Long-Term Road Tests

After 13 days and more than 3,000 miles, the SRX is back in Southern California. Following is a brief pictorial of its journey.

Driving through this great country's open space in the summer is one of my favorite pastimes. And doing it in the right vehicle always makes the journey so much more memorable. The SRX was the perfect choice with a comfortable highway ride, car-like road manners and just enough cargo space, it strikes the perfect balance between car and SUV. Plus, there's none of the cumbersome awkwardness that always accompanies a full-size SUV.

 Loaded up with two mountain bikes, two people's luggage, a pile of motorcycle gear and a few other toys, the packing job wasn't graceful, but it was practical. On the way home, we even filled the bins beneath the rear cargo area with Wyoming canned goods and matchbox cars that various family members inisted come back to California.

Both my mother and wife discovered various sharp metal seat mounts with their sandal-clad feet while riding in the back seat. Still, mom came away with a good impression overall. She appreciated the Cady's luxury and gadgets -- "what's that huge screen on the dashboard?"

As discussed, the only real problem on the trip was a wildly erratic key fob which refused to unlock the doors. And since the only key slot is on the driver's door, unlocking had to be done from that location.

The dirt road below is the only one on the entire trip that thwarted my sense of adventure enough to force me to turn back. Believe me, the photo doesn't do this grade justice. I'm not a sissy, I swear.

Still, the SRX had no trouble getting us to the Crazy Rainbow Lodge.

Where I was able to catch this guy.

And in case you care, the SRX averaged 19.3 miles per gallon.

Josh Jacquot, Senior road test editor at 20,415 miles