Riding in Style with Cadillac Canada

Sponsored Post in collaboration with Cadillac Canada. Originally published May 7, 2014.

I never know where my busy life is going to take me, whether it be checking out a concert at a downtown venue, having brunch with friends, doing some serious shopping, or just getting from Point A to Point B, no matter where I'm going it's important I get there on time and in style. This past weekend was no exception.

With thanks to my friend Sasha Exeter and her #RideInStylexCadillac contest, I had the opportunity to pair up with Cadillac Canada to check out the all-new 2014 Cadillac ATS for the weekend.

For over 112 years, Cadillac has been internationally known as a brand of luxury, desire, prestige and some would even say power.

As a brand, Cadillac has managed to weave its way into pop culture through music, on television, in positions of power, and of course film.  Seeing the recognizable logo instantly brings with it a sense of pride and importance that is universally understood.

You know the old saying “It was love at first sight”? I know it’s typically a cliché, but I can honestly say that is what happened when I arrived at the GM plant in Oshawa Ontario to pick up the keys to the ATS. There, in an extravagant shade of Opulent Blue Metallic was the all-new 2014 ATS.

Immediately upon entering the vehicle I felt a sense of comfort. As I sank into the premium leather seats and used the push button ignition I entered into a world of luxury that I had not yet experienced in a vehicle.

Before I left to start my 3 day adventure, I was introduced to the Cadillac User Experience, or CUE as it is more commonly known. This was to be the hub of my adventures as it encompassed a built in 3D GPS satellite, climate control systems, hands free blue tooth telephone system, and of course the premium audio menu. The touch screen was very intuitive and easy to figure out. In fact, it could actually be compared to using a tablet such as an iPad.

After taking a few minutes to sync up my iPhone and connect my iPod nano into the USB menu, I entered my destination, cranked up the volume on the Bose premium sound system and began my drive back into the city.

As soon as I hit the Westbound Ontario 401 it was apparent that this sporty car had some kick to it and it handled smoothly thanks to its 2.5L engine that, along with the 2.0L Turbo and VVT Direct Injection technology offers 6.0 L/100 km highway and 6.3 L/100 km highway, respectively.

The ride itself was a breeze thanks to it’s adaptive cruise control which also maintained a selectable preset distance between my car and the vehicle in front of me. It even allowed the ATS to hold a safe following distance in stop-and-go traffic, which is perfect during rush hour traffic in Toronto.

Another thing I will say about the ATS is that it’s safe. In fact, the ATS is loaded with safety features that I didn’t even know existed, such as the ‘safety alert seat’. At first, the vibration threw me off, in fact I thought it may have been the bass bumping from Sirius XM BPM, but then I remembered reading about the safety alert seat, an alert you can feel.

According to the Cadillac website “The iSafety Alert Seat intuitively sends pulses through the driver’s seat cushion, left or right or both sides simultaneously, effectively and discreetly alerting you to potential hazards”. 

After I got used to it I quickly realized how helpful the feature was when changing lanes or passing others. When I finally got back to the city, I had a taste of how great the ATS preforms during city driving.

The first example of this would be how easy it was to parallel park when arriving to brunch thanks to the built in reverse radar, camera and sensor technologies. I was truly impressed.

Navigating the city was also made easier with the help of OnStar, a built in feature exclusively available with GM vehicles. Being that I have just recently moved to Toronto, there are occasions when I rely heavily on GPS. The problem that I am faced with in my own personal vehicle is that I typically have to pull over and park my vehicle to enter my destination. This can sometimes be frustrating when you’re trying to get somewhere in a hurry.

Fortunately, with the OnStar system, I was able to simply push a button to get connected with an OnStar representative who then downloaded directions instantly to the GPS. All without having to take my hands off the wheel.

After a weekend of cruising the city it was time to say goodbye to the ATS. But not before one last drive along the lakeshore.

The 2014 Cadillac ATS starts at $35,695. For more information about the luxury vehicle, including the available features and options I’ve discussed (and ones I may have missed), be sure to visit the Cadillac Canada website. 

You can learn more about the Cadillac ATS by following Cadillac Canada on Twitter at @CadillacCanada. Feel free to join in on the conversation and share your own experiences using the hashtag #RideInStylexCadillac.