2018 Cadillac ATS Review

Name: 2018 Cadillac ATS Review
Brand: Cadillac
Rating: 4.4 (34 reviews)

Price Range: $12,850 - $23,590

Cadillac ATS Premium Performance Sedan Exterior Shown

Cadillac ATS Premium Performance Sedan Interior Shown

2018 Cadillac ATS Premium Performance Sedan Exterior

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Edmunds' Expert Review

by Calvin Kim^{Vehicle Test Engineer
Calvin Kim is an automotive journalist at Edmunds.}

Pros

Fun to drive, thanks to sharp handling and steering
Optional manual transmission is rare in this class

Cons

The back seat and trunk are small compared to competitors
Turbo four-cylinder engine is noisy and not that fuel-efficient
Many interior controls and ergonomics are more clever than functional

What’s new

The 2018 Cadillac ATS features the latest generation of the Cadillac User Experience (CUE) tech interface, which promises more intuitive operation and a smartphone-style navigation app.

Vehicle overview

With its eye-catching angular sheet metal, the 2018 Cadillac ATS sedan stands out among today's crop of small luxury sedans. These are qualities to be appreciated if you think that most other car makers utilize conservative styling and design to the point of drabness. A light curb weight, a choice of turbocharged four-cylinder and V6 engines, precision handling and even an optional manual transmission give the ATS legitimate performance chops.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Lafayette, IN

58 listings

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2018 Cadillac ATS
Base Sedan
$15,391
good price
$1,952 below market
- 60,879 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use
- 4cyl automatic
- i40 Auto (478 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Power Driver Seat
Close
Located in Greensboro, NC
Dark Adriatic Blue Metallic 2018 Cadillac ATS 2.0L Turbo RWD 8-Speed Automatic 2.0L Turbo I4 DI DOHC VVT Sky Shine Package (Power Sunroof and Wheels: ...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
25 Combined MPG (22 City/31 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 1G6AA5RX2J0123771
Stock: I123771
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 03-19-2025
2018 Cadillac ATS
Base Sedan
$17,000
good price
$684 below market
- 61,651 miles
- 4 accidents, 2 owners, personal use
- 4cyl automatic
- Law Auto Sales (223 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Keyless Entry/Start
Close
Located in Wayne, MI
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
25 Combined MPG (22 City/30 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 1G6AE5RX6J0155997
Stock: 34730
Certified Pre-Owned: No

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The ATS sedan is respectably comfortable as well. But there are downsides. The ATS sacrifices some function with its tidy cabin dimensions, cramped back seat and small trunk. The four-cylinder sounds raspy and coarse at high rpm. We've also found the touchscreen tech interface (called CUE for Cadillac User Experience) slow and awkward compared to the competition, although a new-generation system in this 2018 model may remedy that.

Success in this crowded, competitive segment is a tall order. The ATS isn't necessarily faster or more efficient than its rivals, which include the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. But it is competitive, and that's enough to warrant consideration for your next luxury sport coupe.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

With its eye-catching angular sheet metal, agile handling and unique technology features, the 2018 Cadillac ATS sedan stands out among today's crop of small luxury sedans. The small back seat and trunk limit practicality, however.

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2017 Cadillac ATS Coupe Premium Performance Coupe (3.6L V6 | 8-speed automatic | RWD).

Driving

Luxury sport coupes have long been dominated by BMW and Mercedes. But Cadillac has quietly closed the gap, especially in terms of dynamics. The 3.6-liter ATS Coupe is competitive on the test track and around town compared to rivals, and it isn't even the range-topping version. (That's the ATS-V.)

Acceleration

The ATS can pull hard, or with grace, from a stop, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 6 seconds. Thrust tapers off somewhat at this point, but its passing power is plentiful. The tires will light up if provoked. The optional sport exhaust gives the ATS a bit more credit under a full load than it deserves.

Braking

Consider the $1,200 Slotted Rotor and Performance Brake Pad package, which feel and perform like sports car brakes with good initial bite and heat resistance for consistency. Yet they remain mild-mannered for city life, not too grabby and requiring little effort. Stops from 60 mph in 109 feet.

Steering

Steering is on the heavy and vague side in routine driving. It's accurate and responds quickly without being darty. Sport mode adds heft but no better sense of what the tires are up to. The finish on the wheel itself is too smooth and slides through hands a bit more easily than we'd like.

Handling

It's well-balanced and nimble on the road or track. On the skidpad, the chassis is neutral and can be steered with the throttle only. Trustworthy, predictable and controllable. Competitive mode loosens the electronic stability control, translating to confidence during hard driving.

Drivability

The ATS is easy to pilot around town. The automatic transmission shifts smoothly in most cases, though gear changes come a bit slower than expected in manual mode. Auto stop-start is noticeable but not too abrupt. A tight turning circle and small proportions make for favorable city driving.

Comfort

The downside to the ATS' focus on handling and performance is a stiff ride that comes at the expense of comfort. Despite their firmness, the all-important front seats are still supportive over the long haul. But it's on the loud side.

Seat comfort

At first, the driver's seat is firm, bordering on uncomfortable. After a while, its stiffness grew unexpectedly supportive. The side bolsters on the seat bottom are wide and accommodating. The adjustable torso supports are small and can be pesty on canyon roads. The rear buckets require short legs.

Ride comfort

This is a firm sports-car ride. Comfort depends on the road surface. Find one with the wrong rhythm of small bumps and it will buck you about considerably. Some bigger bumps will lift you from the seat. Other sport-tuned rides share these qualities, so its ride is not a deal-breaker off the bat.

Noise & vibration

Cadillac is capable of building a quiet cabin. It just isn't the one in the ATS. This cabin is the kind of loud where front passengers have to consciously raise their voices to communicate with backseat passengers. Road noise is the biggest culprit, though the wind and the engine do contribute.

Climate control

The soft-touch buttons make for climate controls that definitely aren't as easy to use as others. But once it's engaged, the dual-zone system works well enough that you can set the temperature and forget about it. Both front seats are heated.

Interior

The ATS-V Coupe offers the driver and front passenger a roomy place to sit. But it seems the wants and needs of the styling department have resulted in controls that are unnecessarily difficult to use and a rear seat that's largely useless for anyone this side of grade school.

Ease of use

Everything the driver needs to access is placed logically and easily reached. The major concerns are the center stack controls. They're smooth, slick and polished with no way to tell what's what by feel. It forces the driver to look away from the road to operate.

Getting in/getting out

The doors open wide, enhancing front-seat access. The automatic seat controls operate commendably fast to move the front seat forward and grant entry to the back seat, but it's still a narrow squeeze. Rear passengers require both front occupants scoot their seats forward. Not the best in its class.

Driving position

The steering wheel tilts and telescopes with considerable range. The side mirrors, despite their size, also adapt well to suit driver height. The driver's seat has enough adjustability that most will find acceptable backside-coddling positions. It's easy to set up this cockpit the way you like it.

Roominess

Much like competitive two-door coupes, the ATS can't be considered roomy. The interior dimensions are sporty-snug for all passengers. Up front you'll be rubbing elbows. Still there is room enough for a 6-footer to fit with minimal compromise. Back seats are best for kids and people you don't like.

Visibility

The sideview mirrors are very narrow. They are arguably too small, though we were able to find a position to provide adequate visibility. Otherwise sightlines are clear to the front and the sides, but a bit limited to the rear due to the high parcel shelf. The standard rearview camera helps.

Quality

Despite recent advances, the Cadillac ATS-V still lacks the solid quality feel found in its Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz peers. Improving its hard plastic interior materials, shift paddles that feel like plasticware, lame gauges and the slippery steering wheel would help a lot.

Utility

Sporty luxury coupes aren't known for convenience, but the Cadillac ATS-V forces even more sacrifices due to its lack of cargo and storage space. It can handle most typical day-to-day duties, but other coupes are better suited to weekend getaways and long trips.

Small-item storage

Door pockets, cupholders and the center armrest bin are smaller than some others in this class. A secret smartphone bin with its own USB port is hidden behind the climate control panel. But this feels more gimmicky than useful.

Cargo space

The trunk space is smaller than average, with only 10.4 cubic feet of capacity, and awkwardly shaped. Its trunk liftover height is on the high side, and the broad rear wheelwells pinch the space, too. There is an average-size pass-through when the rear seatbacks are folded down.

Child safety seat accommodation

Each rear seat has two LATCH anchors and one upper tether. But access is tight, so flexibility is a must for any child seat installs. The steeply sloped seat bottoms may cause trouble depending upon the type of seat. Generally speaking, it is no worse than any other coupe in the segment.

Technology

The Cadillac CUE touchscreen is as advanced as any of its peers. But its soft-touch sliders and less than intuitive menus offer something to be desired. Fortunately, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration and a Wi-Fi hotspot are standard.

Audio & navigation

The CUE infotainment system responds quickly and returns haptic vibration to confirm each finger stroke. Despite its age, the design still looks sleek and progressive. Functionally, however, the need to look away from the road to distinguish between one soft-touch slider and the next is problematic.

Smartphone integration

There are enough USB ports to handle all your devices, but pairing your phone and accessing the Wi-Fi hotspot do take some digging into menus. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto are now standard and are far easier to use.

Voice control

The standard voice controls are fairly reasonable, but the big payoff comes when you pair a smartphone and access Siri or Google Voice commands by pressing the same button for longer.

Compare 2018 Cadillac ATS trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

2018 Cadillac ATS models

The 2018 Cadillac ATS sedan is offered in four trim levels: base, Luxury, Premium Luxury and Premium Performance.

The base and Luxury trims come with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine (272 horsepower, 295 pound-feet of torque) paired to an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional, but only with the automatic transmission. The Premium Luxury and Premium Performance trims come with a 3.6-liter V6 engine (335 hp, 285 lb-ft) paired to an eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional on Premium Luxury. Premium Performance trims are rear-wheel-drive only.

Key standard features for the base trim include 18-inch wheels, heated side mirrors, a rearview camera, keyless entry and ignition, power-adjustable front seats and simulated leather upholstery. Tech features include the revamped CUE interface with an 8-inch touchscreen display, OnStar services (with 4G LTE and Wi-Fi hotspot), Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, wireless device charging, three USB ports, and a 10-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system with satellite radio.

The Luxury trim adds adaptive xenon headlights, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, additional front-seat power adjustments, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a navigation system and driver-position memory settings. The optional Safety and Security package adds driver assistance features such as forward collision alert, lane departure warning and intervention, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams and automatic wipers.

Picking the Premium Luxury gets you the Safety and Security package as standard plus a sunroof.

The Premium Performance trim includes all the previously mentioned features, plus high-performance tires, a sport-tuned suspension, adaptive suspension dampers, a limited-slip rear differential, a head-up display and a power-adjustable steering column.

Many standard features on the upper trims are optional on lower trims. The Driver Assist package, available on the Premium Luxury and Premium Performance trims, adds the head-up display, adaptive cruise control and advanced safety technologies, including forward and rearward collision mitigation and automatic emergency braking.

The Track package, available only on the Premium Performance trim, adds a heavy-duty engine cooling fan and upgraded brake pads. All rear-wheel-drive base, Luxury and Premium Luxury trims can add the V-Sport Performance Suspension Upgrade package, which adds 18-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension and high-performance tires.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2018 Cadillac ATS 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.03 per gallon for premium unleaded in Indiana.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Indiana

$193/mo

$161/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3.5/5Above Average

#10 out of 26 among Luxury Compact Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Cadillac ATS from 2008-2022.}

$554/yr

vs. $554/yr
for Average Luxury Compact Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.77x/yr

vs. 1.57x/yr
for Average Luxury Compact Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

17.9%

vs. 11.1%
for Average Luxury Compact Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Cadillac ATS Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.4

34 reviews

5(65%)

4(17%)

3(9%)

2(6%)

1(3%)

Write a vehicle review See all 34 reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

The nod goes to Cadillac

Walt, 11/13/2016

2016 Cadillac ATS Luxury 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I traded in a BMW 320 for the Cadillac ATS all wheel drive. The BMW is the segment leader and has been for many years for a good reason BUT, the Cadillac is better. It is more comfortable, much quieter, quicker and a pure joy to drive. It doesn't sound as sporty or feel as sporty, but it is overall an excellent car. It is, after all, a Cadillac. After 22,000 miles I still feel the …

An overlooked gem of a car

Clark, 06/15/2017

2016 Cadillac ATS Luxury 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

2016 Cadillac ATS 2.0 turbo luxury AWD trim is a great handling car. As many others have mentioned already, the vehicle is slick, drives extremely well, handles confidently, and overall a great driving car. When the sport mode is selected, the wheel and suspension gets noticeably tightened and gear changes at higher RPMs to allow for a quicker acceleration, which all makes it a very nice …

Makes you grin every time you drive it.

Bill Morgan, 11/30/2016

2016 Cadillac ATS Performance 4dr Sedan AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)

This car in my opinion is a driver's car. The 3.6 liter V6 is very responsive, it makes nice noises. The chassis corners flat, the transmission bangs shifts off with authority, the steering is great and with the V Sport brake option I can keep out of trouble.. When you want to be sedate and laid back the ATS accommodates so nicely. Drove the car out west for vacation. Interstate …

Solid Choice for Luxury Conpact

Greg, 09/30/2018

2018 Cadillac ATS Luxury 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I recently purchased a new 2018 Cadillac ATS after years of service from my Lexus ES 350. There are pros and cons to both vehicles for comparison sake. The Lexus was much more comfortable and smooth, but the performance, handling, acceleration of the Cadillac is far superior. If you are looking for a classic Cadillac cruiser DO NOT BUY THIS CAR. But if you are looking for a fun to drive …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Cadillac ATS, so we've included reviews for other years of the ATS since its last redesign.

See all 34 reviews of the Cadillac ATS

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2018 ATS Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$34,895
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$193/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	10.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the ATS models:

Full-Color Head-Up Display: Informs the driver of valuable information such as current speed, navigation prompts, entertainment information and status of driver aids.
Teen Driver: Helps owners set restrictions on vehicle functions and speed for younger drivers to help reduce distraction.
Side Blind Zone Alert: Warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot by flashing a light in the sideview mirror.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover10.1%

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