Had a fun drive in the ATS Sunday afternoon, so here are my Cadillac ATS notes, thoughts, and snippets that one might not find in other reviews.

The EPA mileage rating for the 3.6L automatic is 19/28 mpg city/highway, but I suspect that with care drivers can see 29/30 mpg on trips.  My highway touring was often at 30+ mpg average at 65-70.

Cadillac ATS rear view

The Cadillac ATS is a fun car to drive.  This is a great achievement for Cadillac, or anyone else who makes cars.  If you make cars that are fun to drive people want to buy them.  The ATS has plentiful acceleration, agile handling, and great fuel economy while doing it.

Collection of notes, thoughts and snippets from my weekend test drive:

• The location of the front hood release is much improved.  By moving it forward and tightening how it is located in the trim it is much harder to mistake the hood release for a foot break release.  Bravo.
  

  Cadillac ATS hood release improved

• The oil cap notes dexos   — this is a new oil standard from GM (see link)
  

  Cadillac ATS oil fill cap

• No cover for the cup holders in the center console — I do use my cover in the STS-V when the cup holders are not in use.  Also note in the picture that to the left of the center console there is a small trim tab sticking out toward the passenger seat.  This appears to supposed to be tucked down into the trim?
  

  Cadillac ATS center cup holders

• Onstar Controls are moved off the mirror itself and onto the upper center console; this perhaps makes the mirror smaller and certainly makes it lighter
  

  Cadillac ATS overhead center console controls

• The ATS has a ‘standard’ fuel filler cap, with a yellow flex fuel cap.  My Dealer mentioned that the new cap-less system on the XTS weighed slightly more, so it didn’t earn its way onto the ATS where weight is at a premium.  I like the capless system.
• This appears to be a small tweeter (speaker) in the headliner over the driver’s head.  Also could be the mic for hands free audio.  It does vibrate with the stereo sound, but I suppose either would.
  Overall sound in the ATS Luxury model I tested was great.
  

  Cadillac ATS tweeter

Cadillac ATS Notes — The Bottom Line?

• The bottom line – would I personally write a check for a Cadillac ATS?  Yes, the ATS 3.6L Premium has now moved onto my shopping list, along with waiting to see the ATS-V when it arrives.

Crest Cadillac

My thanks to Crest Cadillac of Plano for providing me with the ATS to test.  Please also see my First Impressions article for this test drive, and ATS vs Gigantor.

The new Cadillac ATS is designed to be a lean, mean sports machine.  It is a smaller car than the CTS, XTS, or my STS-V, by which it gains agility, handling, acceleration, and fuel economy.  But now it must face the Cadillac ATS roadtrip test — is it a capable touring sedan?

Cadillac ATS roadtrip test — ready for anything

Is it too small?  A Cadillac needs to be a capable touring car.  This can mean a couple of different things in my family — there needs to be enough rear seat room and comfort for a 20-something passenger, and the trunk needs to be large enough for Gigantor.

Cadillac ATS Roadtrip Test — 6′ tall rear passenger

For the first test, I invited my 20-something son to dinner and put him in the back.  I asked him to test for leg room, comfort, and sleep-ability.  This last is a test if the ATS would work well for him on long trips which he tends to spend with a laptop & headphones or asleep.  The ATS does have center rear air flow, which I have come to believe is very desirable for rear comfort.

After careful consideration, Son ruled the Cadillac ATS is approved as a family touring car.  The leg room was fine with the passenger seat pushed up to where his Mom would sit, and was also just enough for him at 6′ if he sat behind the driver’s seat with it in my preferred place.

Headroom is good in the front and the back.

Cadillac ATS Roadtrip Test — ATS vs Gigantor

Cadillac ATS Touring Test — ATS vs Gigantor

Gigantor is my nickname for my Wife’s oversize suitcase — shown above.  We have to keep an eye on it or it tends to eat the other luggage.  Although they seem small by comparison, the black and red luggage next to it are full size roller bags — designed to hold 3-5 days of gear for trips.  Gigantor is around 50% larger in both dimensions as compared to a normal roller bag.

The Gigantor Test — can the ATS hold both Gigantor, and 2 normal roller bags all in the trunk?

Cadillac ATS swallows Gigantor

This photo shows all three suitcases in the trunk, and I could easily close the trunk.  Success.  The trunk space is formed by the rear wheel hubs, but has a nice space in the center that fits Gigantor, and enough room besides to handle the two rollers and leave plenty of other room for miscellaneous other.

Cadillac ATS Roadtrip Test — Conclusion

We knew coming in that the Cadillac ATS has good fuel economy and performance.  It passed these family touring tests with flying colors.  If the ATS is small enough to be agile and sporty, but big enough to be a good touring sedan, it certainly seems a good fit for a wide audience.

Crest Cadillac

My thanks to Crest Cadillac of Plano for providing me with the ATS to test.  Please also see my ‘First Impressions‘ article for this test drive.