First drive: the new Cadillac ATS

What's this ATS all about? Looks like a shrunken Cadillac CTS.

And that's essentially what it is. Only it isn't as the ATS is an entirely new car built off a completely, all-new-from-the-ground-up platform. Car companies, least of all luxury ones, don't get to build new platforms - the basic fabric of a car other than the body - very often as they cost an immense amount of time and cash. So this ATS saloon is not the only car that is going to be built off it. Apart from all the ATS model derivatives, the ATS's skeleton and nervous system will be reworked for the next Camaro, the refreshed CTS and a new Chevrolet compact coupe, which we know only as the 130R concept car so far.

OK, so it's the smallest Cadillac?

Yes, think of the ATS as a BMW 3 Series competitor. As that's exactly what it was conceived and designed to beat. Cadillac has watched as the 3 Series has become the default luxury compact car in the US, and has had to wait until now to bring the fight to it. It's a massive task to try and topple the Bavarian uber saloon, but Cadillac reckons the rear-drive ATS is the car to do it.

See more pictures of the Cadillac ATS

OK, but it's not just about performance models, what are the regular cars like to drive?

Good to great. We got to drive everything from the base 2.5-litre manual model all the way up to the 3.6-litre V6 variant and the general impression on the road is that the chassis guys have really done their homework. Super smooth ride, good steering feel and quiet, finely controlled suspension let you know immediately that this car means business. The base engine is a little coarse when extended and the smooth 3.6 bent six will please the more mature driver, but the sweet spot is the two-litre turbo unit, especially when it's mated to the tap-shift auto gearbox. In this configuration the ATS gels into a back road weapon that has you snipping up and down gears and slicing through corners just for fun. Word of caution: do not spec the manual.

How do you know that?

We got to drive the ATS on a short race track in Atlanta that felt like it had been designed - by F1 guru Herman Tilke, no less - after a blast across some hilly British countryside. Just fewer sheep on the road. The 50/50 front/rear ATS was completely linear and rock solid throughout, to the point that you start to think you are a better driver than you are. That kind of flattery is always welcome - and rare.

So, better than a 3 Series then?

At the limit, it really does feel that way. On the road, the fight is more even. The ATS's cabin doesn't have the BMW's super modern feel, settling for a more traditional stitched leather approach, which will please some and deter others. But it does have some nice, unique touches. The CUE control centre is big, bold and easy to use with words - it understands ordinary language instead of expecting you to speak like a robot - or fingers. And there is BOSE active noise cancelling, which keeps the cabin free of unwanted noise, just like your headphones on an aeroplane.

Specs (as tested)

2,457cc, 4cyl, RWD, 260bhp, 353lb-ft, 27mpg, CO2 n/a, 0-60mph 5.7secs, 155mph (est), 1530kg

Price 

From $33,990 (£21,883)

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Ford Taurus 2.0L EcoBoost 2013 First Drive

Big car, small engine. The pairing may seem paradoxical, but Ford has made a habit of dropping its turbocharged, direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder into its larger vehicles. The latest blue-oval big’un to get a small EcoBoost is the beefy Taurus; this additional engine option, joining a naturally aspirated V-6 and the SHO’s EcoBoost V-6, appears as part of the sedan’s 2013 refresh. As for its other big/small combos, Ford already has ladled the 2.0-liter into the Explorer and the Edge with mixed results. 

Pay More for Less

We’ve found that Ford’s 240-hp EcoBoost four does an admirable job of motivating the Edge and redesigned-for-2013 Escape crossovers, but is overburdened in the Explorer. The engine is the 2013 Fusion’s top-of-the-line motivator, and a higher-output version powers the new Focus ST. Regardless of which hood the 2.0-liter lives under, the engine is well-mannered and smooth, with linear power delivery and little turbo lag. 

 

The turbo four is paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic driving the front wheels and is available in any Taurus trim except the sporty, range-topping SHO model. As with the Edge and Explorer, the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four in the Taurus is a step-up, extra-cost engine. The promised return for its $995 price is improved fuel economy relative to the base V-6 engine—both the city and highway EPA ratings are three better here, landing at 22/32 mpg. In our experience, it’s tougher to get close to EPA mileage estimates in turbocharged cars, so we’ll reserve final judgment until we can fully test this model. 

Beefy Tostadas Can Accelerate, Too

Of all the big Fords to get the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four, we think the 2013 Taurus may be the most appropriate. It’s mostly a question of mass. The Taurus weighs a little less than an Edge when both are equipped with the engine. A 2.0-liter Explorer, on the other hand, weighs a good quarter-ton more than an Edge so equipped, tapping out the powertrain. Although down 48 hp on the Taurus’s base 3.5-liter V-6, the turbo four produces 16 additional lb-ft of torque, and its twist is available at a lower rpm. As a result, the 2.0-liter Taurus gets up and goes much like the front-wheel-drive V-6 sedan. The only indication that two cylinders are missing comes in the form of a faint resonance that enters the cabin at low revs in higher gears.

As befits its fuel-sipping mission, the four-cylinder Taurus’s six-speed automatic transmission dutifully grabs the highest possible gear as quickly as it can. There is a “sport” transmission mode, which delays upshifts until the tach needle swings closer to redline, but it seems uncouth to drive a non-SHO Taurus this way. A fidgety shift-lever-mounted rocker switch allows drivers to summon an up- or downshift at their leisure. Unfortunately, no matter how furiously you twiddle this switch, the transmission takes a good two-count to execute on the command. 

Dynamically, the four-pot car feels nearly the same as any other Taurus. Ford says the 2.0-liter-equipped version is roughly 55 pounds lighter than a comparable V-6 model; four-cylinder cars get slightly different front spring rates along with minor changes to the dampers to account for the lighter load. You don’t feel the weight difference, and the thing still feels heavy because it is. At least the squishy suspension isolates passengers from all but the worst road imperfections. The electrically assisted steering is devoid of road feel, weighting up only off-center. An added bonus for all 2013 Taurus models is an upgraded brake master cylinder, which has firmed up pedal feel and reduced its travel.  

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

BASE PRICE: $28,390

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 122 cu in, 1999 cc
Power: 240 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 270 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 112.9 in
Length: 202.9 in
Width: 76.2 in Height: 60.7 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 4100 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 7.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.4 sec
Top speed: 112 mph

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 22/32 mpg

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