For many decades, Mercedes-Benz has long been a brand associated with luxury and exclusivity.
In recent years however, Mercedes has been bringing more and more vehicles that are at entry level pricing, allowing Mercedes to entice buyers into its brand early in their buying process.
These include everything from the Smart Fortwo, starting at just under $15,000, to their B-Class models, priced around $30,000.
The CLA-Class joins the line-up in 2014, offering a sleek four-door coupe design for less than $35,000 — a true accomplishment considering that the CLA offers many features and design elements that make the car look and feel much more expensive.
Design
Mercedes-Benz considers the CLA-Class an entry-level luxury product but that does not mean it is not a premium car. Mercedes’ aim is to bring new customers to the brand through innovative design and premium features.
Mercedes pioneered the four-door coupe design concept with its CLS-Class. This idea — of creating a four-door car that looks like a coupe — has now been copied by most other luxury brands. The CLA borrows a lot of the styling cues from the stylistic CLS model and brings those exciting design features to a new segment.
The description “four-door coupe” sounds odd, but it’s best to think of this car as a coupe which has a set of rear doors to make entry into the back seats easier.
The four-door coupe body design does come with one big advantage, and that’s aerodynamic efficiency. The CLA boasts the lowest drag coefficient of any production sedan at 0.28.
The CLA is based on Mercedes-Benz’s B-Class architecture; sharing platforms across a range is commonplace in today’s market as it is the only way for manufacturers to effectively expand their model range without adding significant expense. However, as a result of the CLA being based on a lower-scale B-Class, it is noisier and less refined than its larger siblings.
Another by-product of using the B-Class structure is that the base CLA is front-wheel drive. This makes it the first FWD car Mercedes-Benz has ever sold in North America. The advantage of it being front-driven is that it will perform reasonably well in winter conditions in comparison to a rear-wheel-driven vehicle.
Performance
The base model, the CLA 250 Coupe, comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder which produces an admirable 208 hp and 258 ft-lbs of torque.
As mentioned, the base model is FWD, however Mercedes’ 4MATIC AWD system is available as an option. Managing the power delivery to the wheels is a seven-speed automatic transmission that is smooth and well matched to the engine.
At full throttle, engine noise may be a bit more noticeable in the CLA than in one of its pricier stable mates, but it can still accelerate to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds. The overall performance is excellent, with more than enough power and torque to make the car feel sporty and agile.
The CLA also tackles corners remarkably well. It shows lots of grip and is well-balanced. Pushed too far though, and its FWD nature comes through with noticeable body roll and understeer.
The electric power steering provides a sporty, reasonably weighted feel, but the “road feel” is noticeably absent as the particular design of electric steering system makes it difficult to transmit what is actually going-on underneath. The Electronic Stability Program can help stabilize the CLA by braking individual wheels and adjusting engine output.
Those looking for more performance can opt for the CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC. Aside from being equipped with an AWD, it boosts the horsepower to 355. AMG’s SPEEDSHIFT DCT seven-speed sports transmission is also a part of the package, allowing the car to hit 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds.
Safety is also a priority for Mercedes-Benz, and the CLA is no different. It comes standard with multiple features like airbags, “Attention Assist” which will wake you should you fall asleep behind the wheel, and
Collision Prevention Assist, which will warn you if you get too close to the car in front and even will apply the brakes.
Environment
The cabin of the CLA is a true Mercedes-Benz interior, meaning it’s modern, luxurious and even a bit trendy (yes in case you haven’t noticed, Mercedes’ interior has been hip and cool lately). It has many of the features found in its pricier siblings, though toned down to keep things simple.
The front seats are very firm yet comfortable with a good side support and offers an electric driver’s seat with memory function as standard.
In the rear seats, the swooping roofline leaves only child-friendly headroom, which is a shame as there is a good amount of legroom. The roofline also results in a very narrow rear window that restricts visibility considerably, but we did say that this car is a four-door coupe didn’t we?
On the equipment front, the CLA hasn’t lost much in the process of being transformed to an affordable Mercedes. The dash is striking with the command screen floating over the centre stack. Standard models come with a 5.7-inch screen but a larger seven-inch display is available. Trunk space is also quite reasonable at 470 litres. The opening is a bit narrow, but it’s nicely finished inside and the rear seats fold down 60/40 for more room.
Features
The CLA 250 Coupe starts at $34,300, with AWD adding $2,200. The premium model, called the Edition 1, starts at $43,200. The CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC begins at $49,800, with Edition 1 models priced at $65,900.
Standard equipment includes an ECO start/stop function, instrument panel with a 4.5-inch colour display, Bluetooth, automatic headlights, heated exterior mirrors, rain-sensing windshield wipers with heated washer fluid, and keyless entry.
Additional features, available as options or on higher trims, include Bi-Xenon headlamps, LED daytime running lights, heated front seats, HDD navigation, auto dimming mirrors, rearview camera, panoramic sunroof and an integrated garage door opener.
Fuel efficiency numbers (L/100km) for the CLA 250 are 7.8 city and 5.1 highway. The CLA 45 AMG returns 9.0 city and 6.5 highway.
Thumbs Up
The CLA brings surprising level of features, design elements, and performance for the dollar. The car gets “looks” from everyone, thanks to its glamorous swooping lines.
Thumbs Down
While the CLA does have four doors, the rear seat headroom is limited and its overall level of refinement can be better.
The Bottom Line
The stylish good looks and very reasonable price of the CLA-Class should appeal to customers who may not have considered a Mercedes-Benz before.
Competitors
Audi A3
The new A3 is a serious competitor to the CLA, offering similar pricing and features. Though it’s not as stylish as the CLA, it offers a larger-car-feel and a bit more refinement. It starts at $31,100.
BMW 3 Series
The BMW 3-Series has been the benchmark for entry-level luxury sedans for almost 30 years. For sport enthusiasts, the BMW offers the most performance oriented option in this segment.
The 3-Series, being a true sedan, offers more usable rear seats and prices begin at $35,990.
Cadillac ATS
The ATS is an exciting new offering from Cadillac. It has great powertrains, outstanding handling and possibly the best interior in this segment. However, the limited cargo space and rear seat room may put off some buyers.
Prices for the ATS range from $35,695 to $51,480, very much in line with the CLA-Class.
