The new CLA promises to blend style and sportiness in an effort to attract younger buyers to Mercedes, but the CLA 220 CDI diesel we drove earlier in the week wasn’t perfect. Will this turbocharged petrol CLA 250 be a better fit?
It certainly has the pace to match the CLA’s looks. This 208bhp 2.0-litre car, on sale later in the year, promises 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds. The engine is smooth, with a decent amount of punch right through the rev range, but the seven-speed auto lets it down. There’s a disappointing delay between shifts, especially using the paddles in manual mode.
Catch a glimpse of the CLA’s styling, and its flaws are easy to forgive, though. It has an aggressive presence on the road, with a sloping roofline and flowing curves.
Inside, the car is recognisable from the A-Class on which it’s based, with the large, centrally mounted infotainment screen and stylish air vents. The trouble is that while some of the materials feel fine in an A-Class, they’re perhaps not suitable for this more expensive model, which is expected to cost about £29,000.
Our CLA featured the Comfort suspension, and had a relaxing and compliant ride that should suit our potholed roads better than the optional Sports set-up. In typical Mercedes style, the handling is more composed and relaxing than it is entertaining.
This car is something of a practicality paradox. It offers 130 litres more boot space than the A-Class, at 471 litres, but the coupé shape means the opening is awkward, and the lip is quite high, too. Passengers in the rear will also find headroom tight.
So while the CLA looks good, and should succeed in boosting Mercedes’ appeal to a different group of customers, it’s far from perfect. And when the Audi A3 saloon arrives early next year, it could find itself struggling to keep up.
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Stunning car but what's the deal with these autoboxes? Every nice new car seems to be fitted with one. Why? Can't the car makers leave it to us to change the gears?
At the top you said it was a turbo petrol, but in the specs you've said it's a diesel, make your mind up!
They have also written the economy as 46mph and not 46mpg. LOL.
What an terrible, ugly looking car. It just looks so mis-proportioned... and the back lights.. Ugghh! Taken with the cheap plastic interior... this is definitely a no no... and they want £27,000 for it!!!! What!!!... it's only a family/rep-mobile C class at the end of the day, with a sloped roof!!!!!
Looks nice but it seems that if you want a (mainstream) car that's good to drive you're stuck BMW, VAG or Ford (Or MX5 or GT 86 - though they're not very practical)!
Totally agree - even more of a slug than the CLS was on launch. This has all front stuck up in your face and the rear is all pinched. Classic MB interior - fill the space with as much jink as possible so you fell like you are sitting in a small 2-seater. MB need to look at BMW on how to lay out clean clutter free intuitive interiors. The Citroen DS5 I drove last month was better than this.
Shock! Horror! Car designed as stylish 4-door coupé shape shown to be less practical than a hatchback. Unsurprised about the complaints regarding the interior quality, though. I've felt that MB interiors were too low rent for the sticker price since the much-missed W123 era.
Ugly front, rear, sides and interior. I would like to see it in the flesh before making a final judgment but the photos aren't great at all.
No surprise on the drivetrain front, though. It's as if MB replaced the designers with Team Hipster (tm) and kept all the senior citizens in the trannie dept.
Is it me, or is that side crease line back to front?