Originally Posted by bigsix

We test-drove the ATS 3.6 allwheeldrive yesterday:

It had a smoother ride than the 328i, but much less refined than the C300's. The engine was rated @ 321 hp, but the car felt 'weighed down' by the all wheel drive system- my Mom's 290 hp Maxima feels faster (VQ35DE). Very nice interior w/ a futuristic look, but the seats were too hard & the side bolsters didn't hug me ( designed for a larger/fat person ?)
The car did have great balance in tight corners w/ good grip. Good neutral handling w/ little understeer.
The car was an Automatic tranny: decently smooth shifts, but a little slow.

***Overall, much less refined than the Mercedes C-class in all aspects, but nice handling balance that could be compared to a 3-series.