The best-selling high-performance single in the world — and the airplane that made the whole-airframe parachute normal. Specs, an honest owner's review, and financing.
| Engine | Continental IO-550-N |
|---|---|
| Horsepower | 310 hp |
| Seats | 5 (60/40 flex) |
| Max cruise speed | 183 ktas |
| Best-economy cruise | ~165 kt @ ~13.5 gph |
| Max range | ~1,169 nm |
| Useful load | ~1,100 lb |
| Max takeoff weight | 3,600 lb |
| Usable fuel | 92 gal |
| Service ceiling | 17,500 ft |
| Safety | CAPS whole-airframe parachute (standard); FIKI optional |
| Dimensions (span / length / height) | 38 ft 4 in / 26 ft / 8 ft 11 in |
| Typical price | New G7 ~$845k (GTS ~$1.05M) · Used G3–G5 ~$350k–$700k |
For the flight levels and known-ice, see the turbocharged SR22T (25,000-ft ceiling). For training and step-in, see the SR20. Figures are G7 manufacturer data; earlier generations vary.
Aviation Consumer frames the SR22 market cleanly: for an owner stepping up from a Cherokee or Skyhawk it's a major leap in speed, technology, and mission; for someone stepping down from a piston twin or a turbine, it's a big cost saving with genuine cross-country capability. Their two cautions are the ones every buyer should hear: don't underestimate maintenance costs, and treat transition and recurrent training as non-negotiable — it's exactly why Cirrus created its Embark program to get pre-owned buyers properly trained.
CAPS was controversial from day one — as Flying's history of the airplane recounts, some pilots argued the chute gave pilots emotional license to take risks they otherwise wouldn't. The early data bore the concern out: Aviation Consumer's accident analysis found the SR-series' fatal rate initially ran higher than the general-aviation average despite the parachute — then fell to among the industry's lowest once training began emphasizing actually pulling it. That's the one lesson every SR22 buyer should internalize: the parachute only saves you if you use it, and the training is what makes the airplane as safe as its record now shows.
The 310-hp Continental turns in a 183-knot max cruise and a genuine ~1,169 nm of range — real cross-country legs, with a best-economy setting near 165 knots on about 13.5 gph. Flying notes the distinctive SR feel — the side-yoke, and how the airframe evolved from the light-feeling early cars to today's more substantial machine; the G3's new, stronger, faster wing added nearly an hour of fuel, and the Perspective-by-Garmin cockpit brought the big-screen panel. The one ceiling to know: the naturally aspirated SR22 tops out at 17,500 feet — cross the weather and the terrain out West and you'll want the turbocharged SR22T.
The composite airframe rewards a Cirrus-experienced pre-buy; budget for it, and for the maintenance reality Aviation Consumer flags. The offset is liquidity: the SR22 has the deepest resale market of any modern single, which makes it strong, well-understood collateral. New G7s run ~$845k–$1.05M; clean used G3–G5 examples land ~$350k–$700k. It finances as a certified single — terms up to 20 years, as little as 15% down.
New G7 or a pre-owned G3–G5, the SR22 is the most financed high-performance single there is — lenders know it cold. Get a real number before you shop.
| SR20 | SR22 | SR22T | Bonanza G36 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 215 hp | 310 hp | 315 hp turbo | 300 hp |
| Max cruise | 155 kt | 183 kt | 213 kt | 176 kt |
| Ceiling | 17,500 ft | 17,500 ft | 25,000 ft | 18,500 ft |
| Parachute | CAPS | CAPS | CAPS | None |
| Best for | Training / step-in | All-round XC | Altitude & weather | Club seating / legacy |
Below it, the SR20 is the trainer and step-in; above it, the SR22T adds turbo altitude and known-ice. Cross-shopped against a Bonanza, the SR22 trades the Beech's club cabin and legacy feel for speed, glass, and the parachute. And when the mission finally outgrows a piston single, the SR owner's natural next step is the Vision Jet.
A new SR22 G7 starts around $845,000 and passes $1M optioned as a GTS; used G3–G5 models run roughly $350,000–$700,000 by generation and equipment. Estimate a payment here.
Max cruise is about 183 knots true; best-economy cruise is near 165 knots on roughly 13.5 gph, giving a range around 1,169 nm.
The turbocharged SR22T makes 315 hp, cruises up to 213 knots, and is certified to 25,000 feet with a known-ice option — worth it if you fly high, over mountains, or in weather. The naturally aspirated SR22 tops out at 17,500 feet and costs less to buy and maintain.
The SR-series' fatal accident rate started higher than the GA average but fell to among the industry's lowest as training emphasized deploying CAPS. The takeaway: the parachute works when pilots use it, and transition training is essential.
Yes — it finances as a certified single with terms up to 20 years and as little as 15% down, and it's among the most liquid collateral in general aviation. See your rate.
Sources: Flying, A Cirrus SR22 Photo History; Aviation Consumer, Cirrus SR22 used-aircraft guide and the magazine's SR-series accident analysis. Specifications from Cirrus G7 data.
