2017 Cadillac ATS Road Test and Review

When it comes to Cadillac, many luxury buyers are like my neighbor Chris: They’re still stuck in the 1990s, typecasting Cadillac sedans as white-walled whales bought only by blue-hairs and mafiosos. Then I gave Chris a ride in the quick and agile 2017 Cadillac ATS, which has more power than his BMW 330i.

Jaw dropped. Eyes opened. “I think I owe Cadillac an apology,” he said climbing from the ATS sedan’s passenger seat.  

Built in Lansing, Michigan, the 2017 Cadillac ATS is the luxury brand's smallest and least expensive model. Although it’s available as a four-door sedan or a sexy two-door coupe, and it offers powerful engines, optional all-wheel drive, and advanced safety technology, the ATS continues to be one of the most overlooked vehicles in the very competitive small luxury class. Its rivals include the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series, and 4 Series, Lexus IS and RC, Audi A4 and A5, Jaguar XE and the new Alfa Romeo Giulia.

Three trim levels are available on the 2017 Cadillac ATS sedan —base, Luxury and Premium Performance — but the coupe further offers a Premium Luxury variant. Base and Luxury models are powered by a strong 278-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which gives it 24 more horsepower than a BMW 330i and 31 more than a Mercedes C300. Prices start at $35,590, including a $995 destination charge, for a base sedan. Equivalent coupes cost a few grand more. Cadillac offers its all-wheel drive system for an additional $2,000. No hybrid or diesel engines are offered.

Under the hood of the Premium Luxury and Premium Performance models is a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6. It makes 335 hp, which is 20 more than you get in the turbocharged BMW 340i. Like the four-cylinder, the V6 is available with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. An eight-speed automatic with paddle-shifters is standard on all models, but a six-speed manual transmission is available on rear-wheel drive turbo models. A fully loaded ATS Premium Performance can easily top $50,000.

Concrete proof Cadillac no longer makes granny-mobiles is the high-performance ATS-V. Available as a sedan or coupe, the ATS-V is one of the best-performing cars General Motors has ever produced. It’s powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 pumping out 464 hp — more horsepower than you get in a V8-powered Chevrolet Corvette Stingray or a BMW M3 with the Competition Package. Cadillac even offers a six-speed manual transmission in the ATS-V, though the eight-speed automatic is far more popular. Cadillac says the ATS-V is capable of sprinting to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 189 mph. That’ll loosen Grandma’s dentures. Prices start at $60,695 for the sedan and $62,895 for the coupe.

Think of V as Cadillac’s in-house tuner or hot rod shop, like BMW’s M division or Mercedes-Benz's AMG. Offered only with rear-wheel drive, Cadillac V models are tuned on the world’s racetracks, including Germany’s famous Nurburgring, where engineers dial in their sport-tuned suspensions, bigger brakes and aerodynamics.

Our all-wheel drive ATS luxury sedan test vehicle was responsive and athletic around town. This four-door qualifies as a sport sedan, with precise steering, good balance, and strong Brembo brakes. With its standard 17-inch wheels and tires (18-inch wheels and tires are standard on the coupe), its handling is more than enough for most buyers, but its ride remains compliant and comfortable. Its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine also packs enough punch, and the eight-speed automatic is alert, especially when you use the Cadillac’s magnesium paddle shifters. With the automatic transmission, Cadillac’s selectable driver mode is standard on all ATS models. There are three settings —Sport, Touring and Snow/Ice — and each modifies the transmission’s shift points and response.

Meanwhile, the ATS-V Coupe with an eight-speed automatic is an excellent combination of speed and luxury. Thanks to a well-tuned sport suspension with Cadillac’s innovative Magnetic Ride Control system and large 18-inch tires it handles extremely well, but it’s also a pleasant car to drive every day. It’s refined and comfortable, and its twin-turbo V6 sounds amazing as it provides fighter jet-like thrust.

Overall, the Cadillac’s fuel economy is good for this class. The rear-wheel drive ATS with the turbocharged four-cylinder is the fuel sipper of the range, rated at 21 mpg city and 30 mpg highway with the eight-speed automatic transmission. I averaged 24 mpg during a week of mixed driving. With the six-speed manual, those numbers actually drop to 19 mpg city and 30 mpg highway; with the automatic and all-wheel drive, they slide to 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. The V6-powered ATS is rated 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, and all-wheel drive takes off 1 mpg. However, the V6 runs on regular gasoline, while the turbocharged four-cylinder requires more expensive premium.

The much more powerful ATS-V is rated 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway with the automatic transmission and 16 mpg city and 23 mpg highway with the six-speed manual.

Desirable tech-based safety systems are standard on the Premium Luxury and Premium Performance trim levels and they’re optional on the four-cylinder turbo models. These include a forward collision alert, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane change alert, side blind zone alert and cross-traffic assist, which warns you if a vehicle approaches dangerously from either side. General Motors' exclusive Safety Seat Alert is also included. This system vibrates sections of the driver’s seat cushions to alert the driver of potential hazards and the direction from which they’re coming. It feels weird at first, but it really works.

Additional systems are optional on the top trim levels, such as adaptive cruise control and front and automatic rear braking, which can brake for you in some emergency situations and even bring your car to a complete stop.

Although the 2017 Cadillac ATS interior isn’t quite as well presented as the Mercedes C-Class, its build quality is high. Control placement is excellent, though the pedestrian design of the Cadillac’s gauges is a letdown. Onboard WiFi is standard, along with Cadillac’s excellent CUE infotainment system and its large 8-inch touchscreen. That screen also powers up out of the way to reveal a cool hidden storage bin for phones and other valuables.

The 2017 Cadillac ATS sedan seats four comfortably and five for short drives, while the ATS coupe is strictly a four-seater. This is not a very big car, but the sedan has enough rear seat leg room as long as you don't carpool with NBA stars.

Additional storage inside the Cadillac’s interior is sufficient and well thought out. The center console bin is large and the sizable door pockets have slots for water bottles. The two front cupholders are also well-sized, and they’re well-placed, so tall drinks don’t interfere with any of the switchgear or the shifter. They can also accommodate cups with handles.

Both the ATS sedan and coupe offer 10.4 cubic feet of cargo space, which is small for the segment. Nearly every coupe or sedan in the class offers more, including the Mercedes C-Class sedan, which has 12.6 cubic feet of trunk space, and the BMW 3 Series at 13 cubic feet. Split-folding rear seats are available for hauling larger items.

The 2017 ATS may not be the most striking Cadillac since the brand was launched in 1902, but its hard lines and tight proportions provide a visual athleticism missing from the brand’s big-finned beauties of the 1950s. The ATS does manage to capture some of the glamour and drama of those classic designs, and it stands out in a segment filled with understated uniformity. Some may be surprised by the Cadillac’s restrained use of chrome and its unadorned flanks on the ATS, but the designers got the details right with intricate wheel designs, and wonderfully elegant illuminated door handles.

Although the ATS sedan and coupe ride on the same wheelbase they share very little bodywork besides the hood, giving the coupe a longer, wider and sleeker appearance. The coupe’s wider tracks and standard 18-inch wheels also give it a more aggressive stance, and its grille is larger. From behind the two are similar, with Caddy’s signature vertical taillights and two large chrome exhaust tips.

Overall, the 2017 Cadillac ATS is a popular choice. It performs well, it’s extremely comfortable, and it’s fun to drive. It’s also well-appointed, with a modern interior that feels upscale and an exterior design that stands out in the company parking lot. Unfortunately, some features and safety technology that are standard on other cars in this segment are extra-cost options on the Cadillac or are simply not offered on the ATS at all.

Although the 2.0-liter turbo engine is powerful enough for most buyers, step up to the V6 if you can. The fuel mileage penalty is minimal but the gain in horsepower is sizable. And car enthusiasts should go straight for the ATS-V, which is destined to become a classic.