Is Buying a Used Cadillac ATS a Good Idea?

When it was new, the Cadillac ATS was a luxury sedan that never really took off, but on the used market, it’s a great deal on a nice car. If you’re looking for a used Cadillac ATS, you’ll be looking at the model years between 2013 and 2019. The ATS was discontinued for the 2020 model year. Let’s take a look at why this car might be a great idea for your garage.

Key Features and Specs of the Cadillac ATS

The Cadillac ATS features up to 464 horsepower, making it sporty and powerful for thrilling everyday driving. The ATS also offered available AWD, so that’s another option to look for on the used market. Most models you’ll see are the regular ATS, but there is also an ATS-V that increases the performance level by quite a bit. Transmission options included either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic.

2013 – 2019 Cadillac ATS

The Cadillac ATS debuted for the 2013 model year, and Cadillac was hoping it would be a big deal as the brand’s first real compact premium sedan. However, the crossover segment was exploding and many of the ATS’s rivals were German cars that already had a solid fanbase. This resulted in the ATS not really taking off, which is too bad because it’s an attractive car with some nice features.

If you’re a used car buyer looking at this segment, the good news is that you can get some incredible bargain prices on the Cadillac ATS now. The ATS came in three trim levels, the base Performance trim, Luxury trim, and Premium. A V version was also available. The coupe body style was the rarest, so most of what you’ll find on the used market is the sedan body style.

The base ATS offered a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that made 202 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. You also had the option of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that made 272 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque in the first few years. The torque was later bumped to 290 pound-feet. The top engine for the regular ATS was the 3.6-liter V6 that made 321 horsepower and 274 pound-feet of torque. Later, that amount jumped to 335 horsepower and 285 pound-feet of torque.

Cadillac ATS Interior and Tech

Another appealing factor for the Cadillac ATS was its cutting-edge interior for the time. It was one of the first Cadillac models to debut the Cadillac User Experience (CUE) system. CUE was touted by the brand as a custom user experience with streamlined connectivity and response to voice and touch commands.

Cadillac also put a lot of effort into the overall quality of the interior, from the materials to the trim and upholstery. The ATS sedan can seat up to five people and the coupe can seat up to four people. Both cars offer 10.4 cubic feet of space.

Due to the tepid response to the Cadillac ATS when it was new, it’s an incredible bargain on the used market these days. The average price for an ATS model is just below $25,000, but that includes the ATS-V, which can still cost up to $40,000. If you only look at the regular ATS models, you’re likely to find one under $20,000.