Item: Mercedes CLA 45 AMG
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

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Mercedes CLA 45 AMG

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

Mercedes has yet to release pricing and full specifications for the CLAA45, although early indications suggest it’ll be a little bit more expensive than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs3/hatchback/review/n175">Audi RS3</a> Saloon. Make no mistake, this is a very pricey CLA.

Although it’s unlikely you’d run one as a company car, it's worth noting that the A45’s <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/new-official-fuel-consumption-and-co2-tests-explained/n1213">CO2 emissions</a> of 186g/km puts it in the top 37% <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/check-your-company-car-tax-rate/n1255">BIK company car tax bracket</a>. However, its 34.9mpg economy figure isn’t bad for a car this fast. Just bear in mind that UK figures are yet to be confirmed.

Although the CLA hasn’t been crash tested; the closely related A-Class proved to be the best in its class in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/euro-ncap-safety-ratings-2019-%E2%80%93-how-safe-is-your-car/n17044">Euro NCAP’s</a> 2018 safety tests. To help you avoid testing its crash-worthiness credentials, though, the CLA45 comes with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">automatic emergency braking</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-new-car-technology-that-could-save-your-life/n17548">lane-keeping assistance</a> and an attention monitor.

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Let’s start with the obvious:&nbsp;the CLA 45 is ridiculously fast. Engage launch control when the road is dry and there’s barely a single horsepower wasted as the car hunkers down and fires you forward like few other cars on the road, let alone executive saloons. We didn’t have our timing gear with us, but we can fully believe that 4.0sec 0-62mph time.

Let’s face it, though, you’ll probably use launch control a handful of times to entertain friends or scare your mum. What really matters is how it behaves when you just put your foot down and accelerate. Whether you’re stationary or moving, there’s the briefest of hesitations before the A45 rockets forward ferociously, firing through its gears swiftly yet smoothly. There is, of course, a manual mode which is faithful to your inputs, but some may prefer the extra interaction the M2 Competition’s traditional manual gearbox brings.

But don’t expect the power to arrive all of a sudden like in some heavily turbocharged cars, this is an engine that thrives on revs. Peak power doesn’t arrive until a heady 6750rpm, while peak torque arrives at between 5000-5250rpm. Don’t think of this as a hardship, though, you’ll enjoy how the turbo wakes up at around 2000rpm, and how the power increases in a linear fashion all the way to the redline. Sure, it might not sound as good as the five-cylinder <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs3/hatchback/review/n175">Audi RS3</a>, but it’s still pretty good for a ‘mere’ four-cylinder and makes using all the revs pleasurable.

Now, if you’re reading this thinking the CLA 45 is a peaky monster that behaves like a bear with a sore head in traffic, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. Left in comfort mode, it feels no more recalcitrant than the regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/cla-class/coupe/review/n19245">CLA250</a> and is happy to trundle along quietly. Even with standard adaptive suspension, it is much stiffer than the regular CLA and feels a little firmer than the closely related <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n17170">AMG A45</a> hatchback, too.&nbsp;

Although it can be a little jarring over crumbling city roads, it's perfectly liveable once you’re up to speed on less craggy surfaces. Yes, you’ll feel expansion joints on the motorway and be aware of most bumps on a country road, but tight body control means it never gets bouncy or uncomfortable.

We’d hazard a guess and say that those interested in the CLA45 will enjoy the odd B road blast, so how does it behave? Well, although its steering isn’t exactly bristling with feedback, you do get a few messages from the front tyres once you’ve got a little bit of lock on. Vitally, though, the weight feels natural and it’s easy to place the CLA45 exactly where you want it on the road.

Even in comfort mode, body lean is minimal although you can happily ramp it up to sport mode without it wanting to bounce you off the road. Not only does this limit lean and help it feel more eager to turn in, it starts to alter the behaviour of the rear differential. Sport + and Race suspension settings are too stiff unless you’re on the smoothest of roads, but thankfully you can soften things off in the more extreme modes if you want.

Despite being front-wheel drive in normal driving, the back end always seems happy to receive plenty of power to help prevent the nose running wide. Push harder and you can really feel it dig in and help steer the car out of a bend. Slacken the electronic assistants and go past sport + and into race mode, and that clever rear differential becomes even more aggressive, allowing you to neutralise any mid-corner front tyre slip with a big dollop of power. Keep your right foot planted, and it’ll even slide oh-so-slightly in a jolly entertaining manner. An Audi RS3 is nowhere near as much fun as this, although it should be noted that the A45 is even more happy to wag its tail.

Then of course there’s drift mode. Although it doesn’t make the CLA 45 rear-wheel drive like the bigger <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/saloon/review/n17226">AMG E63’s</a> own drift mode does, it does help the car slide sideways easily when you accelerate hard and steer into a bend. Given its propensity to destroy tyres and its unsuitability for road use, though, it’s really an interesting gimmick and nothing more.

Just because you’re in the market for a seemingly sensible saloon or estate, there’s no need for driving to become&nbsp;a tedious chore. Not when, among the fuel-sipping diesels, hybrids and downsized petrol engines on offer, there are cars like the Mercedes&nbsp;CLA 45.

Now, what sits under the CLA 45’s bonnet might not seem all that special, but it's no ordinary&nbsp;2.0-litre petrol engine. This one is hand built using racing knowhow to produce a mighty 415bhp.

Thanks to four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, the CLA 45 can hurl&nbsp;itself from 0-62mph in 4.0sec. But its four-wheel drive system does more than just provide great traction; it features a clever rear differential that can vary the amount of power sent to each rear wheel, boosting agility and allowing AMG to build in a thoroughly mischievous drift mode.

What’s more, all those performance aids don’t come at the expense of practicality – you still get four doors, five seats and a big boot. Should you need a little more luggage space or own a dog, a Shooting Brake (read stylish estate) version is also available.

When you come to consider rivals, one car stands out more than any other: the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs3/hatchback/review/n175">Audi RS3 Saloon</a> with its similarly powerful&nbsp;five-cylinder engine. Of course, you might also find yourself looking at the less practical <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/m2/coupe/review/n17172">BMW M2 Competition</a> or the&nbsp;larger, more sensible&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a4/saloon/review/n19780">Audi S4</a>.

Stay with us over the next few pages to find out if the Mercedes CLA 45 is the perfect car for you. And whichever new car you end up deciding to buy,&nbsp;don’t forget to check out <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">our deals</a>&nbsp;pages to find out how much you could save on the brochure price without any haggling.

In addition to the CLA’s already striking interior, the CLA 45 gets plenty of sporty touches, including a pair of AMG sports seats, an AMG flat-bottomed steering wheel with touchpad controls&nbsp;and AMG-specific graphics for the digital instruments, which include a Supersport mode with a large central rev counter.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the driver’s seat has plenty of electric adjustment and combines with lots of steering wheel reach and rake adjustment to enable drivers of all sizes to find a comfy posture.&nbsp;

You also get a bundle of bespoke AMG software for the car’s MBUX infotainment system. This can show engine and gearbox oil temperatures, engine power output, record lap times and there's even a G meter to show handling and acceleration forces. You can also log eighty separate feeds of data so you can analyse your on-track performance. It’s something we doubt any buyers will actually use more than once, and like having a dive watch rated to 200m, it’s more about bragging rights than anything else.

To display this array of information, the CLA 45 gets twin 10.3in screens –&nbsp;one directly&nbsp;in front of the driver in place of traditional instruments, with a touchscreen to its left. Both have sharp graphics and the ‘virtual’ instruments are highly configurable yet remain easy to read at all times. You control them using a small touchpad on the right of the steering wheel, a system that can seem fiddly at first but is something you do get used to.

As for the infotainment system, you can control it using&nbsp;a laptop-style touchpad between the seats or another small pad on the left of the steering wheel, as well as by pressing the screen itself. It’s a good system with logical menus, if not quite as intuitive as the infotainment systems fitted to BMW models.

Saloon

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

CLA 45 AMG

The CLA 45 AMG is seriously rapid and, in estate form, surprisingly practical. It isn't cheap, though.

Mercedes CLA 45

Despite its coupé roofline, there’s plenty of head room up front, especially if you avoid the panoramic sunroof. There’s sufficient interior width to avoid having to cozy up to your passenger too closely, and the driver’s seat has enough movement to accommodate very long or exceedingly stumpy legs.

The front door pockets are big enough to hold a small bottle of water and a selection of travel snacks, and there’s plenty more storage elsewhere. Look under the central armrest and you’ll find a usefully large cubby, while the tray in front of the infotainment touchpad is perfect for a phone or wallet.

While front seat passengers have plenty of head, leg and elbow room, those in the back aren’t so lucky. Leg room is plentiful, but that dramatic roof line seriously eats into head room; you’ll be rubbing against the headlining if you’re over six feet tall. There’s no doubt the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs3/hatchback/review/n175">Audi RS3</a> is certainly better for head room. Meanwhile, the boot may be significantly bigger than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n17170">A45</a> hatchback’s when it comes to sheer capacity, but a high load lip and much smaller aperture harm its practicality.

You might think that the CLA45 experience would be dominated by the engine, but it’s the agile and engaging handling that is key to its appeal. It's pricey, but such talent comes at a cost.


<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Entertainingly agile handling</li> <li>Eye-widening acceleration</li> <li>Fruity exhaust note</li> <li>Punchy and characterful engine</li> <li>Great driving position</li> <li>Everyday usability</li></ul>

The best performance cars combine sports car-rivalling acceleration with&nbsp;engaging handling. However, they also retain the&nbsp;impressive everyday usability of the conventional saloons and estates on which they're based.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio currently sets the standard. However, the models from BMW's M division and Mercedes-AMG also tend to impress.

Performance car

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Huge boot and excellent practicality</li> <li>Plenty of interior space so you can carry passengers as well as luggage </li> <li>Strong engines to pull a heavily laden car</li> <li>Comfortable ride, especially on the motorway</li> <li>Low running costs for company car drivers</li></ul>

If you’re after bags of space but you don’t want to commit to the van-like dimensions and styling of an MPV, there are some great estate cars on offer that should do the job.

Tricks to look out for include an electric tailgate&nbsp;that opens automatically when you wave your foot under the rear bumper; this is&nbsp;particularly handy if you’re trying to load in a heavy or&nbsp;bulky item. You should also look for handles in the side of the boot itself that can drop down the rear seats; these are much more convenient than having to walk around the side of the car to do it.

There are some terrific estates at most price ranges. The humble Skoda Fabia Estate offers cavernous space for not much cash at all, for example.

Further up the price range, another of our perennial favourites is the Skoda Superb Estate;&nbsp;it’s great to drive and as practical as most people should ever need. Meanwhile, for serious mile-munching ability and a premium, well-finished interior, it’s hard to look beyond the BMW 5 Series Touring.

Estate

Mercedes CLA 45 AMG review

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Read review covering Mercedes CLA 45 AMG boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

Despite its coupé roofline, there’s plenty of head room up front, especially if you avoid the panoramic sunroof. There’s sufficient interior width to avoid having to cozy up to your passenger too closely, and the driver’s seat has enough movement to accommodate very long or exceedingly stumpy legs.,The front door pockets are big enough to hold a small bottle of water and a selection of travel snacks, and there’s plenty more storage elsewhere. Look under the central armrest and you’ll find a usefully large cubby, while the tray in front of the infotainment touchpad is perfect for a phone or wallet.,While front seat passengers have plenty of head, leg and elbow room, those in the back aren’t so lucky. Leg room is plentiful, but that dramatic roof line seriously eats into head room; you’ll be rubbing against the headlining if you’re over six feet tall. There’s no doubt the Audi RS3 is certainly better for head room. Meanwhile, the boot may be significantly bigger than the A45 hatchback’s when it comes to sheer capacity, but a high load lip and much smaller aperture harm its practicality.,

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