Testing times are over for Cadillac SRX

Time goes by too fast. It's been with us for five weeks, but we have now reached the end of the road with our Cadillac SRX. This handsome crossover leaves us with its head held well and truly high.

I have grown quite accustomed to its impressive onboard technology. The reversing camera is crystal clear while the height adjustable liftgate is always ready and willing to open and close at the touch of a button. The ventilated seats cool within seconds but best of all, I managed to programme the sat nav to show me the location of the nearest fast food restaurants and other points of interest.

The ultra smooth ride and comfort is first class. The moment you step in and close the door, you feel like you are in a better place. It's obviously been built with care and there is no denying it's a high quality interior featuring soft touch materials, decorative wood and leather inserts. The cabin has been insulated and sealed so well that you'd contemplate sleeping in it. You can almost hear a pin-drop in there — even while going 100kph on the highway.

It has been very easy to live with and totally reliable. It even managed to remain cool in traffic when it had very low levels of coolant in the radiator.

The Caddy SRX went for a minor service but came back two days later in pristine condition. The steering was slightly sticky during its first week with us, but ever since the service, it felt like it's been given a new lease of life. I also loved the fact that I would be getting into an ice cool interior every morning thanks to the brilliant remote keyless start. Pressing the button on the fob cranked the 3.0-litre V6 and turned on the AC too — a feature which is nothing short of vital in our climate. I'll have to get used to singeing my skin again when I get into the Trans Am.

Washed and waxed, it looks a treat too. The chrome 20in alloys, once polished, are bright but not to the point of being gaudy. The Thunder Grey paint job is classy yet understated, but when it catches the sun it looks stunning. The big chrome grille and massive headlights, which stretch up onto the angular bonnet, adding to the car's impressive road presence. But it's not mean or scary looking. It has a smile on its face, and it has good reason to look happy.

Granted, it isn't perfect, nothing is. We all felt it was underpowered and 265bhp just isn't enough for a CUV of this size and weight (1,907kg). It's also a bit too bouncy for our liking. But in my opinion, if you are after a comfortable, good looking, superbly kitted out family hauler, then you simply have to consider the new SRX. It ticks all the right boxes for me and I'm already shedding a tear or two at the thought of handing the key back to GM.

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