Test Drive: 2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe

My local Cadillac dealer is rather persnickety when it comes to giving out test drives. I had dropped by to drive the newly released ATS-V and was required to undergo a full-blown credit check before they’d let me take it around the block. The only other time I’ve been subjected to such pre-test drive scrutiny was when I’d just graduated college and wanted to test a Hyundai Elantra. I guess there is no telling which dealers are hard-nosed and which aren’t! So, how much drive time did my credit check buy me? The eight minutes or 3 miles: two extended loops around the dealer’s block.

The ATS-V Coupe I drove was a 2016 with an automatic transmission. I am not sure of the exact options, but the interior had some upgrades, including a leather-covered dash and Alcantara surfaces.

I arrived at the dealership in my long term BMW M3 (E90), and the BMW was my point of comparison on the test drive. My car has 48k miles, slightly tired shocks, and rides on Pilot Super Sport tires. I had been really playing with the M3’s V8 engine on the way over, enjoying the immediate and ferocious throttle response as well as the visceral V8 soundtrack. I have not owned many good sounding cars, but this M3 certainly qualifies!

Cabin Impressions

1. This ATS-V coupe’s black interior is actually pretty nice inside when taken in isolation from its competition. I can see why the design team decided on piano-black plastics on the dash and steering wheel controls; they look good when clean. But—and it is a big but—the plastics show fingerprints so quickly that they will never be clean. I’ve been in the BMW M4 and the Mercedes AMG C63 S, and while the AMG is leagues beyond its peers in interior quality, I think that an ATS-V owner who avoids inspecting the competition will be happy with his Cadillac’s interior appearance.
2. CUE seemed fast enough when I was using it in the parking lot. I did not try using it while driving. I see how the volume adjustments are subpar, requiring many taps on the touch-sensitive “button” instead of the easy twist of a dial. The salesman was also excited to show me the hidden compartment behind the CUE screen and told me it’s a great place to hide my drugs or gun. No wonder they do so many credit checks at this dealership!
3. Also “just fine” was the instrument cluster. The speedometer and tachometer did not leave an impression on me. The multi-function LCD screen in the bottom-center of the cluster seems poorly integrated and stands apart from the analog gauges. It was nice to see tire pressures displayed on the LCD—my M3 has TPMS but does not show pressure numbers anywhere!
4. The steering wheel is fine to hold but not thick and sumptuous like the M3’s. Its hard-plastic radio and telephone buttons are a turn-off.
5. The optional Recaro seats are great! There is plenty of adjustability to the side and thigh bolstering and lumbar support. I like these seats more than the M3’s or the Evo IX’s Recaros.
6. I seem to sit a little higher in the ATS-V than I do in the M3. Are the Cadillac’s seats not mounted as low? Or is this another case where the low roofline makes me feel like I am looking at the top of the windshield and thus sitting up higher?
7. In the coupe, the rear seat passengers have no legroom at all.

Driving Impressions

1. As you expect from an automatic transmission, shifts are smooth when the box shifts itself. I did not notice any theatrical shift-jolt on upshifts. (I don’t think I need those theatrics.) When using manual shifting mode via the paddles, there is a noticeable delay between requesting the upshift and getting it. The M3’s DCT has much more immediacy. Because of this delay, I’d want to skip the auto box. I did notice that in the Track mode, the car blips its way down through the gears as speeds slow.
2. The shift paddles are a real shame, as they are plastic with chrome coating. They feel cheap and deserve to be metal.
3. In this surface-streets test drive, the ATS-V’s acceleration feels like it is in the same ballpark (+/- 15%) as my M3’s. This surprised me as I expected the ATS-V to be significantly faster. I am going to chalk this up to the short duration and route of my drive. When I took a dealership test drive of the F80 M3, I also thought my E90 had a similar pace, but once I had the F82 M4 for a day in the canyons, I found it significantly faster. In the ATS-V, I may have sensed some traction-control engagement at 5k RPM while in Sport mode.
4. My M3’s V8 is as sharp as a cracked whip when I jump on the throttle, but the ATS-V’s initial throttle response is softer. Like other contemporary turbo motors, the V has a strong, linear-pull without that old-school mid-range turbo surge. I didn’t sense turbo lag in the ATS-V. I also didn’t give any thought to the lowish 6.5k redline while engaged in my drive.
5. The engine sound is fine. It is there, it sounds real, and it is not repulsive. The F80 M3’s noises sound contrived, the V’s more natural, though not exactly sonorous. I like my V8’s sound better, but I am okay with the ATS-V’s sound.
6. Suspension. The ATS-V’s ride on cracked concrete surfaces is good. Like in the M3, I did feel the cracks and gaps in the pavement. However, the ATS-V’s suspension rounds the edges a bit more than the M3’s. The ride is definitely on the firm/sporting side. It’s not too firm to daily drive. I wasn’t able to perceive the difference between Tour and Track stiffness.
7. Steering was a highlight. There is a pleasing amount of information in the steering in around-town driving, and there is good feedback about the road surface in the wheel. The same feedback is also present in the chassis/seats too. (My original complaint with the E90 M3 was that the steering feedback was too muted, but after two years of acclimatization, a good alignment and Pilot Super Sport tires, I now think the feedback is decent.) My memory of the M4 is a little dull, but I think the ATS-V has an edge in steering feel. The steering weight from on-center is a little heavier in the Cadillac than in my M3. Could there just be more self-centering force in the V due to higher caster?
8. I did not have a chance to do any hard cornering. This is a shame, as it is what the ATS-V is all about!

To me, the steering feel and chassis feel are the most promising aspects of the ATS-V. Losing the M3’s soundtrack, throttle response, DCT immediacy, and plush feeling interior are the many downsides to trading in my long term E90. I want to have a day in the canyons with the ATS-V as it could win me versus recent M3s.

Does it Baby?

I tried fitting our Britax BSafe in the back of a base ATS sedan. The rear-facing child seat does fit when center-mounted, even with the driver’s seat comfortably adjusted to my 6′ 2″ frame. There are about two finger widths of air between the driver’s seat and the car seat. I am not sure if the ATS-V’s Recaros would interfere with the fit, as they seem bulkier than the tester’s base seats. A passenger-side install of the Britax BSafe means the front seat is moved so forward that my shins are (lightly) against the glovebox. My shorter significant-other might have airspace between her legs and the dash.