CultureMap Auto Awards

Car of the Year: Cadillac gets lean and mean, shattering those old people only myths

Editor's note: In the first annual CultureMap Auto Awards, automotive writers Nic Phillips and Kevin McCauley bestow honors in 10 categories for the top 2012 cars and trucks and explain why they're deserving of a good hard look. With so many great cars on the market it's nearly impossible to choose just one, so CultureMap's pick for Car of the Year is the most significant all-around new car:

Car of the Year: 2013 Cadillac ATS

Target the benchmark, bring something unique to the mix, now hope people will give it a chance. That's what Cadillac did in 2002 when it introduced the CTS indicating the direction the storied brand would be taking to shake its old-people-only image. It's been largely successful in doing that — our fanatical support of the super hot V-series is no secret — but the CTS suffered from being just that, LARGE.

While priced like a BMW 3-series it's more 5-series in dimensions and, V-series aside, is dynamically not quite up to the BMW or Audi competition.

ATS changes all that proving that America "really can do it" — build a compact luxury sedan that bests Germany's current offering. Dimensionally ATS within an inch of the BMW 3-series, nearly an exact copy, except in the all important weight and style categories where the Cadillac takes the lead looking better and weighing less. Dynamically the ATS is a match for the 3-series with nimble handling and a suspension properly sorted to hold the vehicle to the road without crashing over the bumps.

Whether in 4-cylinder turbo or naturally aspirated V6 form, the ATS has more horsepower and a decidedly American exhaust note.

The interior doesn't disappoint blending "art and science" styling with a decidedly sporting character that has more personality than any other sport compact today. The Cadillac User Experience (CUE) tablet-like display dominates the dash and its multi-touch interface coupled with a full color screen in the instrument cluster go a long way in making passengers feel like they are in the most modern car on the road.

What's one greatest shortcoming of the ATS? Probably the perception of the Cadillac brand not being completely cleared of the aged clouds of the past for the younger, luxury sport sedan buyers. "Why would I drive a Cadillac when everyone I know drives a 3-series, A4, C-class?"

Get over it, buck the trend, support an American brand doing the right thing and get in the ATS — it's the real deal.

2013 Cadillac ATS - CultureMap 2012 Car of the Year

Photo by Kevin McCauley

2013 Cadillac ATS - CultureMap 2012 Car of the Year

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CultureMap Auto Awards

SUV of the Year: 2013 Range Rover crash diets and keeps its crown with sexy, new curves

Photo by Kevin McCauley

2013 Range Rover - CultureMap 2012 SUV of the Year

Editor's note: In the first annual CultureMap Auto Awards, automotive writers Nic Phillips and Kevin McCauley bestow honors in 10 categories for the top 2012 cars and trucks and explain why they're deserving of a good, hard look. Now we're down to the final three, starting with the SUV:

SUV of the Year: 2013 Range Rover

Land Rover first introduced us to its idea of a luxury utility vehicle in 1970. Although the company didn't invent the category — those honors belong to the Jeep Wagoneer — Land Rover has remained the echelon of the segment for more than 40 years. After a decade with the third generation, the all-new fourth generation 2013 Range Rover has been thoroughly modernized, and we already awarded it "Runner-up Best New Design" for its sexy, Evoque-inspired design.

Style is expected of a Range Rover, but what comes unexpected is under its glossy paint, in the form of the first all-aluminum SUV. This Range Rover is nearly 850 pounds lighter than the previous generation without losing any of its legendary off-road prowess. In fact, it gains more: The air suspension gives more ground clearance; towing capacity remains a stout 7,100 pounds; and on-road driving manners are more nimble, more car-like than ever before.

Although the 5.0L V-8's in supercharged and non-supercharged form carry over from the third generation models, they're now mated to the silky smooth ZF 8-speed automatic we love so much. With hundreds of pounds less to haul around, the same 375 or 510 horsepower ratings go a lot further in getting faster, well, faster.

The price ranges have increased, now starting at $82,650; Supercharged models can close in on the $130,000 mark. The 2013 Range Rover decidedly reaffirms the brand's reserved spot at the very top of the mountain.

SUV of the Year Runner-Up: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL350 BlueTEC

Although the entire GL model line has been remade for 2013, it's the GL350 BlueTEC that gets our Runner-up Award. With Audi's Q7 TDI winning our Crossover Utility of the Year Award, our affinity for small diesels in big SUVs is no secret. And the GL, with its 3.0L V6 BlueTEC, is another option in the full-size, three-row category.

What sets the GL apart from the Audi are its more truck-like SUV features, including a 7,500-pound maximum tow rating, optional AIRMATIC air suspension with crosswind stabilizing feature, 8.5 inches of ground clearance, and full-time four-wheel drive.

It's a viable alternative to the Range Rover, which doesn't yet have a third-row option. Although it weights more than 600 pounds more than the Rover, the GL's BlueTEC diesel delivers more torque at 455 lb-ft and better fuel economy with its city 19 mpg rating — nearly matching the Range Rover's highway figure. It gets 26 mgp highway and starts at only $62,400.

2013 Range Rover - CultureMap 2012 SUV of the Year

Photo by Kevin McCauley

2013 Range Rover - CultureMap 2012 SUV of the Year

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