Arriving in STYLE To Taylor Swift in The 2015 Cadillac SRX Luxury SUV

The sleek & flirty 2015 Cadillac SRX AWD Premium is a car after my rock-n-roll heart. The minute I saw it, I knew things were about to get good. Really good
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The Cadillac SRX looking good in San Diego’s Gaslamp District. Photo: Nicole Standley 

The Cadillac SRX makes a mother/daughter getaway even more stylish.

Cadillac gets me. Oh, boy does Cadillac get me. Bells, whistles, and vices. I’m smitten.

When the car fairies dropped off the sleek and flirty 2015 Cadillac SRX AWD Premium Collection (whom we shall refer to as “Dixie,”) in my driveway, I immediately knew things were about to get good.

I had no idea how quickly things were going to go from good to A-M-A-Z-I-N-G in just 0 to :60 in this compact 2-row luxury SUV. What I did know is that I would never be the same again. See, this whip is pretty – as in Harry Styles pretty and I’m crushing on her hard.

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Going to see Taylor Swift in the Cadillac SRX. Photo: Nicole Standley 

JetSet daughter and I were headed southbound to for the ultimate San Diego mother/daughter weekend getaway for Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated 1989 Tour. Those who have made the drive from Orange County to downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp District know first-hand how visually beautiful the California landscape is on the short road trip, and the Cadillac SRX magnified the entire experience.

Imagine the moon roof open during sunset along the coast with hot air balloons in the distance over the canyons and the best tunes imaginable pumping through the Bose speakers in surround sound courtesy of SirusXM. This is how we roll and this is the standard of how all road trips were meant to be.

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The Cadillac SRX in transit. Photo: Nicole Standley

Once Upon a Time in a Luxury SUV…

Let’s rewind a few hours to the school parking lot pick-up lane. Usually, I am surfing Facebook and Instagram or responding to a few emails, but since it has been officially declared a cell-free zone, I decided to have Dave Grohl come along for the ride. OK, he wasn’t with me, but the sound system is pretty darn amazing, so it was almost like he and his band mates were there.

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Pretty sleek. Photo: Nicole Standley 

If he were there, he would have appreciated Dixie’s cool seats – literally. The California Southland was in the wake of a massive heat wave , and the cooling ventilated seats were a treat, and nicely balanced the heated steering wheel (yes, I know, I’m a freak).

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Cargo management system keeps your groceries from rolling around the cargo floor. Photo: Nicole Standley 

Do you hear that? It’s angels singing…

Another fantastic feature of the Cadillac SRX luxury SUV that had me giddy was the center dash cup holders. You can fly thru the Starbucks drive-thru and with a quick click of a button, neatly fit your Grande, Venti or Trenta in the cup holder, no matter which size you order. This is pure genius and deserves a medal.

OK, promise not to judge? We really enjoy take-out. As in a few times a week. Especially, from Tamarind of London in Newport Beach, where they serve the most amazing Murgh Tikka Masala and Dakshini Jhinga (Coconut Prawn Curry) which my family is always ready for. But the sauces can get tricky when driving that long haul back. Then I realized the SRX already knew my concerns. Look at this hidden gem under the floorboard of the trunk:

The Temperature-Preserving Cargo Hold Is Perfect For Keeping Your Take Out Perfectly Toasty (Or Beverages Cold) And It Wipes Out Easily
The temperature-preserving cargo hold is perfect for keeping your take out perfectly toasty (or beverages cold) and it wipes out easily. Photo: Nicole Standley 

The cargo hold isn’t temperature controlled, but completely insulated and easy to clean, making quick transports of messy foods or sauces completely stress free. With this compartment I was able to prevent disastrous upholstery and carpet stains from sauces with easy clean ups, and trust me, I know first hand how difficult it is to remove masala and soy sauce stains and it is not fun.

Many of the other wonderful features were a little less obvious, but still grand. Living in So Cal, I take the need for windshield wipers for granted; often, rain can be non-existent. So I never once considered looking to see if this vehicle had rain sensing wipers. Well, the joke was clearly on me because I learned the hard way while inside the car wash. Oh, the expletives…

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Traveling in style with rear seat entertainment. Photo: Nicole Standley 

“Cadillac, I think I love you, but I wanna know fo’ sho…”

How about room and comfort? Me, my 6′ 3″ husband and daughter (still in a booster seat,) had plenty of space and it was a pleasant ride. Unlike more ‘rugged’ crossovers or SUVs, the SRX has a very smooth and luxurious ride, making road tripping a delight.

As I get older, I start to enjoy the little things in cars, and I begin to heavily depend on things like in-dash navigation systems and safety features like parking assist, and stabilitrak with traction control which makes the car feel (and ride) safer on the road. But this luxury SUV does not end it there. When it comes to safety you can’t beat the five-star overall vehicle score.

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Rear storage in the Cadillac SRX. Photo: Nicole Standley 

My Tom Fords Need a Home, and the Cadillac SRX Provides

The one thing I found interesting and slightly annoying was the lack of protective drop down overhead sunglass holder. Dear automotive designers: My Tom Fords need a home. One where they won’t get crushed in the center console. One where I know they are neatly stored at all times when they are not perched on my head. A home where I can easily grab them by feel should the sun be setting directly in line with my peeps about to burn my retinas. Otherwise? This ride is perfect.

And remember how I mentioned how much I rely on the navigation system? Well I can’t live without it. Maybe I’ve reached that age where suddenly I’m technically handicapped, or just clueless, but I found the navigation system not as user friendly compared to other vehicles. Plus, fingerprints on the touch screen drive me B-A-N-A-N-A-S. OK, I’m actually starting to break a sweat just thinking about it…NEXT!

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Rear temperature controls. Photo: Nicole Standley 

Then, the Saddest Moment of the Week

Before I knew it, the week was over and Dixie was gone. POOF! So many things I wanted to tell her. So many times we still needed to share.

Hello, Lover.

When they drove you away it was like losing a piece of me. OK, totally dramatic like a telenovela, I know, but I may have shed a tear or two. I’ll sorely miss school pick-ups and drop offs the most. I’ll miss blaring my precious Foo Fighters loud and proud like a war cry upon entering the school parking lot. I’ll miss rolling deep down the carpool lane with Elle Woods waiting for the school bell to ring. And take-out, man, will I miss grabbing dinner from our favorite Indian place. But most of all, I’ll miss the way you gently warmed my fingers and cooled my tush when I couldn’t decide if I was too hot, or too cold (or both).

You’re my girl, Dixie. I’ll see you around.

Love, Me

P.S. So much so, I forgot all about Taylor Swift!

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Enjoying our road trip in the Cadillac SRX. Photo: Nicole Standley 

What We Loved About the Cadillac SRX Luxury SUV

  • Dual rear seat entertainment system with Blu ray
  • Heated steering wheel
  • Heated rear seats and rear thermostat controls
  • Cargo management system for take out!
  • Rear vision camera
  • Side blind zone alert
  • Rear cross traffic Alert
  • Driver awareness package

What You Need to Know About the Cadillac SRX

  • MSRP: $57,310 and worth every penny
  • Fuel economy is 18 MPG combined; 16/city and 23/highway
  • As much as I loved grooving to the Bose Surround Sound System, it got loud. The speakers were ear level so I found myself turning down the volume quite often when holding a casual conversation with the passengers in the backseat.

Disclosure: Cadillac graciously provided A Girls Guide to Cars with the SRX for this review. The opinions expressed are all our own.

Nicole Standley | Head ShotCalling Southern California home, Nicole Standley a.k.a. JetSet Mom, is a self-proclaimed lifestylist and Instagramholic in desperate need of an intervention! Across social media, Nicole shares her favorite luxury travel spots and fine dining experiences with a sprinkle of fashion + pop culture for her blog, The JetSet Family, CBS Los Angeles and HiltonMomVoyage.com. Over the years she has owned 9 cars, but none will ever be as special as her first car, a 1992 Saab Convertible which she received when she got her license. Countless road trips and mix tapes later, it might be time for this real housewife of Orange County to go topless again.

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