With the second generation of a four-door coupé, Mercedes is continuing the renewal of its smallest model series: after the classic A-Class, the family-friendly B-Class and the classic sedan, the CLA is now coming. He has grown significantly and almost as long as a C-class.
Six years ago, Mercedes had a brilliant idea and put the then completely new A-Class, a sister model aside, that now did not fit into the familiar scheme of the previous small series with the star. The CLA is a four-door without tailgate, but with a crisp stub tail behind the sloping roof. The Coupé form particularly delighted those to whom the classic golf competitor A-Class was too staid. Every second buyer of the beautiful boy had never owned a Mercedes before. Together with the closely related combination coupe Shooting Break. he sold 750,000 times until the end of last year.
So now the successor, who now presented in Upper Bavaria on the street for the first time. Quite a lot of car compared to the faded. Almost five inches longer, three inches more wheelbase, and a wider track. At almost 4.70 meters in length, the CLA is now at the level of the mid-range bestseller Mercedes C-Class. Reason for growth: The substructure of the new CLA is soon to roll the SUV variant of the B-Class, whose concept study is currently on show at the Shanghai trade show in Shanghai. And of course, as before, the elegant and sporty Shooting Break, which will be released in September.
Enough of the future music, the CLA is ready for the first meeting away from fairs or premiere parties. The best-selling model will probably be the 33,588-euro expensive CLA 200, under whose hood decorated with new dynamics folds a 1.3-liter four-cylinder with 120 kW / 163 hp. Were that still times when the model number 200 stood for two liters of displacement. In the interior then welcomes again familiar. All-round A-class pure. The instrument panel, which can be up to 20.5 inches wide with the intelligent MBUX system and voice control, dominates the field of vision. Including the three distinctive air nozzles in turbine form. The ambience passes the valency test, both visually and by laying on of hands. There are also small finesse such as the automatic switching on the interior lighting with physical approach.
After pressing the start button purrs for small Mercedes four-cylinder. Unruffled, unobtrusive and solid. That he is actually a Renault product, the CLA driver does not need to be interested. On board the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (around 2,000 euros surcharge), which switches early depending on the selected mode (Normal) or the individual stages ausreizt (sports). Thanks to the additional power of the turbo, which starts early, the CLA masterfully performs interim spurts, such as overtaking.
At the speed limit on passing through the winding Alpine foothills, the wider track proves its worth, the new one is much richer on the ground, and thanks to the direct steering, it also shows the desired athlete genes that are planted in the coupe from the factory. The chassis, standard without electronic adjustment, offers a good mix of comfort and desired firmness. After all, the CLA is not intended for trips to the racetrack. The AMG models will soon be responsible for this.
Of course, Mercedes makes its name as a pioneer of assistance systems in the CLA all honor. Everything the electronics kit provides is on board, if it is ordered at the time of purchase. As a hindrance to annoying proves that the coupe suddenly drops the anchor even with gentle approach to a lane marking and draws attention to itself by unexpected brake jerks. But the engineers still want to work on that.
The newcomer already worked on the dimensions of the interior and boot. The opening of the cargo compartment was 26 centimeters wider, the luggage compartment itself by 11 centimeters. Overall, the storage volume is still ten liters lower than before. The improvement in the quality of travel for the backseat passengers has been only a few millimeters. Also due to the coupe shape, the second row is not a wellness oasis. After all, the CLA does not want to be a family car.
And as often happens, the best comes last. The design team around chief designer Gorden Wagener has decided to adapt the rear of the CLA to the coupes of the expensive E- or S-Class. The split rear lights and the move of the rear license plate into the bumper provide for optical width, brisk elegance and eye-catching effect. If you are interested in a Mercedes of this kind should start its tour from the back.
The delivery of the first customer vehicles will start shortly, the entry-level CLA 180 will arrive in the summer. Diesel fans must also be patient. Currently, only a variant of the diesel engine as 180 d with 85 kW / 116 hp in the program. However, with 4.2 liters per 100 kilometers, it is the eco-champion in the CLA range.
Mercedes CLA 200 – Technical data:
Four-door coupé saloon, length: 4.69 meters, width 1.83 meters (with outside mirror 2.00 meters). Height: 1.44 meters. Wheelbase: 2.73 meters, trunk volume: 460 liters
Drive: Four-cylinder gasoline engine with turbo, engine displacement: 1,332 cc, 120 kW / 163 hp, maximum torque: 250 Nm at 1,620 rpm, six-speed manual transmission (7-speed automatic 2.095 Euro surcharge), Vmax: 229 km / h, 0-100 km / h in 8.5 s, average consumption: 6.1 l / 100 km, CO 2 emissions: 138 g / km, EU 6d temp, efficiency class C,
Basic price: from 33.588 euros
Other engines
CLA 180: Four-cylinder gasoline engine with turbo, displacement: 1,332 cc, 100 kW / 136 hp, maximum torque: 200 Nm at 1,460 rpm, 7-speed automatic, Vmax: 216 km / h, 0-100 km / h in 9.0 s Average fuel consumption: 5.5 l / 100 km, CO 2 emissions: 125 g / km, EU 6d temp, efficiency class B,
Basic price: from 31,476 euros
CLA 220: Four-cylinder petrol engine with turbo, displacement: 1,991 cc, 140 kW / 190 hp, maximum torque: 300 Nm at 1,800 rpm, 7-speed automatic, Vmax: 241 km / h, 0-100 km / h in 7.0 sec. Average consumption: 6.1 l / 100 km, CO 2 emissions: 139 g / km, EU 6d temp, efficiency class C,
Basic price: from 37.140 euros (with all-wheel drive 39.342 euros)
CLA 250: Four-cylinder petrol engine with turbo, displacement: 1,991 cc, 165 kW / 250 hp, maximum torque: 350 Nm at 1,800 rpm, 7-speed automatic, Vmax: 241 km / h, 0-100 km / h in 6.3 s Average fuel consumption: 6.1 l / 100 km, CO 2 emissions: 139 g / km, EU 6d temp, efficiency class C
Basic price: from 39.508 Euro (with four-wheel drive 41.710 Euro)
CLA 180 d:: Four-cylinder diesel engine with turbo, displacement: 1,461 cc, 85 kW / 116 hp, maximum torque: 260 Nm at 1,750 – 2,750rpm, 7-speed automatic, Vmax: 205 km / h, 0 -100 km / h in 10.7 s Average fuel consumption: 4.2 l / 100 km, CO 2 emissions: 100 g / km, EU 6d temp, efficiency class A +
Basic price: from 35,980 euros
Brief description:
Why: a real coupe and then four doors
Why not: If the father-in-law wants to go, it could be tight in the back
What else? Actually unrivaled, maybe the Audi A3 sedan or the Hyundai i30 Fastback