Mercedes CLA reader test team: readers' verdicts on sleek new executive car
This sleek executive car ushers in a new era for Mercedes-Benz being the first model offered in both electric and petrol forms. Will it impress a group of our readers?...
The new Mercedes CLA may not be the most exotic or luxurious model to come from the German car maker, but this sleek executive car’s arrival marks the start of a new era for the brand.
You see, it’s the first Mercedes model to be offered in a choice of petrol and fully electric forms. It uses new underpinnings (known as Mercedes Modular Architecture, or MMA) that have been designed to suit both power sources without compromising either. Until now, Mercedes has kept its electric models separate from those with a combustion engine, but the CLA heralds a drastic change in its approach.
Powered by a 268bhp electric motor and with a super-slippery shape, the CLA 250+ with EQ technology (as it’s officially called) promises remarkable efficiency figures (up to 5.1 miles per kilowatt hour) and an official range of up to 484 miles from its 85kWh (usable capacity) battery. That’s farther than any other electric car can currently go.
It also features an 800-volt electrical system that brings ultra-fast charging speeds of up to 320kW, enabling it to replenish its battery from 10-80% in as little as 22 minutes via a suitably powerful public rapid charger.
Deliveries of the CLA 250+ – which is priced from £45,615 and available in a choice of three trim levels – are due to kick off in late summer. It will be joined later by a high-performance AMG electric version, plus mild hybrid petrol versions.
To find out whether all of this is enough to impress What Car? readers, we asked seven of them to take a closer look at the CLA, in entry-level Sport Edition trim, and give us their verdicts.
Rhys Aldous
Age 35
Job Managing director
Drives Mercedes E-Class
“We recently sold my wife’s C-Class and, as fans of the brand, we’re looking to get her another Mercedes.
“I like the overall look of the Mercedes CLA. It’s got really sleek, flowing lines, and the full-width LED lights and large front grille give it a lot of presence.
“Inside, the CLA feels much higher in quality than our E-Class. Considering that the car we saw was the entry-level version, it’s really impressive. I especially like the three-point stars on the seats.
“Other aspects of the interior are impressive, too. The front seats are extremely comfortable and roomy, and the paper-based white trim material on the centre console and doors feels luxurious.
“Space in the rear isn’t as good, but it is what I’d expect for a car the size of the CLA. I wouldn’t expect it to be as roomy as my E-Class.
“The integration of several forms of artificial intelligence, including ChatGPT, into the infotainment system is a major step forwards.The virtual assistant could be much more useful than those in other cars.
“My son, Charlie, is into racing games, so he’s excited that a front passenger screen is available so that he’d be able to play them while we were travelling, although this wasn’t fitted to the car we saw.
“While the CLA’s official range is particularly impressive, I’m not quite ready to go fully electric, but I’ll definitely consider the hybrid version when it arrives.”
Star rating 4
Saahil Mehta
Age 28
Job Lead data engineering specialist
Drives Skoda Superb
“I really like the side profile of the CLA.The ‘frameless’ doors and dramatically curved roofline give the car the classic, timeless look of a coupé.
“It’s attractive on the inside, too. Previous Mercedes-Benz models I’ve been in have seemed a bit blingy, but the CLA’s interior is really classy.
“All of the touch points, from the steering wheel to the seats, dashboard and doors, are beautifully trimmed. And I especially like the ambient lighting, which offers a wide choice of colours and illuminates the interior under the dashboard and across each side.
“The infotainment screen is more responsive than the one in my Skoda, and I appreciate the fact that the touch controls are haptic, so they vibrate a bit when you press them and feel like proper, physical controls.
“The separate infotainment screen for the front passenger is a good idea.An in-car camera monitors whether the driver is looking at it [and turns it off if necessary], and I like the fact that it checks up on the driver to ensure they’re not too tired; these are good safety features.
“The only disappointment as far as the interior is concerned is that the front seats aren’t as supportive or comfortable as those in my Superb.
“Boot space seems fairly limited,but that’s probably because I’m used to a car with a huge luggage compartment.
“Although I’m not ready to go electric yet, it’s great that the Mercedes CLA has such a long range and can be charged up quickly. Until now, these are things you’d expect only from pricier models.”
Star rating 4
Nick Gammon
Age 62
Job Clinical researcher
Drives BMW 3 Series, Smart #3
“I’m interested in swapping my BMW for a Mercedes CLA because of its long projected range. Our family’s Smart #3 does 220 to 240 miles in real-world driving, so even if the CLA manages 400 miles instead of the official 484 miles, that would be a huge improvement.
“The CLA’s interior is rather a mixed bag.The infotainment graphics are sharp and responsive, and the apps are laid out in a much more logical way than those in our Smart. However, the ChatGPT AI virtual assistant isn’t really for us; it seems a bit gimmicky.
“The front seats are fantastic and beautifully made. I found it really easy to get comfortable behind the wheel.
“However, the rear seats are very upright and there isn’t enough head room for me, so I don’t think they’d be comfortable over long distances.As a family car, for someone like me with grown-up children and dogs, there’s simply not enough space in the back seats, so I might consider waiting to see if an estate version comes along.
“That said, the underbonnet storage area is brilliant; it’s larger and more useful than any I’ve seen in other cars.The main boot is a very good size too, although it has quite a narrow opening and high load lip, so it wouldn’t be easy to get luggage in and out.”
Star rating 4
Scott Houslay
Age 71
Job Retired managing director
Drives Tesla Model 3
“I am a fan of Mercedes-Benz, having owned a C-Class for seven years before changing to the Tesla.
“If the CLA can get close to the official range of 484 miles, it would be a good alternative to my Model 3 Long Range, which has a 436-mile range. Similarly, if it can exceed 5.0mi/kWh for efficiency, that will better the 4.9m/kWh I get from the Tesla.
“I’m not too concerned about the ultra-rapid charging speed, though, because I rarely use the public network, and when I do, I like to take a break while my car is charging.
“It’s great that the CLA has a bigger ‘frunk’ than the one in the Tesla, so it will be more useful. However, the boot is smaller and has quite a high load lip, so it won’t be that easy to lift heavy suitcases into it.
“The interior looks and feels really classy, and I’m glad there aren’t lots of buttons; the fewer the better, in my opinion.
“I often use the voice control in my Tesla, but I‘ve had to learn the correct phrases to use, because it doesn’t understand all natural speech. The CLA’s AI-based system should be much better in this respect. However, the infotainment touchscreen feels a bit laggy compared with the Tesla’s.
“Another shortcoming is that rear head room is tight. I’m 5ft 7in and my head was brushing the ceiling; my son is 6ft tall and it wasn’t roomy enough for him.”
Star rating 4
Martin Lundy-Lester
Age 51
Job Estate agent
Drives Fiat 124 Spider, Volkswagen Golf and Passat
“I love the exterior styling of the Mercedes CLA. The illuminated stars on the front grille and the full-width lights give it a glamorous look and lots of road presence. It looks really smart and modern, yet it’s still recognisable as a Mercedes- Benz, which is good.
“I like the fact that the electric and hybrid versions will look very similar. It’s a more inclusive strategy and should make it less of a leap for drivers to make the switch to electric power.
“The interior feels sturdy and more upmarket than I was expecting. We looked at a car in entry-level Sport Edition trim, but it didn’t feel cheap or lacking
in equipment. And I love the materials used for the interior trim, especially the white sections made from recycled paper.
“It is smaller inside than I was expecting, though. In fact, it feels quite compact in the back compared with my Golf. I have two tall teenage sons, one with size nine feet, and I think he’d struggle to be comfortable in the back.
“The battery range sounds excellent, and so does the charging speed. We drive to France fairly often for family holidays, and we’d be able to do that trip without too many stops. I also like the idea of the front passenger being able to watch a film while the car is being driven.That would make the long drive more enjoyable for them.”
Star rating 5
Bodie Kelay
Age 63
Job Managing director
Drives BMW X5, Lexus RC 300h
“My wife and I are big fans of sleek coupés, but now that we have a grandson, we’re looking to replace her Lexus with a four- door car. We’re considering a Mercedes because we owned a C-Class before the Lexus.
“The CLA has some very stylish exterior design touches, and it looks a lot longer than the previous version. I really like the full-width light bar at the rear; it makes the car look quite sporty.
“The front end is less appealing and would take time to get used to. The light bar that stretches across the front seems a bit brash, and while I like the light- up stars in the grille, they’re small and not recognisable as Mercedes logos when you see them from a distance.
“I’m impressed with the infotainment system; the touchscreen is very quick to respond. I like the idea of the ChatGPT voice control system, too, although it didn’t understand me very well when I tried to get it to alter the temperature.
“The CLA is practical enough for me. Front head room is better than in our Lexus and would probably be okay for our 6ft 4in- tall son-in-law.
“A range of more than 400 miles sounds impressive. It’ll be interesting to see how it performs in the real world. My family and I regularly go to Wales on holiday, and as long as it can get us there, that’ll be enough for me.”
Star rating 4
Tim Clements
Age 54
Job Sales manager
Drives Hyundai i20, Porsche Macan
“I’ve test-driven a few Mercedes cars in the past and considered them as company cars, but I haven’t bought one because they’ve tended to have floaty suspension and less classy interiors than some rivals.
“I’m very impressed with the CLA’s interior, though. It looks smart and the controls have a quality feel; it’s a step up from previous Mercedes models
I’ve tried.The steering wheel is small and chunky, giving it a sporty look, and the swooping lines and curved shape of the centre console remind me of a classic motor yacht.
“The Mercedes CLA doesn’t have as many physical controls as my Macan, but that won’t be a problem if the AI voice control works well and you don’t have to use the infotainment screen.
“The availability of a screen for the front passenger to watch films or play games is a good idea, but instead of turning itself off if the driver looks over at it, it would be better if it was filtered so the driver can’t see it, as is the case in some other cars.
“As for the range, it would be enough for our family. We live near Portsmouth and visit family in Scotland a couple of times a year, and we’d need to stop just once to charge the car.
“One concern is that the floor in the back is fairly high, so it might be tough on the knees for taller people sitting there.”
Star rating 4
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