New Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 packs a 671bhp punch
On sale Autumn 2026 Price from £70,000 (est)
The new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 is already hitting 62mph. No, really. By the time you’d finished reading that first sentence, this new electric performance car is already close to the national speed limit.
To give the CLA 45’s 0-62mph sprint time of 2.7 seconds further context, it’s quicker than that of the BMW i4 M60 and Tesla Model 3 Performance, and matches the Porsche Taycan Turbo. It is, in short, outrageously fast.
And as well it should be, because where the standard Mercedes CLA only has a single electric motor driving its front wheels, the CLA 45 has three. And together they send a combined 671bhp to all four wheels.
The CLA 45 gets a larger battery than the standard car, at 94kWh, allowing for a range of up to 416 miles. That’s further than the Model 3 Performance or Taycan Turbo will take you before needing to top up.
Just like the regular CLA, the CLA 45’s 800-volt electrical architecture means that it can charge at a peak rate of 330kW. That means a 10-80 per cent top-up of the car’s battery can be completed in just 22 minutes, if you can find a powerful enough charger. There’s a standard-fit heat pump to more efficiently warm the car’s interior, too, helping you to save range in colder weather.
The CLA 45 gets an overall meaner look than the regular car, with an illuminated front grille featuring a 10-bar design, sportier front and rear bumpers, and active aerodynamics in the form of a rear spoiler which deploys at high speeds to direct air around the car.
As standard, the new car sits on 19in alloy wheels, but larger 20in units are available as an option.
We’ve had very little bad to say about the ride in the regular CLA, and that car does without adaptive damping. The CLA does receive this system, allowing drivers to tailor its ride to suit their preference. There are also six driving modes to choose from, and when the sportiest AMGForce S+ mode is selected, the CLA 45 lets out a fake engine noise which, Mercedes says, is meant to emulate the sound of a four-cylinder engine.
The interior of the CLA has already impressed us with its responsive infotainment system and wow factor. In the CLA 45, there are new figure-hugging sports seats designed to hold you in place through corners, additional leather upholstery and plenty of AMG badging.
There’s no change to how much space the CLA 45 should have for passengers, meaning a six-footer is likely to find the Model 3 or Taycan more comfortable for long journeys. The CLA 45 loses a little boot space compared with the regular car, but with 390 litres available in the rear and a further 101 litres in a separate ‘frunk’ at the front, we don’t think your holiday suitcases should pose a problem.
It’s likely that prices for the CLA 45 will start from around £70,000, pitching the car above the Model 3 Performance and directly against the BMW i4 M60. The Taycan Turbo, meanwhile, costs almost double that amount.
That said, if you want the power of the CLA 45 in a more practical body, then an estate-styled Shooting Brake will also be available, which sacrifices a little range for a more spacious boot.
"The idea of a fake engine sound worries me a little. Although Mercedes says the one in the CLA 45 has been designed to replicate the tuneful thrum of a four-cylinder engine, such things only work if they're brilliant. I remember trying something similar on a Renault Clio RS company car, and there was a good half a second delay between me pressing the accelerator pedal, and the fake exhaust note coming out of the car's speakers. Hopefully the technology has advanced since then." Darren Moss, deputy editor
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