Mercedes CLE review

The Mercedes CLE Coupé is the car world's equivalent of what aviation experts call a "middle-of-the-market plane".

That's a passenger jet designed to replace not only smaller single-aisle jets but also larger wide-body models. Likewise, the CLE is a replacement for two car models – the C-Class Coupé and its bigger stablemate the E-Class Coupé.

In other words, the CLE is intended to give owners of the smaller car something more spacious and practical to upgrade to without a big jump in price, while fans of the larger coupé car can switch to a model that's still desirable and indulgent, but is also a bit more dynamic to drive.

So, is the Mercedes CLE a good buy, or will you be better off with one of the well-established rivals? In other words, is it as classy and practical as the Audi A5 Coupé or as great to drive as the BMW 4 Series? Read on to find out…

Three petrol engines and one diesel are available for the Mercedes CLE, all with mild-hybrid technology and a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

The version we've driven so far – the CLE 300 – is a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol with 4MATIC four-wheel drive. It sounds slightly agricultural at idle, but once you’re on the move it adopts a more agreeable timbre that better suits its punchy performance.

With 255bhp on tap, 0-62mph officially takes 6.2 seconds, which is more than a second quicker than the equivalent BMW 4 Series (the 420i).

A 48-volt electric motor assists the engine and helps provide assured acceleration when you ask for a burst of power. That, combined with the slick-shifting auto gearbox, makes the CLE 300 an effortless car to cover ground in.

The other engine options are the CLE 200 (another 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol, but with less power and rear-wheel drive), the CLE 220d diesel, which uses a 2.0-litre motor, and the top-of-the-range CLE 450 – a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder petrol with four-wheel drive.

We found the CLE 300 a hushed cruising companion. Wind noise is minimal and the engine is almost imperceptible at motorway speeds. It’s only the car’s big, 20in wheels and low-profile tyres that generate a bit of noise on some surfaces.

While the CLE handles in a more tautly controlled and agile manner than the last-generation E-Class Coupé (helped by standard-fit adaptive dampers), it’s still a comfort-first kind of car.

That’s to say it feels stable and precise around quicker bends, with medium-weighted steering and very respectable body control, but when you up your pace, it will pitch and roll more than a 420i due to its softer suspension set-up.

Yet, in the realm of luxurious coupés, does that matter? That the CLE can adopt and maintain a fairly brisk pace easily through twists and turns, and keep its occupants comfortable while doing so feels like a good balance.

Plus, the upside is a level of ride quality that's one step above the competition. With the adaptive dampers in Comfort mode, it soaks up abrasions with relative aplomb, although the very sharpest of potholes can cause a jar.

Driving overview

Strengths Relatively comfy ride; CLE 300 is pleasingly swift and is hushed at motorway speeds

Weaknesses Not as sharp as a 4 Series; CLE 300 sounds a bit agricultural at idle

You sit a little higher up in the Mercedes CLE than you do in a BMW 4 Series, giving you the impression that you’re driving something more comfort-focused than driver-focused.

It feels like an old-school Mercedes, with a wide and comfortable driver’s seat that comes as standard with electric adjustment and variable lumbar support (which are both options on the 4 Series).

As with most two-door coupés, forward and side visibility are reasonable, but parking can be a challenge as the wide rear pillars obstruct your over-the-shoulder view. Mercifully, front and rear parking sensors come as standard, as does a rear-view camera (the camera gets upgraded to a 360-degree unit on AMG Line Premium models). 

In terms of interior design, the CLE’s dashboard is closely based on that of the Mercedes C-Class with chromed and high-gloss highlights that give it lots of ritzy appeal. Combined with adjustable ambient lighting it’s an attractive interior.

Complaints? Well, it's a shame certain materials – including the chrome highlights – are plastic not metal, but overall it feels pretty well screwed together, although it can't quite match the Audi A5 Coupé and the 4 Series.

Mercedes' digital interior technology also impresses. The CLE features the third generation of the brand’s MBUX touchscreen infotainment system, which has only just been introduced in the latest, closely related Mercedes E-Class.

It offers faster responses than before, and compared with the previous system, has a redesigned home screen with enlarged icons that are far easier to hit with an outstretched hand when the car is moving at speed. In addition, it has a greater number of Android-based apps built in – so you can access the likes of TikTok and Zoom directly from the touchscreen itself. More applications will be coming soon.

However, it’s worth noting that touchscreens are, generally speaking, more distracting to use while driving than a system with physical controls. For this reason, we still prefer the 4 Series' iDrive system, which can be controlled by twisting and pressing a rotary controller between the front seats.

Interior overview

Strengths Comfortable seats; impressive infotainment system; classy interior

Weaknesses Interior quality is decent but not class-leading

No one buys a two-door coupé like the Mercedes CLE for its practicality, but the chances are you occasionally need four seats and a usable boot. Otherwise, you’d probably be looking at two-seat sports cars.

The CLE is roomy in the front, where you’re unlikely to have any issues with head or leg room. Storage space is decent too, thanks to a big glovebox and a useful cubby under the centre armrest. There’s also a multitude of USB-C ports and wireless phone-charging.

Getting into the back seats involves squeezing through quite a narrow gap, but that’s true of any car lacking rear doors. Once you’re in, you’ll find there's a touch more head and leg room than you get in an Audi A5 Coupé or BMW 4 Series, although six-footers won’t want to spend too much time back there.

Boot space is comparable with the A5 and the 4 Series, meaning there's enough space for a set of golf clubs or a small pushchair and you can fold down the rear seats when you need to carry longer loads. The boot aperture itself is quite small though, making it tricky to load in wider objects.

Practicality overview

Strengths Plenty of storage space; the rear seats are a good size

Weaknesses Boot opening could be a touch wider

The Mercedes CLE commands a slight price premium over its main rivals – the Audi A5 Coupé and the BMW Series – regardless of how you pay. However, it's fairly well equipped as standard, which makes the price gap a bit more palatable.

It’s also worth noting that while the CLE 200 and CLE 200d engine are available in entry-level AMG Line trim, you have to upgrade to AMG Line Premium if you want one of the two more powerful engines. As a result, a six-cylinder BMW M440i xDrive starts at a lower price on a PCP finance deal than a four-cylinder Mercedes CLE 300 4Matic.

The AMG Line trim does come with plenty of goodies, including 18in alloy wheels, keyless entry and go, ambient lighting, leather upholstery and wood trim.

Stepping up to AMG Line Premium introduces 19in alloy wheels, matrix headlights, a panoramic sliding roof and a 360-degree parking camera.

AMG Line Premium Plus brings 20in wheels, a head-up display and a Burmester 3D surround-sound system.

The range-topping Premier Edition is very similarly equipped to AMG Line Premium Plus, but you get sportier details such as 20in AMG alloy wheels and carbon-fibre interior trim.

Mercedes doesn’t allow you to spec-up a base car with individual options – aside from the choice of colour, everything is wrapped up into specific trim packages.

It's far too early to tell you how reliable the new CLE will be, but Mercedes' performance in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey was not particularly impressive. It came in 24th place out of 32 car makers. Audi came 26th, while BMW finished in a more respectable 12th place.

Costs overview

Strengths More generous standard equipment than rivals

Weaknesses Priced above main rivals; buyers can’t specify individual options

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