2013 Cadillac ATS
PRICE/AS-TESTED PRICE................................................ $44,895/$49,185
MILEAGE.......................................... 19 MPG (CITY); 28 MPG (HWY)
ENGINE............................................. 3.6-LITER V6
HORSEPOWER/TORQUE................................. 321 HP/275 lb./ft.
TRANSMISSION................................. 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC
DRIVE WHEELS................ REAR-WHEEL DRIVE
FINAL ASSEMBLY POINT................ LANSING, MI
The 80s seem like a long time ago. It was the decade of my youth, so I remember it fondly. One thing that came from the 80s that is best left forgotten was the Cadillac Cimarron.
Why bring this up you ask? My tester for the week, like the Cimarron, is a compact Cadillac. But other than size, it bears absolutely no other resemblance to that 80s abomination. As the Cimarron sales failed, GM kept producing their typical, larger-sized vehicles to great success, and kept any compact car ideas stored away along with big hair photos, Rubic's Cubes and leg warmers.
Realizing the need for an American luxury brand in this segment, GM proudly unveiled the Cadillac ATS during the 2012 North American International Auto Show to much fanfare. When GM President Mark Reuss pulled the sheet off the ATS that January day he immediately named the BMW
3-series as their target competition. The Europeans have excelled in this segment largely unchallenged from anyone stateside.
On looks alone, the ATS makes an immediate impact. The ATS has the new-look Cadillac styling with an aggressive, angular back end, with dual exhaust. The grille is similar to the much-larger XTS, but just on a smaller scale, including LED headlights. In fact, the shared looks of the XTS and the ATS are amazing, as there's a definite family resemblance for Cadillac's two newest vehicles. And, trust me, it's a good thing.
And as good as the looks are, the engine found in my tester was even better. I drove the 3.6-liter, V6 engine, which makes for 321 horsepower of finely-tuned fun. For a non-V8 engine, the engineers did a great job of making sure the engine had a noticeable and exciting purr. Torque was immediate, ongoing and responsive — throwing rapid, and easy acceleration during all points of driving. It was further aided by a six-speed automatic transmission that was up for the task.
Anyone who has read my column knows that I'm a fan of all-wheel drive. So I was really disappointed when my tester was the rear-wheel drive version instead of the available AWD. But, after taking it out on the open road, through twists and turns the handling was exceptional, and the few times I managed to get a little loose (due to my heavy accelerating through tight turns), well that only added to the exhilirating driving experience.
The ATS is available in two other 4-cylinder engines: a 2.0-liter turbo and a 2.5-liter. The V6 certainly delivers a driving performance that rivals the 3-series and the Mercedes C-Class.
Cadillac excels at interior design. It was an area where they failed miserably with the Cimarron, so it was great to see high-end materials, including leather seats, 12-way adjustable seats with lumbar support and faux, carbon fiber accents on the door. The available paddle shifters were made of magnesium. So the details were not overlooked at all. The seats were race-angled, so short-legged people might have to spend extra time adjusting the seat for comfort. The rear seats are angled similarly and aren't adjustable.
As I mentioned in my Cadillac XTS review a few weeks ago, Cadillac's new CUE (Cadillac User Experience) infotainment system is extremely young and hip and will appeal to the iPhone generation who are adverse to buttons and like sliding the volume up and down with a haptic-response touchscreen at their fingertips.
The Cadillac ATS is one of the lightest cars in the segment with a curb weight of 3,461 pounds. As such, it has a EPA fuel rating of 19 city and 28 highway. For maximum fuel economy, the 2.5-liter engine tops out at 22 city/33 highway.
To break into the segment, GM was wise to price the ATS in the affordable range. As such, the base model ATS starts at $33,095. My tester, the Premium trim, starts at $44,895. Throw in options like heated seats, heated steering wheel and all weather tires, and the final price of my tester came to $49,185.
GM accomplished many things with the ATS. The ghost of the Cimarron are once and for all laid to rest. But beyond that, and more importantly, the ATS immediately jumps into the compact luxury car segment and becomes a major factor. If the goal was to compete against the Germans, who have dominated this segment, it's most definitely mission accomplished for the Cadillac ATS.
Jimmy Dinsmore is the Wheels editor for Cox Media Group Ohio and may be reached at (937) 225-2115.
Follow him on Twitter @wheelseditor
About the Author