2019 Cadillac ATS Coupe

In a market awash with small luxury sedans that scream "middle management" the Cadillac ATS Coupe keeps its head down, punches in every morning and awaits that ever-elusive promotion, but will this aging employee ever get to sit in a corner office? The ATS has been around since 2012, and the current Coupe has been with us since 2015. It has since undergone quite a few considerable changes, most notably in the engine department, where old naturally aspirated powerplants have made way for modern compact turbocharged units. The ATS still has a lot to offer, but as its German rivals go through full redesigns and facelifts, the Caddy is starting to show its age in terms of infotainment tech and efficiency. The ATS Coupe is priced to compete with the likes of the Audi A5 and BMW 4 Series, both highly accomplished and refined offerings at the top of their game.

When first launched, the angular, almost utilitarian feel of the ATS was undoubtedly eye-catching but the years have taken their toll, and the ATS looks rather pedestrian by modern standards. There is no denying that the baby Caddy is still a good looking car, but without the fanfare of the ATS-V, the ATS Coupe is starting to look more rental car than road-racer. Standard wheels are 18-inches in diameter, but you can opt for larger 19-inch wheels as an option (locknuts and summer tires too). On the exterior, you get body-colored power mirrors, and a Galvanco Chrome accented grille. The base model uses halogen headlights, while the Premium and Premium Luxury variants light up the way via HIDs. LED daytime running lights are standard across the range, while a powered moonroof and automatic window wipers are standard on the Premium and Luxury trims.

The ATS rides on General Motors' Alpha platform which it shares with the CTS and Camaro. It measures 183.6 inches in length, placing it right between the BMW 4 Series at 182.7 inches and the Audi A5 Coupe at 184 inches. Its taller than both of those at 54.8 inches and is 72.5 inches wide. The ATS Coupe rolls on a 109.3-inch wheelbase. In terms of curb weight, the ATS is rather light for its class, weighing in at only 3,418 pounds in its lightest RWD format, less than the BMW (3,574 pounds) and the Audi A5 (3,605 pounds). Choosing the V6-equipped ATS will add another 112 pounds to the base curb weight.

Cadillac offers the ATS Coupe in two standard colors, namely Radiant Silver and Black Raven. Optional colors range in price from $625 to $1,225. The Premium colors, priced at $625 include Dark Adriatic Blue, Satin Steel, and Stellar Black, while Crystal White and Red Obsession will cost you $1,225. The baby cady looks great in black, but those who remember that famous scene in The Matrix Reloaded with the CTS will opt for silver.

Cadillac will give you two engine options to choose from in the ATS Coupe. In base and luxury trim you get a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 272 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Premium Luxury and Premium Performance models are equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 that delivers 335 hp and 285 lb-ft. The turbocharged four-pot delivers all its torque in one big midrange wallop but feels coarse. It is the lighter of the two engines and has the capacity for producing plenty more power with the right tuning software and hardware. The big six produces 63 more horsepower up top but produces 10 lb-ft of torque less than its turbocharged counterpart, however, it still feels more relaxed and refined. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission which does a fine job of shifting in town and on the freeway but don't expect lightning-fast reactions when you yank on the steering-wheel-mounted shifter paddles. All-wheel-drive is an option on Premium Luxury models; otherwise, power is sent to the rear wheels. The ATS coupe will accelerate from zero to sixty in the mid-five-second range - if you want anything quicker then you'll need to upgrade to the ATS-V.

The luxury coupe market has been dominated by German cars, whose dynamic abilities have been considered to be peerless for as long as we can remember, but Cadillac has made great strides in the past decade to close the gap, and far gone are the days when Cadillacs used to be compared to steamliners instead of sharp handling sports cars. The ATS Coupe has heavy steering feel around town that lets you know its not exactly a Smart car, but that heaviness turns into a boon on twisty roads, where turn-in and quick direction changes are sharp and precise. Throttle only steering is smooth thanks to a finely balanced chassis, and with the stability control switched off, the ATS Coupe turns into a real bundle of fun. The brakes on the ATS Coupe strike a good balance between initial bite and mild progression in town. The ATS Coupe will stop from sixty in approximately 109 feet, but you can always opt for the $1,200 performance brake kit which should improve braking performance while sacrificing a bit of in-town driveability.

The 2.0-liter turbo engine will get 22/30/25 mpg city/highway/combined, dropping to 21/29/24 mpg for the AWD model. The big V6 in RWD configuration will return 19/29/23 mpg, an impressive number for a large naturally aspirated engine. The AWD V6 will see 18/26/21 mpg. The V6 engine can disable two of its cylinders to help improve fuel efficiency, which helps to explain why it can get so close to the 2.0-liter's numbers. The Audi A5 with its 2.0-liter turbo engine and AWD drivetrain will return 23/34/27 mpg. The ATS is fitted with a 15.3-gallon fuel tank, giving the 3.6 V6 an estimated range of 352 miles, while the more efficient 2.0-liter will push for 382.5 miles in mixed conditions.

The ATS Coupe will seat four people in relative comfort. The ATS Coupe's exterior dimensions hide a cramped interior that can still accommodate large passengers up front, but rear seats should be reserved for Danny Devito and your kids. The front legroom is class-competitive at 42.3 inches, but the headroom and shoulder room gets a bit tight. The rear seat legroom is 33.5 inches and headroom measures 35.1 inches. Materials are generally high in quality, but some places are kitted with harsh plastics that betray the Cadillac's attempts at rivaling the best premium offerings. Fortunately, the upholstery feels premium, with standard leatherette surfaces upgraded to full leather in either Jet Black, Light Platinum, Kona Brown, or Morello Red, each paired with a range of wood, aluminum, or carbon fiber trimmings.

You can't expect tons of cargo space from a two-door luxury coupe, and the ATS Coupe delivers on that stereotype. Trunk cargo space is below average for its class and measures in at a measly 10.4 cubic feet. You could fit your Bluetooth hoverboard and custom pool cue in there with a small duffel bag, but not much else. Everything from the cupholders to the door pockets has had to sacrifice their size due to the already cramped dimensions of the interior, and even the more sizable storage spaces like the glove box aren't impressive. The small smartphone storage space below the climate control controls is barely big enough for a phone and a set of keys.

The ATS Coupe doesn't hold back on the features and can compete with the class leaders in terms of interior comfort and tech. All models get wireless phone charging, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, 4G LTE connectivity, and a rearview camera. The Premium Performance model adds a basket of tech features that include navigation, a head-up display unit, a heated steering wheel, and heated front seats as well as remote start. Optional interior features include adaptive cruise control and forward/reverse auto braking. Premium models benefit from forward-collision warning, front and rear park assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane change alert, and forward automatic braking.

The CUE touchscreen infotainment system in the ATS is up to class standards, but a few small issues prevent it from being class-leading. The most noticeable issue with the system is the soft-touch buttons on the display screen that requires the driver to take their eyes from the road to make sure the right soft-touch slider is being used. The CUE system comes standard with an eight-inch touchscreen with voice recognition, SiriusXM, and a Bose surround sound system with 12-speakers and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The ATS Coupe hasn't been fully tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the four-door sedan, discontinued for 2019, scored a perfect five out of five on the NHTSA overall rating scale. The IIHS gave the ATS Coupe a poor rating for headlight performance, a superior score for standard frontal crash prevention, and a poor score for optional frontal crash prevention systems, while other crash tests yielded Good results. The ATS Coupe comes standard with ABS, stability control, a following distance indicator, and optional auto-forward braking. Front pre-collision warning and park assist come standard on Premium Performance and Premium Luxury models, and a head-up display is standard on Premium Performance models exclusively. Additionally, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear park sensors are available, while eight airbags are standard including driver and front passenger knee airbags.

When you look beyond the standard offerings from the big German brands, you'll be surprised with how accomplished the ATS Coupe actually is. The exterior styling hasn't changed in a few years, but somehow it still looks fresh and contemporary. The bigger 19-inch wheels on higher-spec models along with daytime running lights give the ATS Coupe shark-like aggression on the road that's missing from more sedate German offerings. The interior of the ATS is well built, but cramped, and offers much less space than its competitors, especially in the back and in the cargo area. On the road, it drives beautifully, and the engine and gearbox combinations work well with the balanced Caddy chassis - the latter benchmarked against the E46 generation M3. The infotainment tech is slightly behind the times, but still works well, but the ATS could offer more safety features as standard. All in all the ATS Coupe takes the fight to the Germans, despite its age, and could be worth a look if you want a left-field choice with a slight saving.

The 2019 ATS Coupe starts off at an MSRP of $38,995 for the base model 2.0L Standard RWD Coupe. The Standard 2.0 AWD Coupe will cost you $41,395. Stepping up to the Luxury trim, the 2.0 RWD model goes for $42,795, and the AWD version will set you back $44,795. The 3.6 V6 is only available in Premium Luxury and Premium Performance trim levels. The RWD Premium Luxury is $48,395 while the AWD version breaks the fifty thousand mark at $50,395. The top-of-the-line Premium Performance 3.6-liter V6 costs $50,895. These prices exclude tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional features.

The Luxury package gets the most fuel-efficient engine when selected in an RWD configuration. The 2.0-liter powerplant produces more torque than the bigger 3.6-liter V6, lower down in the rpm range and uses less fuel, a win-win. Besides being more efficient, the Luxury spec ATS Coupe also benefits from a range of added features including full satellite navigation, electric seat adjustment with memory as well as heated front seats and steering wheel. The luxury model opens up all the added safety tech options such as forward collision alert, auto wipers, and lane-keep assistance. Those looking for a sporty alternative might consider the Premium Performance model with the big V6 that gets performance-oriented features like a sports differential and stiffer suspension.

The CTS is only available in four-door sedan spec and seats five people, which already places it at loggerheads with the smaller and cheaper coupe that only seats four. Both are offered in RWD and AWD spec and share the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot and 3.6-liter V6 engines, but surprisingly, the ATS Coupe's turbocharged engine provides 7 hp more. Both accelerate from zero to sixty between the mid-five and six-second bracket, and both cars make use of Cadillac's eight-speed automatic transmission. The coupes also return similar fuel consumption numbers (22/30/26 mpg for the 2.0-liter turbo, and 19/29/24 mpg for the V6 in RWD configuration, city/highway/combined). The CTS has a larger fuel tank and has more cargo space and provides its passengers with considerably more interior space while matching the ATS for features. These two cars serve different purposes; the ATS Coupe has a more sporty persona, while the CTS strikes a balance between executive cool and family-friendly sedan. The CTS sedan starts off at $46,995.

The 2019 BMW 4 Series starts off at $44,800, on par with the $44,795 2.0-liter Luxury AWD ATS Coupe. The BMW 4 Series is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 248 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels or all four via a ZF eight-speed auto transmission and helps the 4 Series accelerate to sixty in 5.6 seconds. The German four-pot is more efficient and returns a fuel consumption number of 24/34/ 27 mpg city/highway/combined, but is also punchier and smoother to operate. The BMW is a smaller car in terms of exterior dimensions, but offers more space inside, especially when it comes to headroom, shoulder room, and cargo space. The BMW 4 Series is the better car to drive, and it's safer too, while the available features best the ATS, albeit at a higher price. Unfortunately for Cadillac, the 4 Series is better in most aspects.