2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe

2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe

Episode 3408
Lucas Oil "Keep That Engine Alive"Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Without a doubt, the most exciting American sport sedan in decades is the Cadillac ATS. Since it arrived for 2013, the ATS has fully stood its ground against the best four-doors that Germany has to offer. Now Cadillac is following that up with a coupe version. So, let’s see if, even with two less doors, it’s just as able. 

As the first compact sporty coupe to ever wear the Cadillac crest, the 2015 ATS Coupe has got a tall bar to top, to make headway into a small, clearly European dominated segment. 

Now, being drawn from the wonderful ATS sedan certainly helps. Indeed, GM hasn’t done anything major here beyond crafting a 2-door body onto the ATS chassis. So if you liked the sedan, chances are you’ll really like the Coupe. 

Unlike many sedan/coupe siblings, wheelbase stays the same, though the 2-door’s track has been widened for better handling, and a more muscular appearance, especially at the rear.

Only the hood is shared, the rest of the body panels are unique. Though sleek and stylish, it comes off a little conservative compared to ATS and CTS sedans, and that’s apparently intentional. Still dynamic and very well done overall, lots of emphasis is placed on aerodynamics, including extensive underbody shielding. 18-inch wheels are standard, with a wider footprint at the rear. 

The ATS Coupe also launches a new Cadillac crest. A big large for our taste, it will quickly work its way throughout the lineup. 

What’s under that shared hood is not quite as shared as the 2.5-liter I4 is not available. Just the delightful 272-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo, uprated to 295-lb ft of torque, and our car’s 3.6-liter V6 with 321-horsepower and 275 lb-ft. The V6 is automatic only, but, like the sedan, you can choose a 6-speed manual for the turbo-4. 

Watching weight is still an ATS hallmark. But, poundage does see a slight increase over a comparably sedan. 3,530-pounds total in the case of this V6, with a little more of the weight over the front wheels. 

That’s barely apparent from 0 to 60 as this 2-door gets the job done in 6.2-seconds. The automatic yields quick, nearly seamless shifts, pushing through the ¼ mile in 14.6 seconds at an even 100. That’s only slightly off the pace of the last turbo-4 sedan we tested. 

When it comes to handling, there’s the same 5-link IRS, and double pivot MacPherson strut front suspension, but with unique tuning that feels a tad stiffer than the sedan. For best results, you can upgrade to the FE3 sport suspension with Magnetic Ride Control, as well as a mechanical limited-slip rear diff. 

The belt-driven, variable effort electric steering works well, with precise inputs and decent feel. All-wheel-drive is available with both engines. Brembo brakes are standard, but just for up front. And that was enough to bring things to a halt in a short average distance of 120-feet from 60. 

The interior is well-crafted. We especially like our car’s carbon fiber accents. The enhanced CUE system makes for easier smart phone use. Most info is easier to find, and the touchscreen seems more responsive. Front seats are as comfortable as we remember; the steering wheel still feels great in your hands; and the gauge panel is still clear and comprehensive. This Coupe is a 2+2 so rear legroom is tight. Still, the seats cushions are comfortable.

Two different safety packages are available: Driver Awareness and Driver Assist; and include back-up camera, full-speed range adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, front and rear automatic braking, head-up display, and of course GM’s safety alert vibrating seat. Trunk capacity stays the same as the sedan at 10.4 cubic-ft.  

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the V6 are also the same as the sedan at 18-City, 28-Highway, and 22-Combined. We averaged a fine and fun 23.8 miles-per-gallon of Regular. The Energy Impact Score falls about average at 15.0-barrels of yearly oil use with CO2 emissions of 6.8-tons.

Base pricing for a standard 2.0-liter ATS Coupe is $38,990; V6 pricing begins at $46,145.    

If Cadillac had come to us for advice before building the 2015 ATS Coupe, we would have told them to keep the sedan’s performance intact and keep the price under 40. Well, they did us one better by keeping the price reasonable, and packing in even more total performance. We think that much like the sedan, the ATS Coupe should be an instant sales success and have no problem carving out a spot among the luxury sport coupe elite.

Specifications

  • Engine: 3.6 liter
  • Horsepower: 321
  • Torque: 275 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 6.2 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 14.6 seconds @ 100 mph
  • EPA: 18 mpg city/ 28 mpg highway
  • Energy Impact: 15.0 barrels of oil/yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 6.8 tons/yr
2024 Mazda CX-90 Front Quarter 1

2024 Mazda CX-90

A Force To Be Reckoned With

Episode 4238
Lucas Oil "Keep That Engine Alive"Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

If you’ve been following Mazda lately, you’ll know they’ve been fielding some serious new designs; you could even say, they’re latest efforts are 10-times better than before. After all, the CX-3 became the CX-30, then CX-5 became the CX-50, and now it’s the CX-9’s turn. So, let’s find out if this all-new CX-90, their largest SUV yet, is a real multiplier or if it’s all just a numbers game.

Don’t think of this 2024 Mazda CX-90 so much as an updated version of the CX-9, as it’s more of a complete rethink of their 3-row crossover, the first built on an all-new, large vehicle platform for the brand. And this platform carries a host of surprises. Not only does it make the CX-90 bigger by every dimension, but it’s a rear-drive architecture, and features all-new powertrains, including the brand’s first plug-in hybrid, and even an inline-6 engine.

Why an inline-6 to replace the CX-9’s turbo-4? Well, in general terms, I6s are better balanced, run smoother, and can deliver more torque at lower RPM. Just ask the BMW faithful, or any of the truckers you see going down the road hauling more than 20-tons of cargo with their inline-6s.

There are 2-versions of the longitudinally mounted 6, both assisted by turbocharging and a 48-volt mild hybrid system. Output for the base Turbo is 280-horsepower and 332 lb-ft. of torque; this Turbo S cranks it up to 340-horsepower and 369 lb-ft. The PHEV, on the other hand, is based on a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter I4, working with a 100-kW electric motor to deliver 323-horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque. A 17.8-kWh battery delivers 26-miles of EV driving.

2024 Mazda CX-90 3
2024 Mazda CX-90 Side Profile
2024 Mazda CX-90 Quarter Rear
2024 Mazda CX-90 Twin-Turbo I-6 Engine Cover
2024 Mazda CX-90 Twin-Turbo I-6 Engine
2024 Mazda CX-90 32024 Mazda CX-90 Side Profile2024 Mazda CX-90 Quarter Rear2024 Mazda CX-90 Twin-Turbo I-6 Engine Cover2024 Mazda CX-90 Twin-Turbo I-6 Engine

It’s not the prettiest SUV, but it does have very smooth body work; plus, the longer hood and 7½-inches of wheelbase stretch over the CX-9, give it more stately proportions. All CX-90s come with i-Activ all-wheel drive and the brand’s first 8-speed automatic transmission; the longer wheelbase allows tow ratings to step up from 3,500-lbs. to 5,000.

At the test track, our Turbo S launched effortlessly with good grip on the way to a 6.4-second 0-60. The smooth vibes continued throughout the ¼-mile, with refined power delivery, seamless shifts, and a noticeably more solid and stable feel at speed than the CX-9. Our best time was 14.7-seconds at 98 miles-per-hour.

Through the cones, it still behaves like a Mazda, with very good steering feel and a solid presence in corners at low to moderate speeds. Some understeer and body roll will show up when pushed hard, but Mazda’s Kinematic Posture Control uses subtle selective braking to help the vehicle rotate, and safety systems will step in well-before it gets out of sorts.

There’s a nice firm feel to the brake pedal, delivering good stopping results of 118-feet from 60 miles-per-hour. You can feel a lot of weight transfer, but nosedive was well contained.

images: Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [image] => 11459
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [image] => 11458
        )

)

Another unique element the CX-90 brings is seating arrangements for 6,7, or 8. It’s the 8-seater that’s standard with 3-across bench seating for 2nd and 3rd rows. 7-seaters get either captain’s chairs in the 2nd row, or more contoured seats for the 3rd; 6-seaters sport 2nd row captains and the contoured 3rd row. Cargo capacity varies with seating, but is at best 15.9 cubic-ft. behind the 3rd row, 40.1 behind the 2nd, and 75.2 with all seats folded.

As far as what it’s like to actually live with, the CX-90’s cabin is a clear step up, including on some trims suede-like materials, intricate stitching, and real wood, all consistent with what we’ve seen from the brand lately. A 10-inch dashtop touchscreen is standard for infotainment, with upper trims getting a larger 12.3-incher. We applaud Mazda’s inclusion of plenty of old-school manual controls for radio and climate, which keeps menu diving limited to secondary functions. PHEVs get a few unique controls and readouts to monitor drive modes and battery level.

Overall, the CX-90 is highly functional, entertainingly sporty to drive, and will be more competitive in the ever growing 3-row family crossover segment; and its posh interior may even attract luxury buyers on a budget.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the Turbo S are 23-City, 28-Highway, and 25-Combined. We averaged a good 26.5 miles-per-gallon of Regular.

Pricing begins with the base Turbo at Select trim for $40,970, PHEVs are available in Preferred trim and above starting at $48,820, and the Turbo S starts at $53,125.

Force multiplier is a military term for when strategic elements come together to produce results greater than would have been possible without them. Well, no high-level math skills are necessary here to see that the 2024 Mazda CX-90 is clearly more than just a much better CX-9; it’s now a force to be reckoned with in the 3-row family crossover segment.

Specifications

  • Engine: 3.3-liter I-6
  • Horsepower: 340
  • 0-60 mph: 6.4 seconds
  • 60-0 Braking: 118 feet (avg)
  • MW Fuel Economy: 26.5 MPG (Regular)
  • Transmission: 8-speed automatic
  • Torque: 369 lb-ft.
  • 1/4 Mile: 14.7-seconds at 98 mph
  • EPA: 23 City / 28 Highway / 25 Combined
  • Starting Price: $40,970