Noise, Ride & Handling
Road and wind noise are low, but you'll hear more adjacent traffic than I'd expect in a luxury crossover. The Lincoln MKX and GLK, to name a couple competitors, are superior in this regard.
With the 20-inch wheels on Performance and Premium trim levels, the SRX rides on the firmer side. All-wheel-drive Performance and Premium trims, including our test car, get a sport-tuned adaptive suspension. It soaks up stretches of uneven pavement well enough, but major disruptions — expansion joints, potholes — make for a lot of noise and movement. The RDX has similar characteristics, and the X3 and EX35 are firmer still. Other competitors, particularly the LR2 and MKX, ride smoother.
The front-wheel-drive SRX adopts softer suspension tuning — albeit with a fixed rather than adaptive setup. The base and Luxury SRX could be cushier still, thanks to their normal suspension tuning and 18-inch wheels with higher-series tires. If ride comfort is paramount, be sure to sample all three setups.
The steering wheel turns with light effort, but its sloppy turn-in precision doesn't encourage spirited cornering. Body roll, at least, seems contained. No matter the configuration, though, the SRX's 40.3-foot turning circle will have you making a lot of three- and four-point turns. It's one of the widest in this group.
See also:
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before starting down a long or steep
downgrade. If the transmission is not shifted down, the brakes might have to be
used so much that they would get hot and n ...
Cupholders
Cupholders are in the center console for the front passengers. Press down on
the access door release to open and use the front cupholders. Push the door back
down to close it. Push down and then b ...
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q: Is there anything I might add
to or change about the vehicle
that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that
change the vehicle's frame,
bumper system, ...