Report: 2010 Cadillac SRX and Chevrolet Equinox to receive 3.0L HF V6

The Cadillac SRX has been officially revealed. Click here to view the story.

Though little is known about the expected all-new 3.0L 'High Feature' (HF) V6 engine at General Motors, the latest reports indicate it will be headed into the engine bays of both the 2010 Cadillac SRX and the Chevrolet Equinox. The engine has been in development for some time, and early indications are that it will be good for 250hp (186kW).

In the Equinox, a new 2.3L direct-injection four-cylinder will also be available, but it appears that the V6 may be the standard engine for the SRX, with the 3.6L direct-injection V6 being that car's upgrade path, reports GM Inside News.

Previous reports had placed the output of the SRX's smaller V6 engine at around 210hp (157kW) with the 3.6L unit generating 300hp (224kW), but with the expected power rating of the 2.3L four-banger in the Equinox nearing the 200hp (149kW) mark, it would make sense for the 3.0L HF engine's rating to more nearly split the difference.

Spy shots of the SRX reveal that much will be shared under the skin with the next-generation Saab 9-4X, since both are built around a heavily revised version of GM's Theta platform. Visually, however, the vehicles are expected to be quite different, with the Saab's rounded profiles giving way to sharp angles and edges in the Cadillac.

The Equinox meanwhile will gain increased importance for GM's SUV lineup as the future of its full-sized SUVs transitions to the more economical Lambda platform. The Equinox's option of a powerful four-cylinder and a smaller and more efficient V6 in the form of the HF could be just the ticket for finding the company's way through future CAFE standards and fuel prices that are likely to return to higher levels. On the other hand, the lack of power and size leaves much utility on the table, and it remains to be seen whether Americans will be able to give up their full-size SUVs on a permanent basis.

Fuel efficiency and other data are even more nebulous than the power figures for the 3.0L HF V6 at this point, but given the mid-size SUV application, expect highway economy figures in the low to mid-20mpg range for the SRX and possible nearing the upper 20mpg range for the Equinox.