The New Cadillac ATS Sedan

The Cadillac ATS is a relatively small luxury vehicle that is in the same class as German sports car models Audi A3/A4, BMW 2/3/4 series and the Mercedes Benz C-Class vehicles. The ATS was introduced by Cadillac as a luxurious value-for-money car that can compete favourably with the German sports cars. In most aspects, the Cadillac ATS offers same luxury mini car benefits with the price ranges hard to separate.

Standing at par with its competitors, the Cadillac boast equally superb performance specs while its appearance combines grace and an equally unique aerodynamic carriage. The ATS is built to look like a European sports car friends and it hits the heights in both fashion and function.

General Information

As a small car, the Cadillac ATS compares to the Chevy Cruz and the Buick Verano in the general motors industry when it comes to size and as earlier mentioned, to the BMW 3 series, Audi A3 and Mercedes Benz C-Class vehicles.

There are 3 models of the ATS; they are the ATS coupe, Sedan and the sports model ATS-V. Apart from the notable variation in size of the Coupe and sedan, the ATS vehicle models are basically the same for this class. The coupe and the sedan have the same features while the ATS-V is almost the same save for the sport feature improvement on it from the sedan model specs.

Coming in at base MSR price of $33,215, the ATS price range begins at the point where many fully-loaded cars in the smaller category ends. The bottom model has a set 2.5L four cylinder engine with a good hp of 205. The power train base level is deemed satisfactory and both the sedan and the coupe’s engine can be improved by switching to the more powerful 3.5l V6 engine with its 335hp. This though, increases the price with the sedan reaching as much as $42,355 MSRP

Features

Regarded as a luxury brand, the Cadillac ATS is the showpiece of luxury. It possesses the kind of distinct and special features that are associated with higher priced cars.

The Cadillac ATS has some of the specs associated with the GM brand. Special features like the first fully incorporated 4G WIFI hotspot generation which some reviews though, regard as awkward, complex, clumsy or cumbersome. The ATS class boast a system that can be upgraded to include a Bose sound system, navigation and wireless charging for electronics.

There was no problem though with the standard or safety features of the Sedan. This is due to the array of safety features of the sedan which include a backup camera, Brembo brakes, heated mirrors and high class crash tested sleek outlook with additional safety options in each trim level. The additional options are automatic windshield wipers, blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane assist and rear traffic warnings for basic level. For higher level though, they are spread to include adaptive cruise control, auto-tightening safety belts, auto and electronic parking brakes and some driver assisted packages.

The performance features vary from the leather and premium packages, which can have magnesium paddle- shifters in the build to enable semi-auto driver drift, adaptive magnetic shock absorbers that greatly enhance the suspension system of the ATS to enable smoother ride and bigger wheel size from better hold while drifting; these last 3 specs are only included for the higher and premium trim of the ATS.  Finally, there is a 4- wheel drive upgrade option across all ATS trim packages.

Accessing the competition

It is good to compare similar specs or performance cars from other brands to see who stands out as this helps you determine if you will have value for your money in the purchase of any. The nearest neighbors of the Cadillac ATS Sedan are the German industry sports hits, Audi A4, BMW 3 series and Mercedes Benz C Class but against them, the Sedan shows its distinction.

There may be no specific area where you may point out as its standout seniority over the others but over a range of checks, it ranks very well. The reviews of the performance and road feel of the ATS sedan came out very good as well.

It doesn’t excel though in some degree. The rear seat looks confined for adult passengers and some reviewers were of the opinion that though the interior had a swank look, it didn’t rank high against others.

Superb for performance rankings, its pales in terms of functionality against the Audi, BMW and Lexus models. For small journey with a few people (not for full loaded travel journey), the superb driving experience and sport quality make it worth the purchasing while.

Fuel Efficiency

The ATS sedan has an average rank in terms of fuel efficiency. With 22mpg in the city and 32mpg on express roads, it holds its own against the Audi A4 (22/34) and the Mercedes (25/34) which actually run on lower engine specs. The BMW i3 was not used as part of this comparison because it’s an electric vehicle. The Volvo s60 admittedly has a better fuel efficiency at 26/38mpg.

Pros and Cons

The ATS Sedan has globally lauded performance rating from car reviewers. They also feature rich, very customizable upgrades on the vehicle. More Pros are the refined, comfy seat at the front while its cons are that the back seat are confined and this results is discomfort and its utility doesn’t stand up to those of its rivals.

Conclusion

From what we have seen, the ATS is a performance and fashion look sedan. With the utility its main draw-back, it more than makes up for it with performance. It is characteristically a sports car with added features of a sedan. This car is key if you need a car that will go fast while providing you ease of movement as it is fun to drive.