Showing the 2016 ATS Luxury. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
22–26 mpgcombined; city 19–22, highway 27–32; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,490–$17,500U.S. average; Ohio $11,160–$16,490 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2016 ATS. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 32 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 ATS. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Power train
10
1
0
1
Electrical system
6
0
0
0
Air bags
5
1
0
2
Steering
4
1
0
1
Wheels
4
0
0
0
Engine
3
0
0
0
Service brakes
2
0
0
0
Unknown or other
2
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
2
1
0
1
Visibility/wiper
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
1
3 more parts
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 ATS over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, XTS, 2015-2016 Cadillac ATS, CTS, and SRX vehicles. The front-driver air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front-driver air bag module, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 19, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N262555870. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 21, 2026.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS sedan vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to September 2, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the coil antenna module that powers the rear defogger system may generate excessive heat due to excessive cycling or continuous operation.
Risk: If the coil antenna generates excessive heat, there is an increased risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Electronic Climate Control module to remove the automatic rear defogger "on" function, free of charge. The recall began on October 16, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15299.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to June 25, 2015. The affected vehicles may experience the roof panel closing automatically when the non-recessed switches are pressed and the roof panel is open. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."
Risk: Because the switch is not recessed, the roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed resulting in unintended auto-closure of the roof panel, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners and dealers will replace the roof console accessory switch trim plate, free of charge. The recall began on August 19, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15568. Note this recall supersedes 15V-106.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,540 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2016 ATS, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (551), electrical system (324), engine and engine cooling (185), engine (177), power train (172).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2016 ATS.
EPA class: compact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
ATS Rear-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
22 / 32 / 26
ATS All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
22 / 30 / 25
ATS Rear-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
22 / 31 / 25
ATS Rear-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
20 / 29 / 24
ATS Rear-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
20 / 28 / 23
ATS All-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
19 / 27 / 22
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data