Pre-Owned Cadillac ATS, CTS and XTS: A Good Choice Even If Discontinued?
Cadillac’s vehicle lineup has undergone a major transformation over the last few years.
The new CT4 and CT5 sedans have essentially replaced the ATS and CTS, while the CT6 has briefly filled the XTS’s role before disappearing too. But are these discontinued models still good choices for buyers who are shopping for used vehicles? Let’s take a closer look.
Cadillac ATS
The smallest of Cadillac’s former sedans was commercialized from 2013 to 2018, in sedan and coupe versions. The ATS offered a turbocharged 4-cylinder with 272 horsepower, or a 3.6-litre V6 producing 335 or 464 horsepower, depending on whether the model was a rear-wheel drive or an all-wheel drive. The 202-horsepower naturally aspirated 4-cylinder should be avoided, as it’s pretty unremarkable.
The ATS has proved that it could compete with the best luxury compacts—especially those from Europe—with its modern and refined lines, very good road handling, excellent structural rigidity, outstanding front seats, and much more. One of its flaws is a cabin with a design and a finish that are just ok. A not very user-friendly multimedia system, a cramped backseat and a rather small trunk have been pointed out too.
Cadillac CTS
Of the three vehicles discussed here, the CTS certainly is the one that has known the best success and the longest career, which ended in 2019 after 16 years. A direct competitor of the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E Class, it was equipped in its later years with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder (268 horsepower), a 3.6-litre V6 (335 or 420 horsepower) and even a 6.2-litre V8 (640 horsepower), the same that was found inside the Chevrolet Corvette!
Its design remains pretty up-to-date and its successor, the CT5, borrowed some elements from it. Like for the ATS, you’ll love the power, performance and driving comfort you’ll get for the money, and this is even truer with the CTS-V trim. However, the visually overloaded interior, the imprecise touch-sensitive surfaces and the distracting multimedia interface might disappoint you.
Cadillac XTS
The biggest of the three, the XTS was manufactured from 2013 to 2019; it even coexisted with the CT6 for two years. With its classic style, this American luxury car was regrettably not able to pay homage to the great Cadillacs of the past. Its 3.6-litre V6 producing 304 horsepower could be replaced with a 410-horsepower twin-turbo V6. The first engine could be paired with a two-wheel or a four-wheel drive, while the second came with a four-wheel drive only.
We can say that the XTS is the option for the traditional customer. It offers an extremely smooth ride, with steering that is well suited to this type of car, which doesn’t even try to be sporty. Unfortunately, this model has the same frustrating multimedia system as in the CTS. Finally, the twin-turbo V6 should be avoided if reliability and fuel economy are important to you, especially since the basic engine already does a remarkable job.