Transportation

Car Review: 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe

Published

12 years ago

March 2, 2015

The 2015 Cadillac ATS coupe will go on sale in the summer of 2014. The first compact luxury coupe offered by Cadillac and based on the award-winning ATS sedan’s architecture, the ATS Coupe offers drivers the choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder or a 3.6L six-cylinder engine.

By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist

DETROIT (NNPA) – Cadillac has got something. Its two-seat version of the ATS sedan was slick, fun to drive and it had plenty of style. We test drove the 2015 ATS Coupe 3.6L RWD Premium. That translated into a 2+2 coupe with a 3.2-liter V6 that made 321 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm.

Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, this powertrain was quick, responsive to driver input and propelled our test car just about effortlessly. The Cadillac ATS Coupe was pretty light at 3,400 pounds.

We had the rear-wheel-drive version of the ATS Coupe; it also comes with all-wheel-drive. That meant our test car got 18 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg combined. It was a nice package but on a long highway drive, our ATS’ 450-mile range may have been its only shortcoming, if that could be categorized as a shortcoming.

The car had a 50-50 weight distribution, a lightweight five-link rear suspension and a MacPherson-strut front suspension with direct acting stabilizer bar. Powering through a curved expressway entrance, the ATS Coupe tracked well, stayed perpendicular to the pavement and it could have gone even faster than the 45 mph we were going rather than the 25 mph maximum speed that was posted. It was a great ride.

The 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe handled with rifle shot accuracy. It had a belt driven electric variable steering gear, Brembo brakes and 18-inch machine finished aluminum alloy wheels.

Our ATS Coupe had an adjustable suspension with sport, touring and snow/ice settings. It also had Magnetic Ride Control that was a real time damping system that read the roads and changed damping in a millisecond for better body control.

It shared the same 109.3-inch wheelbase as the ATS sedan but the ATS Coupe’s sheet metal was slightly different. It had its own doors, rear fenders and trunk lid. The front fascia and front fenders were altered to accommodate the Coupe’s wider track.

The Coupe is the first Cadillac to sport the brand’s revised crest badge. The Coupe also shared what is becoming a Cadillac signature, LEDs that form light sabre-like vertical fins that frame the headlights, the grille and the lower front fascia. Our test vehicle also featured illuminating door handles.

As is the case with any vehicle, luxury is conveyed in the interior and the ATS Coupe did not disappoint. The interior from the sedan carried over into the Coupe. In fact, this interior is used in every Cadillac. It featured hand cut and decoratively stitched upholstery material and leather.

Our test vehicle had real wood trim; carbon fiber and aluminum trim are also available. But run your hand on the open pore wood trim of our test vehicle and the grain in the wood could be felt. It was a small characteristic but a giant step towards Cadillac returning to its pinnacle as one of the best luxury marques in the world.

Our coupe was a 2+2 and that translated into full back seats that were pinch for the passenger/s that had to sit in them. The seat backs would fold creating more cargo space.

Of course, the car featured the CUE system. This infotainment system is still a love it or hate it affair. But there’s very little controversy over how it looks: clean, angular and melded with Cadillac’s overall design language. That no doubt is why the CUE, it stands for Cadillac User Experience, appears at home in every Cadillac.

The Coupe featured the most up-to-date version of CUE. It had text to voice and Sire Eyes Free for iPhone operating systems six and seven. Cadillac said it could be connected to the ATS by voice controls. There are no buttons on the CUE system.

It had an eight-inch touch screen as well as a capacitive faceplate. Complaints have been lodged that it is too slow, it is hard to operate and even more difficult to master. But the more we encounter this system, the more comfortable we become in its operation. That was the case with the 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe.

Our test vehicle also featured OnStar and it held the latest technology from General Motors. Cadillac’s CUE on the ATS had a 4G LTE. In other words, the 2015 Cadillac ATS was a rolling Wi-Fi hotspot capable of connecting seven devices.

This ATS Coupe had remote start, a passive entry system (read push button lock and unlock), alloy sport pedals, rear vision camera, configurable heads up display, heated steering wheel and front seats, wireless charging and push button start/stop.

It was a sharp car. The 2015 ATS Coupe was yet another product/rung in Cadillac’s climb back to prominence in the luxury vehicle segment. Our test vehicle had a base price of $50,325. Add $2,290 worth of options and Cadillac’s $995 freight charge and the total sticker came to $53,610.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.

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Fate of Bay Area Public Transit Hinges on Regional Transit Measure

Voters in five Bay Area counties will decide the fate of a regional sales tax measure on Nov. 3 that could determine the future of local public transportation. If approved, the Regional Transit Measure would implement new sales taxes in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties starting in 2027. The funding aims to address massive financial deficits facing agencies like BART and Muni, providing nearly $1 billion annually to prevent station closures and service cuts. Read more.

Published

3 weeks ago

October 27, 2026

Post News Group

By Tanay Gokhale, Bay City News

On Nov. 3, voters in five Bay Area counties will vote on a regional sales tax measure that, if it fails, could prompt local transit agencies to close train stations and cut bus service.

If passed, the Regional Transit Measure, or RTM, will impose a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties as well as a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco starting April 2027.

The tax would raise an estimated $980 million annually for 14 years to fund the region’s public transit agencies, which are struggling with massive financial deficits. Revenue would go to BART, Muni, Caltrain, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, Golden Gate Transit, and other transportation agencies operating in the five counties.

In California, a regional measure for a new sales tax would normally require a two-thirds majority approval if the state Legislature directly places it on a ballot. Transit advocates, however, chose to collect signatures to make the sales tax a citizen-initiated ballot measure that would lower the threshold to a simple majority of votes cast across the five counties.

The RTM received more than 241,000 signatures, exceeding the 186,000-signature threshold required to qualify for the ballot.

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Commentary

Why AC Transit Director Joel Young is My Choice for AC Transit Board Ward 3

Former AC Transit Director Patrisha Piras is endorsing incumbent Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3. Piras highlights Young’s tenure as the longest-serving member of the current board and his role in securing over $600 million in funding for the district. Young has previously served as board president and is credited with advancing clean-energy initiatives and workforce development programs. Piras cites his institutional knowledge as vital for navigating current financial challenges to ensure regional connectivity. Find out why Young is being recommended for another term.

Published

3 weeks ago

October 25, 2026

Post News Group

By Patrisha ‘Pat’ Piras Special to The Post

As a former AC Transit Director for more than a decade, I know firsthand what it takes to serve effectively on the AC Transit Board. That is why I am proud to endorse Joel Young for election to the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3.

Joel’s dedication to AC Transit and the communities they serve has been unmatched. Throughout his years on the Board, he has been a tireless advocate for riders, employees, and residents who depend on reliable, affordable public transportation every day. The majority of his colleagues have shown their trust, respect, and confidence in him by electing him as Board president.

As the longest-serving member of AC Transit’s current Board, Joel has played a pivotal role in securing more than $600 million in funding for the District, advancing clean-energy transit initiatives, strengthening workforce development programs, and helping position AC Transit as a national leader in innovation and sustainability. His leadership has extended beyond the Bay Area, representing AC Transit on the national stage and advocating successfully for investments that strengthen public transportation across the country, even with the current federal administration.

At a time when transit agencies face significant financial and operational challenges, Joel brings the experience, institutional knowledge, and steady leadership needed to help guide AC Transit forward. He understands that public transportation is about more than buses and infrastructure. It is about connecting people to jobs, schools, health care, and opportunity while ensuring that our communities remain accessible and economically vibrant.

Joel Young has a proven record of working with others to deliver results, protect transit service, and fight for the resources needed to meet the evolving needs of our region. His dedication, leadership, and commitment to public service make him exceptionally qualified to represent AC Transit Ward 3.

I strongly endorse Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors and encourage Ward 3 voters to support his election by Nov. 3.

Patrisha “Pat” Piras is a former AC Transit director.

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Featured

Opponents Smear Effective African American Transit Director as Election Nears

Incumbent Joel Young is defending his seat on the AC Transit Board against allegations of harassment stemming from a public interaction in 2026. Supporters of the director cite his record of securing $600 million for bus services and leading civil rights initiatives as evidence of his effectiveness. They argue the accusations regarding a group photo interaction have been politically weaponized by opponents to influence the Ward 3 election.

Published

4 weeks ago

October 19, 2026

Post News Group

By Kitty Kelly Epstein

I am an academic and a community activist. I take women’s issues, including workplace harassment and discrimination, seriously. I have been following the AC Transit Ward 3 election and have become concerned about what I believe is a serious injustice.

Joel Young is an effective AC Transit director. He has secured more than $600 million for local bus service and fare affordability. He led the Freedom Bus Project, integrating civil rights history, art and transit. He was presiding over the board of AC transit when it won the 2023 Outstanding Public System Award, and he raised $1 million for the hydrogen fuel cell bus program. These are just a few of his accomplishments.

I reviewed the allegations of unwanted physical contact and harassment made by AC Transit Director Sarah Syed against Director Joel Young, I believe the events of Sept. 24, 2025, have been characterized in a way that does not accurately reflect what occurred.

That interaction took place during a group photo after celebrating the life of a longtime Board member who passed away. From the video I reviewed, it appears that individuals were consoling one another and exchanging hugs in a public setting surrounded by numerous witnesses.

Young’s interaction with Syed appears consistent with those expressions of sympathy and it appears that Young was attempting to extend a gesture of goodwill toward Syed.

I am concerned by how this incident has been recently used as a political tool to influence the outcome of the AC Transit Ward 3 election and support Young’s opponent.

Syed and her supporters launched a targeted political campaign, first through the Alameda County Democratic Party and subsequently by organizing a letter from a group of majority-white elected officials who have endorsed Young’s opponent against Young, who is Africa American.
Furthermore, this manufactured controversy distracts voters from the critical issues facing AC Transit. The public deserves a substantive debate on service reliability, ridership recovery, passenger and operator safety, financial stability, regional equity, and future transportation infrastructure. The electorate should be evaluating which candidate possesses the judgment, experience, and vision to lead AC Transit forward – not reacting to a distorted personal interaction.

Regardless of one’s political views or preferred candidate, allegations of harassment should never be weaponized for electoral purposes. We all know that exaggerated or unsupported accusations can undermine public understanding of, and trust in, efforts to address genuine sexual harassment and violence.

Kitty Kelly Epstein