STIFF COMPETITION

Cadillac ATS a strong contender among compact luxury sports sedans

The all-new 2013 Cadillac ATS represents the marque’s strong desire to truly compete against some of the best compact luxury sports sedans available.

Almost anyone familiar with the ATS knows when designing this car, Cadillac benchmarked the ever-popular BMW 3 Series. Overall, the ATS stacks up well against its rivals.

Cadillac developed the ATS on an all-new lightweight rear-drive architecture, with a focus on driving dynamics, luxurious and technologically-advanced amenities, and expressive sheet metal.

The result is a car that does Cadillac proud. The ATS will help us forget about previous entry-level Cadillacs like the Chevy Cavalier-based Cimarron and the Opel Omega-based Catera.

ATS is smartly styled and looks fairly athletic for a small sedan. With a low curb weight of less than 3,400 pounds and a 50:50 weight ratio front to rear, ATS is built with performance in mind.

The very well equipped ATS is offered in four trim levels; Standard ($33,095), Luxury ($37,590), Performance ($41,895) and Premium ($44,895).

There are three engine choices: a lackluster 202-horsepower 2.5-liter I-4, a peppy 272-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4, and a stout 321 horsepower 3.6-liter V6.

All three engines feature gasoline direct injection with double-overhead camshafts and variable valve timing. Premium unleaded is recommended for the turbo-four but not required. The V6 runs on regular unleaded and handles E85 as well.

A six-speed automatic transmission is standard and a six-speed manual gearbox is optional, but the manual is only offered be- hind the turbo-four. Rear-wheel drive is standard and an impressive all-wheel-drive system is optional, but AWD is only offered with the turbo-four or V6.

The 2.5-liter four-cylinder is rather unimpressive. The turbo-four is livelier, but when pushed hard, a slight raspy sound entered the cabin. I prefer the V6. The V6 is much more suitable for forcing your friends firmly into their seats.

An electric-assisted steering gear provides good feedback, and the base suspension system is tuned for a good balance between ride and handling. With the upgraded FE3 sport-tuned suspension, Cadillac’s notable Magnetic Ride Control is featured, plus the standard open rear axle is switched out for a mechanical limited-slip unit.

Enthusiasts will prefer the sport-tuned suspension. It allows the driver to select different ranges of damping, including a competitive mode that also adjusts the intervention of the stability control and traction control systems.

The driving experience provided by ATS is very inspiring. There are many standard and available features offered. As you might expect, though, ATS is most fun to drive with the V6.

Regardless of which ATS you choose, the cabin is inviting and offers comfortable and supportive seating, rich-looking wood and metal accents, and loads of technology.

There’s plenty of room up-front but not so much legroom in the rear. The level of craftsmanship and amount of luxurious amenities is noteworthy.