Cadillac's refreshed SRX relies on improved interior, enhanced safety
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DETROIT -- General Motors will roll out a refreshed 2013 Cadillac SRX in a bid to maintain the popular crossover's sales momentum.
GM will rely mostly on an improved interior and enhanced safety features to boost SRX sales, which have risen sharply since a redesigned model was introduced in 2009. GM will unveil the vehicle this week at the New York auto show.
The SRX gets Cadillac's new infotainment system, Cadillac User Experience, or CUE, which allows users to make swipe and drag motions on the 8-inch touch screen similar to operating a smartphone. GM is rolling out the system across the Cadillac lineup with plans to include it on the upcoming XTS large sedan and ATS compact sedan.
For the 2013 SRX, GM added a motorized faceplate that conceals a storage compartment for mobile devices and includes an illuminated USB port.
Other interior enhancements include a redesigned steering wheel and shift knob; a new instrument cluster to relay driver information via the CUE system; and active noise cancellation, which uses microphones and sound waves to counteract unwanted noise in the cabin.
Exterior changes include a restyled grille and the addition of front fender vents and LED headlights.
GM also is adding a package of safety features that will debut on the 2013 SRX. They include an automatic braking system to avoid collisions, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and a "safety alert seat," which vibrates to warn the driver of a potential crash.
Over the last two years, brisk SRX sales have helped Cadillac offset a thin car lineup. GM recently phased out the Cadillac DTS and STS to make way for the upcoming ATS and XTS.
During the first generation of the SRX, from model years 2004 to 2009, sales were sluggish. In 2010, the first full year after the redesign, sales more than doubled to 51,094.
Last year, sales rose 11 percent from a year earlier to 56,905.
You can reach Mike Colias at mcolias@crain.com.
