2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe Review

For 2016, the Cadillac ATS Coupe gets a new 3.6-liter V6 with improved fuel economy and performance, while an eight-speed automatic transmission replaces the old six-speed. All models receive an automatic start-stop function to save fuel. The CUE infotainment system loses its SD card slot but gets hardware and software upgrades, including full smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The compact 2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe is an enjoyable sport luxury two-door worthy of comparison with more established German rivals, especially if you want to drive something a little different from the norm.

If you're in the market for a compact luxury coupe, there's an edgy alternative to the usual suspects. It's called the 2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe, and its appeal starts with flashier styling than you get with the conservative German crowd.  Based on the athletic ATS sedan, the coupe incorporates the same forward-thinking interior design and superb chassis with sport-tuned dynamics. It's certainly one of the most distinctive cars you'll find in this class.  

The striking design of the 2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe sets it apart from its strait-laced rivals

Just one year removed from its debut, the Cadillac ATS coupe sees a lengthy list of improvements for 2016. There's a new 3.6-liter V6 engine that makes slightly more power and torque than the previous motor while also achieving better fuel economy. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard across the board, replacing the previous six-speed unit, although a six-speed manual is still optional with the 2.0T engine. The controversial CUE infotainment system gets a more powerful processor and reworked navigation functions to address criticisms from reviewers and owners alike, further adding Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for full smartphone integration. Alas, the system's finicky touch-sensitive central control panel remains.

Competition is limited but intense in this segment, led by a pair of impeccably engineered Bavarians. The BMW 2 Series is a small, light-on-its-feet coupe with sports-car handling and two outstanding turbocharged engines, while the BMW 4 Series is larger but also more sophisticated, with similar powertrain options. An all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe is ready to debut for 2017, and the Audi A5 holds down the fort in the meantime with graceful looks, a beautiful cabin and standard all-wheel drive. If the adventurous aesthetics of the Lexus RC strike your fancy, keep in mind that there's a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine this year to complement the carryover V6. But if you think the chiseled 2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe makes the others seem bland, chances are you'll dig the way it drives, too.

The 2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe is available with two engines, both of which come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission (including steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters) and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional.

The base motor is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 272 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is optional, but only with rear-wheel drive. The automatic-equipped ATS 2.0T earns an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 26 mpg combined (22 city/31 highway) with RWD and 25 mpg combined (22 city/30 highway) with AWD. With the manual, the ATS 2.0T gets a slightly worse 23 mpg combined (20 city/29 highway).

Also on offer is a 3.6-liter V6 rated at 335 hp and 285 lb-ft of torque. EPA fuel-economy estimates for the ATS 3.6 stand at 24 mpg combined (20 city/30 highway) with RWD and 22 mpg combined (19 city/28 highway) with AWD.

Standard safety features for the 2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe include antilock disc brakes, a rearview camera, traction and stability control, active front head restraints, front-seat side and knee airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Also standard is OnStar, which includes automatic crash notification, on-demand roadside assistance, remote door unlocking, stolen vehicle assistance and turn-by-turn navigation.

Both the Safety and Security package and the Driver Awareness package add forward-collision alert, lane departure prevention, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert and Cadillac's Safety Alert driver seat (with a vibrating seat bottom to warn of impending hazards). Also included is a lane-change alert system which detects quickly approaching vehicles in adjacent lanes when the turn signal is activated.

The Driver Assist package throws in a forward and rearward collision mitigation system with automatic emergency braking.

The 2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe is an impressive all-around performer, featuring the same sure-footed handling and excellent responsiveness that make the ATS sedan a world-class athlete. With its nimble character and disciplined body control in fast corners, it's more like the playful BMW 2 Series than the somewhat aloof 4 Series from the driver seat. The turbocharged four-cylinder engine provides quick acceleration and plentiful torque across the rev range, but it tends to get raspy under hard acceleration, lacking the mellifluous song of rival engines. The V6 is a more refined choice, and its fuel economy isn't much worse than that of the 2.0T.

Inside, the 2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe offers a variety of high-quality materials, including tasteful wood and metallic accents, and the cabin feels solidly put together. A few plastic trim pieces seem a bit low-rent for the segment, but by and large the cockpit is well-appointed.

While the 2016 ATS Coupe is among the least expensive vehicles that Cadillac sells, you'd never know it from its luxurious interior.

The available CUE infotainment interface features a vivid 8-inch touchscreen with large icons and operates like a smartphone or tablet, with tapping, swiping, flicking and pinching gestures. Furthermore, "haptic" feedback lets you know when you've pressed a virtual button by pulsing to your touch. It's a nice idea in theory, but certain elements, such as the slide bar for volume adjustment, can be much more troublesome than conventional controls. On the upside, the ATS has a robust voice recognition interface, so if you get tired of fiddling with CUE's fussy touchscreen, initiating the commands by voice is fairly painless.

Although CUE can be frustrating to use, it gets more powerful hardware for 2016, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

Up front, most drivers will find a comfortable driving position, and in our experience, the front seats provide ample support on longer drives. Oddly, the optional sport seats don't provide much more lateral support than the standard seats, even with the addition of power-adjustable bolsters. Compared to other entry-level luxury coupes, the ATS coupe's backseat is pretty small. If you're considering a coupe in the first place, it's probably not a deal-breaker, but know that headroom, shoulder room and hip room are in notably short supply. Although it has a wide opening, the trunk is similarly confining at just 10.4 cubic feet of capacity.