Mercedes CLE Cabriolet review

The Mercedes CLE Cabriolet is, you might think, simply a CLE Coupé with the roof whipped off. Actually, no – it's not that simple.

The task Mercedes faced in building the CLE Cabriolet was rather complex. Due to changes to its model line-up, it had to splice all the positive attributes of the (now-discontinued) C-Class Cabriolet and E-Class Cabriolet into one car.

So, depending on your perspective, this new model's mission is to provide buyers with a more spacious take on the drop-top C-Class or a more fun-to-drive replacement for the E-Class one. Either way, this four-seat convertible comes with a classy interior and a roof that will electrically fold away in 20 seconds, even when you're driving at up to 37mph.

So, is the Mercedes CLE Cabriolet a good buy or will you be better off with its closest rival, the BMW 4 Series Convertible? Read on to find out. Or, if you want to know more about the coupé version, see our Mercedes CLE review.

There are three petrol engines and one diesel option available for the Mercedes CLE Cabriolet, all with mild-hybrid tech and a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

We’ve driven the two most powerful versions, both of which come with 4MATIC four-wheel drive. The CLE 300 has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine producing 255bhp and officially takes 6.6 seconds to sprint from 0-62mph.

There's a slight pause when setting off from stationary, but once you’re on the move, it’s willing to work hard and rev cleanly all the way to the limiter. The CLE 300 provides all the performance you’d need and is our pick of the engines.

The 375bhp CLE 450, with its 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine, is even smoother and delivers a strong slug of muscle at low revs, making it more effortless to drive. However, it doesn’t feel that much quicker than the CLE 300, despite a 0-62 time of 4.7 seconds. You’d pick this option to appreciate its added refinement, rather than excitement. 

It doesn’t sound particularly theatrical either – if you want something with a fruitier soundtrack, we’d look at (and listen too) the BMW M440i Convertible or wait for the Mercedes-AMG 53 version arriving later in 2024.

The other engine options are rear-wheel-drive only. The CLE 200, like the CLE 300, uses a 2.0-litre petrol but produces less power (201bhp), although it's still more powerful and slightly faster than an equivalent BMW 420i Convertible.

Then there's the diesel option (something the 4 Series Convertible doesn't offer). The 220d's 2.0-litre engine produces 194bhp. The CLE 200 and 220d both officially take 7.9 seconds to get from 0-62mph. The Mercedes CLE Coupé is available as a plug-in hybrid but not this convertible version.

In terms of refinement, the engine in the CLE 300 sounds slightly more agricultural than the CLE 450's at idle, but both engines fade into the background on the move. The fabric roof does an excellent job of isolating occupants from the outside world, with low levels of road and wind noise, and the suspension doesn’t thump when dealing with bumps.

With the roof down you’ll hear a distant hum from the engine in the 300, while the 450’s unit is almost inaudible. With the windows up, there's not too much wind blustering around the interior, even at motorway speeds.

For when it's particularly windy, the CLE Cabriolet comes with an Aircap wind deflector that rises from the top of the windscreen to push airflow away from the car's interior.

The Aircap works in conjunction with a secondary wind deflector positioned behind the rear headrests to minimise buffeting. There's a bit more wind noise with it raised, but it’s a small compromise. In the convertible 4 Series you can only attach a foldable deflector over the rear seats to achieve a similar effect.

All versions of the CLE Cabriolet come with an adaptive suspension set-up (called Agility Control) that strikes a fine balance for ride comfort and body control. Occupants will notice the occasional shudder over bumpy roads, but it’s well contained for a convertible. And while the CLE 450 has a slightly better controlled and calmer ride than the CLE 300, both versions round off bumps comfortably. 

The trade-off for that comfort is that the CLE will pitch and roll more than a 4 Series Convertible, but body control is still very respectable when driven at a moderate pace (which seems to suit the model’s nature).

While the steering isn’t as sharp or meaty as it is in a 4 Series, it responds precisely enough to help you flow down a country road with confidence. 

The automatic gearbox could have a snappier response when you use the paddles to shift manually, but it shifts through gears smoothly. It’s a similar story with the brakes: some drivers will prefer a sharper initial bite and a meatier pedal response but it’s still easy to bring the CLE to a smooth stop.

Finding a comfortable driving position is very easy in the Mercedes CLE Cabriolet, with a wide range of electric adjustment from the seat and steering column.

Adjustable lumbar support is also standard, as well as a heater vent positioned within the headrest to keep the back of your neck and shoulders warm (both of these are optional on the BMW 4 Series Convertible). The seats could do with a bit more side support to hold you better when cornering though.

Seeing out of the CLE Cabriolet can be a bit tricky. The wide front pillars positioned at an awkward angle can obscure traffic at junctions and roundabouts. With the roof down, rear visibility is obviously very good, but with it up the small rear windscreen with swathes of canvas roof on either side limits your view.

Fortunately, you get parking sensors front and rear as standard to help out when manoeuvring. Entry-level AMG Line comes with a rear-view camera, while all the other trims get an upgraded one providing a 360-degree view.

The CLE Cabriolet’s dashboard is almost identical to what you’ll find in the Mercedes CLE Coupé and Mercedes C-Class with a 12.3in digital driver's display ahead of the driver and an 11.9in infotainment touchscreen on the dashboard.

One feature the CLE Cabriolet gets over most other Mercedes car models is that the touchscreen can electrically tilt forward – a feature also found in the more expensive Mercedes-AMG SL. That helps you view the screen at a different angle to avoid any glare when the roof is down.

Because of the CLE Cabriolet’s reliance on the touchscreen system for all its controls, it's more distracting when you're driving than the 4 Series Convertible's iDrive system, which can be controlled by twisting and pressing a rotary controller between the front seats.

The only small advantage of the CLE’s touchscreen is that it’s positioned closer and is easier to reach than the one in the 4 Series, so you don’t have to lean forward to adjust the temperature.

AMG Line Premium Plus trim includes an upgraded Burmester sound system that is loud and punchy enough even with the roof down on a motorway.

The CLE Cabriolet’s interior has plenty of visual appeal, with plenty of high-gloss highlights and ambient lighting. There are some cheaper-feeling plastics below eye level but it seems robust enough overall.

The Mercedes CLE Cabriolet is strictly a four-seater but it’s one of the best convertible cars for seating four adults.

You’re unlikely to have any issues with head or leg room up front, and storage space is decent, with a useful cubby under the centre armrest, a pair of cup holders and a storage area for your phone with a built-in wireless phone-charger.

Getting into the back seats involves squeezing through quite a narrow gap, but once you’re in, there’s plenty of shoulder room between the two occupants. Anyone up to 6ft tall will have enough leg room to sit behind a similarly tall occupant, but there’s not much foot space underneath the front seat, so leg movement can feel a bit restricted.

Head room with the roof up is limited (but no worse than in a BMW 4 Series Convertible), with passengers close to 6ft tall finding the backs of their heads resting on the roof lining. With the roof up, the back seats are fine for adults for short journeys, but the upright backrest will limit long-distance comfort.

Storage space in the rear includes two cupholders and a couple of storage trays.

The boot opening is quite small, but the amount of luggage space available is comparable with the convertible 4 Series, with both cars offering 385 litres with the roof up. Lowering the CLE's roof reduces its boot to 295 litres.

You can fold down the back seats remotely with a flick of a switch located in the boot when you need to carry longer loads. The backrest is split 50/50 so it can fold down in two sections, whereas the 4 Series Convertible's backrest is in one piece.

The starting price of the Mercedes CLE Cabriolet is slightly higher than for its main rival, the BMW 4 Series Convertible but it is well equipped. Plus, the CLE is predicted to lose its value a little more slowly than the 4 Series, which makes the price gap a bit more palatable. As ever, you can check the latest prices on our New Car Deals pages.

It’s worth noting that only the CLE 200 and CLE 220d engines are available in entry-level AMG Line trim – you have to upgrade to AMG Line Premium if you want one of the more powerful CLE 300 and CLE 450 engines. The 450 AMG Line Premium costs slightly more than a similarly powerful BMW M440i Convertible.

Officially, the CLE 220d is the most economical on fuel, achieving more than 55mpg. Out of the petrols, the 200 is the only one to achieve more than 40mpg (which matches the equivalent BMW 420i Convertible) while the other two have official figures around the mid to high 30s.

The 220d diesel commands the lowest rate of benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax for company car drivers paying through salary sacrifice, and makes more sense than a 4 Series. Of the petrols, only the entry-level 200 avoids being placed in the highest BIK tax band. If you're looking for a convertible that attracts very low BIK tax, you could consider the all-electric MG Cyberster (although that's a two-seater).

The entry-level AMG Line trim comes with plenty of goodies, including 18in alloy wheels, keyless entry and go, ambient lighting, two-zone climate control, heated front seats, the Aircap wind deflector, Airscarf headrest heater, leather upholstery and wood trim.

Stepping up to AMG Line Premium brings larger 19in alloy wheels, park assist and a 360-degree parking camera.

AMG Line Premium Plus has 20in wheels, a head-up display, ventilated front seats with massage function and a Burmester 3D surround-sound system.

The range-topping Premier Edition is very similarly equipped to AMG Line Premium Plus, but you get a heated steering wheel and sportier details, such as black 20in alloy wheels and black exterior highlights replacing the chrome items on regular models.

There are no individual options available when it comes to speccing up your CLE Cabriolet. That keeps things relatively simple, leaving you to simply choose the colour of the exterior paint, the roof and interior upholstery.

We’ll have to wait to tell you how reliable this new model will be but Mercedes didn't do particularly well in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey. It came in 24th place out of 32 car makers, with BMW finishing much higher in 12th place.

The CLE Cabriolet has yet to be tested by safety experts at Euro NCAP but all versions come with automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist.

A Driving Assistance Package Plus is available on higher-spec AMG Line Premium Plus and Premier Edition. That adds an active lane-changing system that will automatically steer the vehicle into the next lane on the motorway when you indicate. The package also upgrades the blind-spot assist system so it can automatically apply the brakes if it senses a vehicle next to you getting too close.

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