Cadillac really hopes to get some extra mileage out of its new direct-injected 3.6-liter V6 engine. It will power the CTS sedan, and it will debut as the sole engine for the company's smallest SUV, the SRX. Despite having a single engine option, this front- or all-wheel-drive crossover is available in one of four trim levels – Base, Luxury, Performance and Premium.

But the engine isn’t the only change for the SRX in 2012, with newly standard Bluetooth across the model lineup, a heated steering wheel in all but the Base trim and trick, machined-face 20-inch wheels for the Premium and Performance trims. Another small but welcome change is the inclusion of door-lock switches on both driver and passenger doors.

But everyone is excited about the new engine, and the 3.6-liter V6 offers not only a power upgrade – 300 hp vs. the outgoing 3.0's 265 – it is also FlexFuel capable, able to run on E85 fuel. Torque is improved as well at 260 lb-ft vs. 223 last year, but more than that the 3.6 has been designed with a broader torque band for increased usability.

While the 3.6 offers a substantial power upgrade, even over the outgoing turbo 2.8, which had a disappointingly non-linear powerband, it doesn’t offer the fuel economy bump many buyers want. Even with the 6-speed automatic as the only transmission option, the 3.6 can manage only an estimated 18 mpg city/25 highway. Still, with a 4,500-pound curb weight and a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, it offers a nice blend of power, utility and economy, and it wasn’t too long ago that 18/25 would have impressed in an SUV, even a small one like the SRX.

Depending on the trim level chosen, the SRX can be quite well-appointed, with front- and rear-obstacle detection and a rear-view camera, Bluetooth, a sunroof, heated power leather seats with memory and remote engine start all standard. Jumping up to the Premium trim will get you special features like ventilation for the front seats and heat for the rear, while the Performance trim gets an electrically adjustable sport suspension. Both Premium and Performance trims benefit from a hard drive navigation system with digital music storage.

Two years in and we’ve seen quite the powertrain shuffle for the SRX, but we’ve come out with a useable engine finally. Rumors of a plug-in hybrid have been heard, but for now it seems that may have been reorganized to a very back burner. For now, 300 horses will have to do, even if they are a bit thirsty.