The Mercedes CLA aims to offer the sleek styling and coupe roofline of the larger CLS, but in a smaller and more affordable package. It certainly looks the part; those sweeping lines and pert rear end give it a level of road presence missing on rivals like the Audi A3 Saloon.
Special mention : Excellent fuel economy, powerful brakes, sweet 4 cylinder engine. Boot space can be made good use of if you’re in any way talented at Tetris.
Needs work : Interior space for front passengers is limited, seems that most of that extra space has gone into the rear bench and boot.
| BHP 218 HP | Petrol / Electric / Auto |
| 0-100 km/h in 6.8 seconds | Road Tax €140 |
| Price: €47,430 | Boot space 460 litres Range 55 km |
This latest Mercedes CLA changes up its A-Class hatchback origins in the name of extra space and sheer design quirkiness. If you need extra practicality, there’s a shooting brake for that. The saloon is a more traditional take on the four-door executive car aimed at the driver and some extra rear interior space. The CLA is a sportier A-Class derivative and has a few mechanical tweaks to make it driver oriented.
The range includes petrol, diesel and hybrid units mated exclusively to automatic gearboxes. Trim levels start with the mid-range for the standard car: AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus and the two sporty AMG-developed offerings – CLA 35 and 45 – comprise both Coupe and Shooting Brake lineups.
The CLA rivals BMW’s 2 Series Gran Coupe, as well as Audi’s A3 Saloon. It’s luxurious inside, is a competent and refined cruiser and on the motorways is best left on cruise control. It’s less practical than the shooting brake but you would be surprised at just how much it can fit if you pack it just right. Lowered Comfort Suspension is standard and the result is that it resists roll through corners giving the driver plenty of feedback. It’s a shame that the seats, while supportive, aren’t as comfortable as they should be. You’ve got thigh support adjustment but not much else outside the usual rake/reach tweaks so that spending long hours in the driving seat can wear.
It’s more of a refined commuter belt basher. Mercedes are top of their game with a beautifully built, tech-laden interior. It’s got two widescreen displays instead of a conventional instrument binnacle, and all the same driver assistance systems as in the A-Class. While sat-nav is included, you’ll need to pay extra (by opting for the AMG Line Premium trim) to get Merc’s excellent ‘augmented reality’ mapping system. AMG Line Premium also adds the larger 10.25-inch digital dials and an upgraded stereo system. Going for this spec also upgrades the ambient lighting system which is well worthwhile. If you’re after a small saloon – or estate – with a bit more style, class or panache, the CLA should be on your test drive top three list. And as always we recommend if possible taking the car for a few days to see just how well it would cope with your requirements.
If you go for the CLA’s it’s specifically for the interior, the swooping roof-line and pillarless doors and for that bit of extra glamour. The lineup starts with the 180 and 200, which both use the 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol with cylinder shut-off for better fuel economy. The former has 134bhp, and the latter 161bhp. Then there’s the 187bhp CLA 220 and 221bhp 250, which both get a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol. All use the seven speed DCT gearbox from the previous generation model. It can recover a 10–80 % charge in an hour and 45 minutes when plugged into a domestic 7.4kW wallbox charger. When connected to a 24kW direct current charger, the battery can be topped up from flat to 80 % in around 25 minutes.