For Better and Worse

Without a doubt, the ATS feels a lot like the recently redesigned 3 Series sedan, with comparable attributes inside as well. The backseat has almost a half-inch more legroom than the 3 Series, but it's snug, and my legs were raised more than I would like. Mostly I noticed the 1.7 inches less headroom, which made it just workable for me at 6 feet tall. The long front-seat travel, however, provided legroom for people taller than me.

The cabin is well-appointed, with high-quality materials like aluminum, wood and carbon fiber. The optional Cadillac User Experience system with its advanced touch-screen is sure to appeal to people wary of multifunction controller knobs, but I don't think history will be kind to the touch-sensitive "capacitive" non-buttons the industry is adopting. I know I won't be.

Overall, Cadillac seems to have done a good job squaring up against BMW, for better and for worse. For example, you can get an advanced head-up display ... and you can also pay extra for items like leather upholstery and a folding backseat. That's definitely meeting the competition on its own turf.

BMW's compact-luxury king has been "gone after," "gunned for" and "taken on" more than any model in the market, and still his highness remains on the throne, his anteroom littered with bones. We'll need more time with the ATS to know whether it's merely a pretender to the throne. So far it looks as close as any challenger to date.

    See also:

    Emergency
    With Automatic Crash Response, the built-in system can automatically connect to help in a crash even if you cannot ask for it. Push to connect to an Emergency Advisor. GPS technology is used to id ...

    Reactivation for Subsequent Owners
    Push and follow the prompts to speak to an Advisor as soon as possible after acquiring the vehicle. The Advisor will update vehicle records and will explain the OnStar service offers and opt ...

    Instrument Panel Illumination Control
    The instrument panel brightness knob is located on the instrument panel next to the steering column. (Instrument Panel Brightness): Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to brighten ...