2013 Cadillac SRX: What's New

Vehicle Overview

The Cadillac SRX has been updated for the 2013 model year with exterior tweaks and interior upgrades including new materials and Cadillac’s ambitious CUE user interface. The five-seater competes with the likes of the Audi Q5, Lexus RX 350, Lincoln MKX and Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class.

Exterior
The design changes for 2013 are subtle enough that even a current SRX owner might need them pointed out. The signature diamond-faceted SRX has a deeper grille, and the front fender vents now incorporate LED light “pipes.” There are new green, blue and silver paint colors and new 20-inch wheels in chrome and polished aluminum. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard.

Interior
For 2013, the SRX’s cabin features a new shift knob design and some new surfaces and colors, but the biggest changes involve electronic features and how drivers use them. The SRX incorporates the new Cadillac User Interface and all it entails: A gloss-black center control panel replaces regular buttons with touch-sensitive “capacitive” buttons. Unlike similar technology from other brands, the CUE panel and its touch-screen provide a haptic-feedback pulse so you feel confirmation that you’ve activated the stationary “button.”

A new instrument panel includes three bright gauges and an LCD screen. With it comes a new steering wheel with the new buttons required to control CUE’s added features.

The SRX’s multimedia cup runneth over. Along with CUE’s ability to stream internet radio from a properly equipped smartphone, the SRX adds standard HD radio, Bluetooth audio streaming and a slew of digital ports. There’s an illuminated USB port in a hidden storage cubby in the dashboard, accessible by tapping a rib low on the panel, causing it to motor upward. The storage console under the center armrest has two USB ports, a slot for an SD data card, an analog jack and a 12-volt outlet. The optional backseat entertainment system also has USB and SD ports, new headphone and remote-control designs and is one of the first such systems capable of playing Blu-ray discs as well as DVDs.

Under the Hood
The SRX has front- or all-wheel drive, powered by a 308-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 through a six-speed automatic transmission. An Eco mode changes shift points for better gas mileage. Rare for a luxury car, the SRX runs on regular gasoline rather than premium. An adaptive suspension that monitors and adapts to changing road surfaces is optional.

Safety
Standard safety features include side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags for front and rear seats, as well as antilock brakes and an electronic stability system. OnStar with automatic crash notification is standard (subscription required after one year).

New high-tech safety options employ radar- and sonar-based sensors that enable automatic front and rear braking when a collision is imminent. Other features include a forward-collision alert, lane departure warning and a backup camera. Backup safety is supplemented by the new Cross Traffic Alert option, which monitors the vehicle’s flanks for approaching cars when exiting a parking space.