Compare the2019 Lexus IS SeriesVS 2018 Cadillac ATS Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus IS Series have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac ATS Sedan doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lexus IS Series are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Cadillac ATS Sedan doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

Both the IS Series and the ATS Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Lexus IS Series is safer than the Cadillac ATS Sedan:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the IS Series the rating of “Top Pick” for 2018, a rating granted to only 85 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The ATS Sedan has not been fully tested, yet.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the IS Series’ reliability 58 points higher than the ATS Sedan.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus 8th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is ranked 12th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 87 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is ranked 27th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ April 2018 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in reliability. Cadillac is ranked 27th.

As tested in Car and Driver the IS 350 is faster than the Cadillac ATS Sedan 2.0 Turbo:

The IS Series has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the ATS Sedan (17.4 vs. 16 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the IS Series’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the ATS Sedan:

The IS Series stops much shorter than the ATS Sedan:

The IS Series has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the ATS Sedan; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The IS 350 F Sport handles at .85 G’s, while the ATS Sedan pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The IS 350 AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the ATS Sedan (26 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 26.7 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the IS Series’ turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the ATS Sedan FE3’s (34.2 feet vs. 36 feet). The IS Series AWD’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the ATS Sedan AWD’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

The IS Series 300 RWD offers available computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The ATS Sedan doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the IS 350 F Sport is quieter than the ATS Sedan:

The IS Series has 2.3 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, .7 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom and 1.7 inches more rear hip room than the ATS Sedan.

The IS Series has a larger trunk than the ATS Sedan (10.8 vs. 10.4 cubic feet).

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the IS Series offers cargo security. The ATS Sedan’s non-lockable folding seat defeats cargo security.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional in the ATS Sedan, the IS Series offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The IS Series’ front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The ATS Sedan’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the IS Series the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (Your Lexus service department must activate this window function.) The driver of the ATS Sedan can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The IS Series’ headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the ATS Sedan’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

A power rear sunshade is optional in the IS Series to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The ATS Sedan doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the IS Series keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in summer. The ATS Sedan doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Insurance will cost less for the IS Series owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the IS Series with a number “5” insurance rate while the ATS Sedan is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the IS Series is less expensive to operate than the ATS Sedan because it costs $423 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the IS Series than the ATS Sedan, including $178 less for a water pump, $741 less for a muffler, $112 less for front brake pads and $121 less for a fuel pump.

Road and Track performed a comparison test in its October 2013 issue and they ranked the Lexus IS 350 F Sport first. They ranked the Cadillac ATS Sedan third.

The Lexus IS Series outsold the Cadillac ATS by over two to one during 2017.