“Apple CarPlay will debut in 2016 Cadillac models featuring CUE’s 8-in multi-touch screen except the SRX Crossover, a model that will move to an all-new generation in early 2016.”
Leave it to Cadillac to bury news of their SRX replacement – fully expected to be renamed XT5 – on the second paragraph of a press release about Apple CarPlay. After all, the SRX isn’t Cadillac’s most popular model or anything.
Oh wait – actually, it is.
Shortly after Apple’s announcement of CarPlay updates at WWDC this week, Cadillac published a release stating CarPlay will officially debut on all 2016 model year Cadillacs – except SRX. That’s because the crossover model will move to a new generation early next year, likely at Cadillac’s new home auto show of NYIAS in April.
The 2016 model year cars will also enjoy updates to CUE, Cadillac’s oft-maligned infotainment system, in an effort to “enhance phone integration and overall system performance.” Those enhancements will include a new processor to handle the heavy software burden, simplified navigation, Surround Vision for CTS and XTS product lines and an expanded offering of driving mode information.
“Android Auto is expected to be phased into 2016 production at a later date,” stated the release.
So when does Buick get its compact CUV/SUV?
The brand needs one as bad as VW does in the US. It certainly needs it much more than a convertible based on the outgoing Delta II architecture (as I understand it – gladly corrected if wrong)
Doesn’t the runty Encore count?
Encore is a subcompact and sells well in its segment – the Theta CUVs of Equinox, Terrain and SRX are in a different class
Yes, Buick definitely needs something like an MKC. (Come to think of it, so does Cadillac. How can GM totally miss that entire segment in their prestige brands?)
Envision is coming for MY16, IIRC.
I think between the “runty” Encore and the mid-size Envision, Buick will be okay. The compact CUV segment is a crowded and cutthroat field, while the midsize CUV is a slow-but-sure source of income, and the subcompact CUV is an emerging market.
There is a unmentioned joke about this SRX replacement, or some kind of elephant in the room:
The SRX replacement is front wheel-drive based. With the CTS and ATS not selling like hotcakes it would be ideal to share a platform/assembly plant with them.
I wonder if CarPlay will say on the boot screen: Bro, you drive a transverse engined SUV, from a performance ‘brand’.
Sounds like a nice feature.
haha. Realistically, that would be a great hack to piss your neighbour off.
I don’t know if the typical SRX buyer would know what “transverse” means.
Now, make the nav automatically pull up directions to the nearest Early Bird Special, and then you’d be on to something…
I don’t think they would care. Why would it matter to 98% of the people who drive back and forth to work, shopping and to the golf course what drivetrain layout they have under the hood?
FWD is better for most drivers in most situations. Luxury brands holding onto RWD for no other reason than that’s what they are supposed to do is silly. Even BMW is moving to FWD for their cars that don’t need RWD.
RWD is now synonymous with “luxury” because there is a subset of buyers who will pay extra to have this “luxury”. As you noted, FWD is the defacto drive for the average car and average person, so justifying RWD platforms to reach those premium buyers requires a price bump. Luxury!
Or just have it say “Hey, that’s a pretty nice Equinox you got there!”
I tried that on a friend who bought one even after I told her that it was just a JO’d Equinox and she bought it anyway. She likes shiny things and is easily impressed so I guess this isn’t a surprise.
So can a Lexus RX say, hey, that’s a nice Camry wagon you got there.
Or maybe an Audi A4 can say, hey, that’s a nice VW Polo you got there.
Or maybe a Maserati can snicker, what do you think about that Chrysler switch gear?
There is nothing wrong with platform sharing, and the Caddy to Equinox is no where near as egregious as say an Edge to its counterpart Lincoln.
Exactly.
It’s only an egregious offence when an American automaker does it.
I agree with your point but the Audi analogy was kinda horrible. The A4 shares platform with other Audis. The A3 is the only Audi sedan that shares platform with a VW. Sorry feeling nitpicky this morning.
The SRX is very rare in Bergen, Westchester and Fairfield Counties, the ring of expensive real estate outside New York City.
We have Q5, Q7. Lots of Range or Land Rovers, even that cute little one. The various BMW trucks sell well, from X1 to ///M X6. Lexii as far as the eye can see. Infiniti Q56 Land Arks. Cadillac is occasionally seen as the Escalade, and these are always “this year’s model”. There are even a whole lot of Mercedes Trucks, which may come from South Carolina, and are all ML somethings. Some of them are huge.
Around here, Acura has a hit in the new MDX. GM isn’t out of the running either-I’m seeing a lot more GMC/Buick SUV recently…
The SRX ? I see more Tesla, and that is NOT an exaggeration. The lack of take in this hothouse area shows the problem-the ATS and CTS also don’t sell as they should proportionate to the other high end cars in the area. I don’t know gross numbers nationwide, but I think that the take rate for the SRX in other areas hides the lack of desire in this one. “mama want” is what you need, and what the SRX is lacking.
That’s probably why the SRX is their best seller overall. It’s the only Cadillac that makes sense as a mode of transport. The CTS and ATS are trying to be BMWs (in a very cartoonish way), which is absurd when you can lease a real BMW for similar money. The XTS isn’t a bad car, but it impresses no-one, so it’s not worth extra compared to a 300 or Buick. The Escalade makes a statement, but not one that many want to hear.
The Escalade sells well in truck country. I’ve seen at least two of new ESVs (Suburbans) and a few of the “small” regular ones in my neighborhood already. I think every single one of them is black.
Yup, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any other than black. Nope…never
The only reason the SRX sells is value. It’s cheap to start with compared to its rivals and heavily discounted on top of that. Now, it’s old and losing its edge at even competing based on value.
It’s not that great of a car. It doesn’t really feel like a Cadillac. It feels upmarket, but a Lexus RX or Acura MDX feels LUXURIOUS. If it wasn’t so much cheaper, it wouldn’t sell at all.
This is a segment GM should absolutely be NAILING. They have all the right tools and it’s and SUV for Pete’s sake. Let’s hope they get it right, and by that I mean pretty much anything other than putting the base-spec ATS gauge cluster in.
The new RX is as ugly as homemade sin, so I expect the SRX will get a bump due to that.
Android Auto is incredibly sketchy. They (and Car Play) apparently want to send raw CAN data (in some instances) to their respective servers, not just Navigation inputs and GPS traces.