cadillac hasn’t provided any details on the new SRX’s power plant, but we’d guess it will get the same V-6 options as the CTS sedan: a 3.6-liter V-6 putting out either 263 or 304 hp.

More images can be found below, along with links to our coverage of the Provoq concept.

Recall Alert: 275,000 Cadillac, Pontiac, Saturn Cars and Crossovers

Today, GM announced it would recall 275,936 vehicles in the U.S. due to a faulty seal. The recalled vehicles include:

• 2005-07 Cadillac CTS
• 2005-07 Cadillac STS
• 2005-07 Cadillac SRX
• 2006-07 Pontiac Solstice
• 2007 Saturn Sky

The company said it had received a “higher than normal” number of warranty claims for the faulty seal, which can leak fluid, leading to a loss of control. One crash has been reported, in which the rear wheels locked due to a leak. In another incident, a driver was injured when his vehicle lost control.

The seal will be replaced for free, and the recall will begin in February 2008. Owners can call Cadillac at 800-982-2339, Pontiac at 800-620-7668 and Saturn at 800-972-8876 for more information.

GM Announces Recall (BusinessWeek)

Friday Fleet Notes: 05.25.07

We’ve got a healthy list of staff reviews this week, as we’ve been flooded with some particularly interesting cars, such as the 2007 Chevrolet HHR Panel and a couple of new models from Saturn. Senior reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder gives his take on the Audi RS 4 and 2008 Saturn Vue that we recently posted full-length reviews of earlier this week.

2007 Chevrolet HHR Panel

I’m not sure who would buy this car. A florist in Malibu? A contractor in the Hamptons? Purely as a delivery skiff, it didn’t impress me. I hauled my mom and her luggage to the airport one morning, and the rubber floormats could’ve used some dividers to keep things from shifting around. We didn’t mess with the dual storage bins behind the front seats, but they seemed large enough to swallow a bag or two.

Not that anyone looking for serious storage would choose this. With a starting price north of $18,000, you could easily ramp up to a Dodge Caravan cargo van — it has more than double the room in back, and with the current discounts the outgoing 2007 model starts in the same price neighborhood.

Granted, the HHR panel has a higher cool factor than the Caravan, but some of its features have more style than substance. The two rear doors unlatch with the push of a dashboard button, but that requires you to climb up front first. I wish the buttons had made it onto the key fob, or — imagine this — Chevy had left the handles on the back doors. The paneled windows, meanwhile, make for a wicked blind spot. My advice: Change lanes reeeaaal slow.

• Kelsey Mays, assistant editor