2006 Cadillac SRX New Car Buyer's Guide

What's New for the 2006 Cadillac SRX?
The 2006 Cadillac SRX enters its third year with reworked option packages, standard XM satellite radio, a standard power rear liftgate, and restyled 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels. Stealth Gray, Radiant Bronze, Blackberry and Infrared exterior colors replace Redline, Moonstone and Light Green while Cashmere replaces Light Neutral as an interior color choice.

Advantages of the 2006 Cadillac SRX:

• Sweet highway handling and ride
• Standard stability control
• Quality interior materials
• Available with lots of luxury goodies
• Ultraview sunroof a treat for driver and passengers alike

Objections to the 2006 Cadillac SRX:

• Light-duty off-road use only
• No real price advantage over established competitors from Europe and Japan
• All the really good stuff is optional
• No third-row side-curtain airbags

Editor's Advice:
Power, it seems, has once again become a key factor when Big 3 automakers want to keep their products on the minds of consumers. Whether it's an entire performance division like DaimlerChrysler's SRT or a series of performance-oriented cars like Cadillac's V-Series, domestic automakers seem to be riding high on a power-wave. It wouldn't be much of a surprise then, if we see the arrival of a SRX-V in the near future to battle other crossover-SUV performance stalwarts like the Porsche Cayenne or Land Rover Range Rover Sport, especially with the upcoming XLR-V/STS-V's supercharged 4.4-liter Northstar V8 sitting in the parts bin. But even without a V-series version, the Cadillac SRX ranks among the best luxury SUVs available thanks to a compelling combination of impressive on-road dynamics, commodious cabin space and an extensive list of standard and optional features. However, a brand in the middle of rebuilding is likely to have difficulty competing on equal footing with the best from Europe and Japan in terms of price. Cadillac hasn't proven itself a good value in decades past. At first glance, the SRX is a world-class competitor, but we can't help but wonder if it will stand the test of time.