GREEN | 7 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
2013 Cadillac ATS 2.5: 22/33 mpg
EPA
Another advantage for Cadillac is that the 2.5L and 3.6L use regular gas. The 2.0L prefers premium for full output but can also run on regular, Cadillac says.
Cars.com
GM has an embarrassing history of producing big-boned vehicles, packing more pounds than their similar-size competitors. To fight those fat genes, the ATS rides on an all-new rear-wheel-drive architecture rather than a cut-down CTS platform.
Automobile
The ATS doesn't need this engine. Not for sales, not for marketing, and not for CAFE. The 2.0-liter turbo gets the exact same fuel economy and costs just $600 more than the 2.5-liter...
Motor Trend
It's at least closely competitive with all the other premium rear-drive compacts, but the Cadillac ATS isn't the leader in gas mileage.
It's a game of inches in this class. The ATS hasn't been officially rated as of yet, but according to GM's estimates, the base 2.5-liter four in the ATS will be rated at 22/32 mpg, with the turbocharged 2.0-liter four earning the same ratings. Both are estimated for the automatic transmission; no figures for the manual gearbox have been released, nor have any numbers for versions with all-wheel drive.
Cadillac says the V-6 ATS with automatic transmission will be rated at 18/29 mpg.
For contrast, the EPA publishes the 2012 BMW 328i's fuel economy at 23/34 mpg for the manual, 23/33 mpg for the automatic; the 335i is rated at 23/33 mpg with the automatic, 20/30 mpg with the manual.
The 3-Series benefits from stop/start technology that boosts mileage slightly, but even the ATS' other competitors fare a bit better in gas mileage. Audi's latest A4, with an eight-speed automatic, is rated at 24/31 mpg.
The ATS outpaces the C Class, at least, since it's rated at 21/31 mpg. And it far exceeds the lagging fuel economy of the Infiniti G37, which logged into the 2012 model year with ratings of 19/27 mpg and 17/25 mpg for automatic- and manual-equipped models, respectively.
Cadillac executives confirm that a diesel engine is a necessity for the ATS to be a success in European markets. They've hinted that the diesel could also become available in the U.S., but no official announcement has been made.
Conclusion
Putting its turbo four forward, the ATS can't quite claim best-in-class gas mileage.
