THE CADILLAC ATS VS ACURA TLX

Comparing the Cadillac ATS with the Acura TLX. Two solid cars with very different claims to fame. The best way to see which one of them suits your need best is to present the vehicles side by side, comparing the most distinctive features so it will be evident where one outperforms the other.

First thing's first and when it comes to pricing, the Acura has the edge. One of the best-priced cars in its segment, the TLX is cheaper than the Cadillac by an average of almost 10%. That can be misguiding though because when you compare the standard packages for both cars, you'll see the TLX is cheaper for a reason. Multiple reasons actually, so you're not actually paying less, you're getting less, so it's just normal the price is also lower.

The first thing the TLX skims on is engine power. To be fair the Cadillac ATS has some of the most powerful engine options in its class, so the Acura is no match. There's almost a 70 HP difference between the top of the range models from each company, and the standard engine can be described as adequate for the Cadillac and well below optimal for the TLX. As a result, at any level, be it the standard model or one of the upgrades, you'll always have inferior power if you choose the Acura. When you factor in almost the same miles per gallon for comparable engines between the two companies, there's no reason why you should opt for the TLX. Same mileage, less power, not a winning argument here.

The overall look and feel is somewhat deficient with the Acura also. There are places where you can spot cheap materials and for a luxury sedan that's really unacceptable. The ATS manufacturers have placed great attention to detail, and you feel you get your money's worth inspecting the interior. Everything seems well-fitted, and there's no cheap plastic in sight.

Acura's infotainment system, although proving to be a major improvement from its predecessor, still has some way to go until it reaches the same standard as the Cadillac. It's still quite hard to use and, for reasons we can't explain, doesn't have the vital tech of the 21st century. Things like a wi-fi hotspot, provided by almost all other competitors for this market segment, the TLX included, or Smart Device Integration systems, now available in far cheaper models as standard, are not present in the Acura. If you factor in that the TLX, on top of all the "must have 2018-tech" comes with a premium Bose sound system as standard, there's no comparing between the two vehicles.

The final nail in the coffin comes when we look at safety features, with the Cadillac smashing the ball out of the park with a flawless 5 stars out of 5 earned in the tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It's a case of "you get what you pay for" between these two and when you think of the difference of about 3000 dollars, compared to all the extras the Cadillac has to offer is actually worse. For a small premium, you get a better engine, a way better infotainment system, a perfect safety rating and a significantly better overall look and feel. You do the math...