Inside Line Full Test: 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0T

[warren_s]

"Our best tank, recorded exclusively from highway driving, was 23.9 mpg"

to compare this to some oranges, I just drove the GTI to San Diego and Back (~300 miles RT). I left at 9:00 a.m., and left for home around 4:00 p.m. and got 33.2 mpg according to the trip computer.

And I got 41 mpg on my last highway trip in my A3 2.0T over 400 miles, which has the same engine as your car. *shrug* That probably sounds absurd for a car that's rated for 30 on the highway, but it all comes down to driving style and the road itself -- ~60mph on perfectly flat, freshly paved roads at low elevation with no traffic and no wind, with a broken-in engine is always going to result in better fuel economy than 80+mph in windy, windy, stop and go conditions in a brand new car driven by someone who doesn't know how to best use its power.

[warren_s]

But, is the sound so bad (at idle) that it makes an otherwise very good car almost impossible to enjoy, as Dan Neil suggests?

Dan Neil is America's answer to Jeremy Clarkson. Don't take his hyperbole seriously -- even he probably doesn't believe his own bullsh-t.

[Lucidd]

To say this is GM's 'first attempt' is a little off-base, IMO.

That'a because this is Gm's first REAL attempt. All other times, they were just teasing

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

That'a because this is Gm's first REAL attempt. All other times, they were just teasing

"This time we really mean it!"

[compy222]

That'a because this is Gm's first REAL attempt. All other times, they were just teasing

they weren't teasing, the results just never turned out well...

[McBanagon]

Having the Sync package in my Focus, I agree. Even though there is voice command, it never works 100% of the time.

No kidding. It hardly understands me when I 'm drunk.

[Ubryaj]

But, is the sound so bad (at idle) that it makes an otherwise very good car almost impossible to enjoy, as Dan Neil suggests?

Depends, if you're the type of person that drives around with the windows up all the time it might not bother you. If you like to have the windows down...it might be. To me, when you're spending money on a Cadillac, the engine should sound good.

The newer acadia/outlook/traverse all have direct injection, reason they said so odd at idle. The turbo cobalt, sky, and gxp solstice sounded the same because of the hpfp and the inline fuel pressure dampener.

The 1.4T in my Sonic isn't DI but it sounds just as bad to be honest...

[what]

To say this is GM's 'first attempt' is a little off-base, IMO.

yeah, he must have forgot about the caddy that ZIGS!

[whitejeep1989]

To say this is GM's 'first attempt' is a little off-base, IMO.

I don't think a rebadged Cavalier or Opel Omega were considered as real attempts to take on the 3-Series. Even the Mk. 1 CTS was clearly a tweener car (bigger than the 3 but at the 3's prices).

[Saintor]

It would be so easy to make fun of this just-another incompetent GM 2.0T, but I would rather ask this question; why not produce an high efficiency direct inject NA 6 cyl.???

20/30mpg for the 2.0T 270HP is NOT significantly better than a C350 or Passat 3.6. Not is it faster in any way.

Will some carmakers wake up? Naaahhhh.... they just want to look cool at the expense of sanity.

[cougar]

It would be so easy to make fun of this just-another incompetent GM 2.0T, but I would rather ask this question; why not produce an high efficiency direct inject NA 6 cyl.???

Wow, we've never heard this before from you, please tell us more.

[Saintor]

Wow, we've never heard this before from you, please tell us more.

I know that you are not used to do some mental effort. But try it. It will do wonders for you. No wait. Don't bother.

[cougar]

I know that you are not used to do some mental effort. But try it. It will do wonders for you. No wait. Don't bother.

You're right. You're some sort of brilliant engineer. Please tell us all you know about thermodynamics and combustion engines. Do you have some literature that you hand out when you go door to door educating people?

[Automojo]

I agree that it's BS to say the ATS is GM's first attempt. GM wants us to forget the fact that the CTS was marketed as a 3 series fighter. And to the tweener issue: CTS had a bigger exterior, but real-world interior and cargo space were comparable to 3 series, etc. (didn't reference the specs; that's based on sitting in these cars).

ATS seems to continue GM's penchant for inefficient packaging, and/or they just focused on performing better than the Bimmer on the track, practicality be damned. Funny that the BMW performs about as well, yet is also class competitive in practicality. The Bimmer has a bigger backseat and significantly larger trunk than the Caddy (at least on paper), yet both cars have about the same exterior dimensions.

Sounds like GM failed on the "sedan" part of a "sport sedan." Shame that the reviewers aren't really calling them out on this.

[Minority5]

I agree that it's BS to say the ATS is GM's first attempt. GM wants us to forget the fact that the CTS was marketed as a 3 series fighter. And to the tweener issue: CTS had a bigger exterior, but real-world interior and cargo space were comparable to 3 series, etc. (didn't reference the specs; that's based on sitting in these cars).

ATS seems to continue GM's penchant for inefficient packaging, and/or they just focused on performing better than the Bimmer on the track, practicality be damned. Funny that the BMW performs about as well, yet is also class competitive in practicality. The Bimmer has a bigger backseat and significantly larger trunk than the Caddy (at least on paper), yet both cars have about the same exterior dimensions.

Sounds like GM failed on the "sedan" part of a "sport sedan." Shame that the reviewers aren't really calling them out on this.

What????