Cadillac SRX Gets a Redesigned Interior For 2007
Cadillac’s best kept secret, the SRX, has been a slow seller. Lacking the elegant class of the sedan lineup and the flash of the Escalade, it resides in a Cadillac nether region, but that hasn’t stopped it from getting numerous accolades. Most notably winning Car and Driver’s Best Luxury SUV title for three years running, the SRX has quietly gained a reputation for being an excellent vehicle. Now, after a few years on the market, it’s being made even better.
With the introduction of so many new models to the General’s lineup in recent months, it’s no surprise that GM’s luxury brand should want to overhaul their little-known crossover. Already respected by those in the know for its excellent ride and handling, the only weak point the SRX has had is with its price. Recognized by many as too expensive, none could find fault with the SRX mechanically, instead criticizing its less-than-competitive interior. Cadillac’s hoping to change that with their 2007 SRX.
Taking a page from the STS-V and XLR-V books, the SRX will benefit from Cadillac’s new “cut and sew” technique that employs craftsmen to cut, stitch, stretch, and install many of the interior’s leather panels. This enables such upscale details as French stitching, and GM hopes it will also eliminate the large gaps and poor fitment they’ve come to be known for.
Jim Taylor, Cadillac’s General Manager hopes the old-world charm of hand craftsmanship will help lure more customers to the SRX, saying, “The SRX is the latest and most complete example of our new approach to interiors, blending advanced technology with the hand craftsmanship that was once, and is again becoming, a Cadillac trademark.”
Furthermore, such attention to detail has resulted in a more inviting interior that sports softer surfaces, and flush mounted switches and controls. In the name of streamlining, storage areas are hidden and unobtrusive, with one particularly cool nook lying behind the wooden trim above the glove box. Deploying to reveal a surprisingly wide storage bin, it’s just one of the unique touches GM designers have used to make the SRX a better value. Another neat touch is the use of “skiving,” or rather the carving of tiny perforations into the back of the passenger side dashboard that allow the front airbag to deploy through the dash; eliminating the need for the airbag’s door or panel. Finally, the whole interior is ringed in Sapele Pomelle, a rare African wood usually used in acoustic guitars and fine furniture.
Combine all that with a sufficiently upgraded entertainment package (the SRX’s Bose 5.1 surround sound setup finally comes with an auxiliary input!) and the new SRX should silence the price critics. A blessedly untouched mechanical platform and body retain the SRX’s strong points, and the new, more upscale interior makes it sufficiently luxurious inside; giving the impression that the vehicle is now worth it’s price tag. But, given the stiff competition from Japan and Germany, whether or not GM’s best crossover can stay competitive remains to be seen.