 Cadillac ATS 3.6 AWD. Click image to enlarge |
Review and photos by Paul Williams
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2013 Cadillac ATS
The 2013 Cadillac ATS generated buzz for quite a while before its formal launch in the summer of 2012. Cadillac promised a genuine contender in the compact luxury sports sedan segment where the brand really needs a presence, so auto writers were keeping an eye on this car to see if it would deliver.
Overall, the ATS exceeds expectations in style and performance. Winning the Luxury Car category in the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) 2013 Canadian Car of the Year program, followed by an outright win as 2013 North American Car of the Year, this all-new Cadillac obviously has some chops. It’s not perfect, however, but where it’s good, it’s very good.
Built on an all-new rear-wheel-drive platform, the ATS starts at $35,195 for the 202-hp/191 lb-ft torque 2.5L model. You can also choose a $36,985 2.0L Turbo version that raises power to 272 hp/260 lb-ft or the 3.6L V6 version with 321 hp and 275 lb-ft torque. All engines are direct injected.
Our $46,660 3.6L Luxury all-wheel-drive model added the CUE (Cadillac User Experience) and Navigation package (not to be confused with a conventional navigation system) and $1,395 sunroof. With a $1,650 Destination Charge, the total price was $51,145 plus sales taxes.
 Cadillac ATS 3.6 AWD. Click image to enlarge |
There are, I should point out, currently 16 “flavours” of ATS available, the full details of which I will not go into here. Suffice it to say that combining one of the three engine options with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (not available with 2.5L), along with Base, Luxury, Performance and Premium variants where available, you end up with 16 versions and a price range of $35,195–$53,450 plus options, Destination fees and taxes. Additionally, a six-speed manual transmission can be specified for the rear-wheel-drive 2.0L Turbo model, decreasing its price by $1,495 (a six-speed automatic with manual shift is otherwise standard across the range).
Key standard inclusions for our “Luxury” model were the heated steering wheel rim, dual automatic climate control, leather seating surfaces with power/memory seats, universal home remote, rear vision camera, adaptive remote start, polished aluminum wheels, Bose audio system, and auto dimming mirrors.
