2013 Cadillac SRX

The Cadillac SRX, a crossover SUV based on the sporty Cadillac CTS sedan, gets a thorough updating for 2013. Revealed at the New York International Auto Show, the 2013 SRX features the latest in technology. Notably, audio, communications and climate control features and their infamous myriad of buttons have been replaced by CUE, short for Cadillac User Experience, a new infotainment system which promises to turn the next generation of Cadillacs into giant rolling iPads. First shown earlier this year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, CUE gives drivers a new way to interact with their vehicles. Cadillac claims the system will make connectivity easier and it can reduce driver distraction by allowing the driver to use voice commands to control the system. CUE will come standard on the 2013 SRX. With CUE, users can pair their Bluetooth-enabled phones and plug in multiple USB devices, MP3 players and SD cards. A hidden cubby offers storage for the mobile phone, which we suppose is more to keep the driver from reaching for it while on the road than to keep it safe from break-ins. A huge, 8-inch touchscreen in the center stack serves as the CUE command center and displays music, navigation and other information. The screen uses proximity sensing and haptic feedback, so it can detect when the user's hand is close and adjust menu items accordingly. CUE lets you pinch, swipe, and use other hand motions we've been trained to do by smartphones and tablets. The system also uses voice recognition, so many functions can be performed without lifting a finger off the wheel or taking eyes off the road. On-trend with other automakers, Cadillac is piling a plethora of electronic driver aids into the 2013 SRX, including lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, automatic front and rear braking and adaptive cruise control. These systems can alert the driver to potential hazards. Other interior updates on the 2013 Cadillac SRX include a new shifter and a new steering wheel. On the outside, you'll be hard-pressed to spot the differences on the refreshed 2013 Cadillac SRX. The upper and lower front grilles have been changed, and, like just about every other new car these days, LED lighting has been integrated into the front fascia. Three new exterior colors also make their debut: Evolution Green Metallic, Glacier Blue Metallic and Silver Coast Metallic. A new 20-inch wheel design is also available. All models will continue to use a 3.6-liter V6 with direct injection that makes 308 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. SRX is available with front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The 2013 Cadillac SRX will go on sale in the fall of 2012. Pricing has not yet been announced, but we anticipate it will start at around $37,000.