MM Full-Review: 2013 Cadillac ATS.
#16
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Well to me, it is poor citizen auto reviewing. The Verano or Regal are not relevant in the segment that the ATS was designed in.
The reason there is no push button parking release is because the ATS, IS and 3 series are drivers cars. They all having manual parking brakes including the 2014 IS. You want the experience to be similar for drivers cross shopping the correct luxury sport entry level sedans.
#17
Lexus Fanatic
I believe the LS460 does have it and so does the S class, it is nothing all that special or significant that a Buick comes equipped with it, GM has this feature almost 15 years ago with their Cadillac models so it could of been added to the ATS.
But to fit in the segment, you want the car to be similar to the competiton, the ATS/IS/3 series are supposed to enbody a certain driving feel as well as driving engagement.
But to fit in the segment, you want the car to be similar to the competiton, the ATS/IS/3 series are supposed to enbody a certain driving feel as well as driving engagement.
#18
Lead Lap
#20
Lexus Fanatic
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Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
All of the GM divisions charge $995 extra for that White Diamond paint color (and $695 for the Crystal Red Tintcoat)...not just Cadillac. I agree that they are basically the same colors as the Lexus Pearl White and Matador Red (and Chrysler's Inferno Red). A number of upscale/luxury vehicles, BTW, offer that Pearl White color....not just Lexus. In fact, Cadillac, Infiniti, and Audi were the manufacturers that originally perfected that color.
$995 for basically the same paint Lexus offers?
#21
Lexus Fanatic
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Those of us with large, heavy legs and feet that have to deal with a tiny, awkward, hard-to-reach foot pedal under the left dash (or a console-mounted pull-up lever that often gets in your way) already know the answer to that question.
However, I agree that sometimes a manual pull-up lever makes sense, like with rally-cars that slide and drift around dirt-corners. But, obviously, most driving isn't done that way...especially with everyday commuting.
However, I agree that sometimes a manual pull-up lever makes sense, like with rally-cars that slide and drift around dirt-corners. But, obviously, most driving isn't done that way...especially with everyday commuting.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-07-13 at 04:36 PM.
#22
Lexus Fanatic
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Originally Posted by LexsCTJill
The reason there is no push button parking release is because the ATS, IS and 3 series are drivers cars.
The reason there is no push button parking release is because the ATS, IS and 3 series are drivers cars.
Well to me, it is poor citizen auto reviewing.
The Verano or Regal are not relevant in the segment that the ATS was designed in.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-07-13 at 05:13 PM.
#23
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My s60 has it. The Buick regal and Verano have it, whatever segment they are in. But those are all FWD.
#24
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Excellent point. Volvo also markets this car (especially in TV commercials) as a Drivers' Car competing with the 3-series. In fact, I probably should have listed it in the review as a ATS competitor, but it just doesn't sell in very strong numbers here in America. Neither again, of course, does the Jaguar.......which, if my memory is correct, also has an E-brake.
#25
Lexus Fanatic
So for the record, the Verano and ATS do not share the same 2.0 turbo.
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 07-08-13 at 05:47 AM.
#26
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Glad you enjoyed it. This car, in general, was a hoot to drive, though it was not without flaws.
Though the latest 3-series, in the opinion of some reviewers, is generally not considered the equal of older ones, I sure can't bad-mouth or pan last-generation 335s like yours that are a few years old (except maybe for some unreliable fuel-pumps) The 335, especially in xi AWD trim, has long been my favorite of the American-market 3-series....for several reasons, more-so than the M3, which is too hard-edged and uncomfortable in the chassis-department for me. But the newest 3-series models have gone to electric power steering, which, though not bad by electric-steering standards, clearly doesn't have the same magic tactile-feel of past hydraulic units. Interiors, in the opinion of several reviewers, have also lost some material-quality. Still, the comparison of the ATS to the 3-series is not so much a matter that the new 3-series have slipped back as much as it is fact that Cadillac is (now) producing something that is quite competitive with them, which is something that has not happened before, despite the success of the 2Gen Cadllac CTS.
Though the latest 3-series, in the opinion of some reviewers, is generally not considered the equal of older ones, I sure can't bad-mouth or pan last-generation 335s like yours that are a few years old (except maybe for some unreliable fuel-pumps) The 335, especially in xi AWD trim, has long been my favorite of the American-market 3-series....for several reasons, more-so than the M3, which is too hard-edged and uncomfortable in the chassis-department for me. But the newest 3-series models have gone to electric power steering, which, though not bad by electric-steering standards, clearly doesn't have the same magic tactile-feel of past hydraulic units. Interiors, in the opinion of several reviewers, have also lost some material-quality. Still, the comparison of the ATS to the 3-series is not so much a matter that the new 3-series have slipped back as much as it is fact that Cadillac is (now) producing something that is quite competitive with them, which is something that has not happened before, despite the success of the 2Gen Cadllac CTS.
Part of it is the evolution of the automobile. Even Porsche is using EPS now. So yes it's not so much that BMW is going backwards, but rather that Cadillac is doing such a great job of building highly competitive entries. The whole segment is. So all options will be on the table.
#28
Lexus Fanatic
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#29
Lexus Fanatic
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Just for the record (and this is simply my personal opinion, not necessarily fact), I don't think that a car in the ATS class (or the Impala or the Regal, for that matter) should be stuck with four-cylinder engines at all, turbo or not. V6s should, IMO, standard in all three of these cars (The Verano's smaller engine-compartment mught not allow a V6 fit in well). I understand the reason for some of these small turbo fours (the upcoming CAFE regs). So, I guess you could blame at least some of it on Big Brother......but that's a subject for another thread, and I won't get into that deeply here. There's also the question, as a CL member pointed out in another thread, of 3.6L V6 engine-production availability......it is currently being used as an option in a number of GM vehicles as it is, placing demands on production-availability.
#30
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The 2.0 is also going to have production demands. The LTG will replace teh LHU in the Regal in 2014, and teh Verano in 2015. The Malibu and new CTS also are using the LTG. GM should be able to spit out enough engines. They are the single largest powetrain maker in ther world. Period. Availability is no excuse.