2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0 Premium: Versus the Competition
May 13, 2013
Our 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0 Premium recently found itself embroiled in a comparison test, pitted against the 2013 BMW 328i and the all-new 2014 Lexus IS250 F Sport.
How'd it do? Head over to the comparison test to find out.
2013 Cadillac ATS: It's No Brougham
April 4, 2013
Our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS has a 272-horsepower, turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. This 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham de Elegance that I found last weekend, has a 7.0-liter V8 that produced 195 horsepower when it was new. There aren't too many people that are comparing these two Caddys, but I enjoy looking at the stark contrast between two automobiles that share the same badge.
In 1977 the Cadillac Fleetwood was 'downsized' and lost more than 12 inches of overall length, making it a scant 221 inches from bumper to bumper. Even at this decreased size, it's 40 inches longer than our ATS and larger than every Cadillac sedan on the road today. The only Cadillac that even comes close in the current lineup is the Escalade ESV at 222.9 inches (an inch longer).
2013 Cadillac ATS: Made My Commute Feel Special
February 12, 2013
I took my first drive ever in the 2013 Cadillac ATS this week, and this car put a smile on my face. I really like the way it rides. It's firm, controlled, even sporty, yet there's an underlying compliance to it. It reminds me a lot of the last two generations of the BMW 3 Series (E90 and F10). That's a good thing, of course, especially since our long-term ATS is priced in 328i territory.
The steering is very good, too. It's precise with good feel. Again, like a 3 Series. I can totally see taking this sedan on a back road someday. But in that case, I'll definitely have to shift the six-speed automatic manually to make sure I stay in the power. Often during my commute, the engine rpm would fall enough that there wasn't much turbo boost to work with and the ATS felt slow. Usually, I'm all for getting the turbocharged engine, but in this instance, I'd probably get the 3.6-liter V6 if I was buying an ATS of my own.
2013 Cadillac ATS: A Good Start
February 5, 2013
I badly wanted to like the ATS. I really did. And after a few days of getting to know it, I do. But I wanted to crush hard on this car. Cadillac promised the Merican challenge to the mighty 3 Series, the Wreath versus the Roundel. But the ATS just doesn't measure up.
Others on staff can better articulate any of the ATS' dynamic deficiencies. To me, the 2.0-liter turbo has enough sauce to thread traffic pretty effortlessly, and get up to highway merge speed. It doesn't sound that happy doing it, but it's not a braying donkey. The smoother, quieter BMW 3 Series turbo-four gets the advantage here.
2013 Cadillac ATS: Rev-Matched Downshifts
January 5, 2013
One nice feature of our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS' automatic transmission is its ability to match revs when your command downshifts manually. Not a big deal to the average user who probably won't use manual mode after his or her first week of ownership, but for those like me that use it for engine braking or during brisk drives, it's a welcome trait.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
2013 Cadillac ATS: Track Test
December 24, 2012
Our 2013 Cadillac ATS has a 272-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder driving the rear-wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
It's that last part that's of particular interest with our long-termer. You see, we've already tested the 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0, but that car - a press vehicle - had the six-speed manual transmission which costs $1,180. During that test we said, "Impossible to select a consistent engine speed for launch with wildly erratic electronic throttle calibration...Shifter rejects quick gear changes at high engine speeds...Sounds like a mess, but it drives well until you ask for 10/10ths acceleration."
Still, that car managed to get from 0-60 in 6.3 seconds and cross the quarter-mile mark in 14.5 seconds at 95.9 mph.
Will the automatic fare any better? We take our long termer to the track to find out.
2013 Cadillac ATS Track Tested
Mike Magrath, Features Editor @ 1,692 miles
