We recently had the occasion to drive the new 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe 2.0T, one of the latest players in the luxury coupe segment powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
The 2015 Cadillac ATS is a lot like its German competitors which while offering more powerful six-cylinder engines, offers a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder as the starting point. There is just some kind of magic with that 2.0.
Here the new for 2015 ATS brings design and style that is however quite different from the German brands, forging its own presentation in form and detail in a way that cannot be called copycat. I like it. It’s crisp and original, and looks every bit the $50,000 price tag of our tester.
Power from its 2.0 liter engine is higher than many of its competitors at 272 horsepower, available with either a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual, something not all its peers give you the option of. While some reviewers find this engine a bit rough, I was impressed with its refinement in my drive.
It has a fat power curve, though you do need to rev it higher than larger six-cylinder engines to really feel its power. And when it comes to feel, the chassis here impressed me again more than I expected.
It feels sharp, light and agile in a way BMW’s used to press my buttons back when…they used to really do that. And that is really the the rub here. The Cadillac ATS might just be the best BMW 3 or 4 Series you can buy right now in terms of its pure and sharp reflexes as well as its fun factor.
Less fun inside is the Cadillac User Interface known as CUE. It’s slow and fussy, but otherwise the only blemish on an interior which is yet another well orchestrated shattering of expectations. The materials are top notch, the fit and finish flawless, and its overall execution right in keeping with its peers.
The 2015 Cadillac ATS 2.0 is the one you’ll find on lease specials being advertised, and in my opinion won’t disappoint most people for an all-around luxury sedan. It’s refined and playful, and doesn’t feel like the cheap seats.
If you do want more power, there is the larger 3.6 liter V6 or the even more potent twin-turbo V6 ATS-V but it’ll cost you almost as much as two of these.
