By Aaron Gold

THE BIG PICTURE

Groveling can be a wonderful thing, provided you are on the receiving end. I’m sure we’ve all had an errant friend or partner who went overboard to make up for the wrong they did, and who amongst us hasn’t taken advantage of that, even just a little bit?

Cadillac is in the middle of a major grovel. It was once the luxury car to which Americans aspired, but in less time than it took for Kim Kardashian to grow up, get famous, and shed two husbands, Cadillac has seen its brand appeal go from just above Armani to well beneath Amway. In order to win us back, Caddy is building appealing vehicles like the Cadillac SRX and selling them at bargain prices. And unlike your friends, Cadillac won’t be the least bit resentful if you take advantage of it by buying one.

The first Cadillac SRX, introduced in 2004, was an awkward wagon-SUV-crossover that looked like an Escalade suffering from severe dehydration. The big-wheeled beauty we see today first debuted in 2010. I love the sharp-edged styling; it’s a nice change from the lookalike blobs that so many SUVs have become. For those of us who remember our grandparents’ Caddy’s, there are some nice reminders of those classy rides in the SRX’s overall appearance.

INTERIOR

The interior is the most important part of a luxury vehicle. It should constantly remind us that yes, we were justified in spending the extra dough instead of buying a cheap, used Honda. For years, this was a Caddy sore spot and part of the reason sales dried up; but my time with the Cadillac SRX proved that those days are over. The SRX’s cabin is beautifully designed and finished with top-quality materials. And it works well, too — the gauges are easy to read, the buttons are easy to find (though I wish there weren’t quite so many of them), and there are cool details like the pop-up navigation screen, which sinks down to half-mast where it serves as the radio display. The front seats are very comfortable; they include an extendable thigh bolster, a nice touch for the Amazonians among us. Visibility is as good as most SUVs, with a big windshield and wide-eyed side mirrors.

FAMILY-FRIENDLINESS

Score another point for the Cadillac SRX. Not only is the back seat roomy, but higher-end SRXs offer first-class accommodations: Independent climate and stereo controls, headphone jacks, and heated seats. (If your kids don’t appreciate all that, your grown-up friends will.) The SRX’s 29.2 cubic foot cargo area is on the small side, but it offers tie-downs and a cargo gate that slides along metal tracks built into the floor. Gruesome but true: In a bad accident, the junk in your trunk can come flying forward and put a nasty dent in the occupants’ skulls. Having gates and tie-downs — and using them when the Cadillac SRX is packed full — helps safeguard your family against injuries in a serious accident.

SAFETY

While many luxury-branded SUVs are kitted out with airbags galore, the Cadillac SRX comes with just the standard six: Two in front, one in each front seat, and two curtain airbags that cover the side windows. But those airbags provide plenty of protection, as evidenced by the SRX’s Top Safety Pick Award from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, a prize awarded to vehicles that get the highest-possible marks in its front, side, rear and roof-crush crash tests.

The Cadillac SRX is a bit shy on high-tech safety features found on other luxury SUVs — things like Volvo’s collision detection and avoidance system. But it does come with OnStar, which automatically calls for help if the SRX’s airbags deploy (provided the vehicle’s electrical system still works). If needed, OnStar can even direct emergency services to the Cadillac SRX using the vehicle’s on-board GPS receiver to pinpoint its location.

GIZMOS AND TECH

Though the SRX’s gadgetry isn’t exactly cutting edge, there is an awful lot of it, from a touch-screen navigation system to standard Bluetooth connectivity, plus an optional rear-seat DVD player with wireless headphones. Most SRXs include a dual-pane sunroof, rear-view camera, and my favorite marriage-saving option: A “memory” feature that positions the driver’s seat, mirrors, and radio presets just the way you like them, even after your spouse drives the car and screws everything up.

DRIVING EXPERIENCE

For 2012, the Cadillac SRX gets General Motors’ ubiquitous 3.6 liter V6, tuned for 308 horsepower. Most luxury-utes have 300ish-horsepower engines, but nearly all of them require premium gas. Not the SRX — it burns cheap 87 octane. Acceleration is great, but the feel of the brakes left me wanting; the pedal goes deep to the floor before they bite (and they bite hard). On the flip side the ride and handling gets props — the SRX feels sporty and agile, yet always remains comfortable. That said, it doesn’t quite have the rock-solid feel of its Japanese and German rivals. The Cadillac SRX shares some of its mechanical bits with less-expensive GM vehicles, which you can feel in the way it drives.