Mercedes-Benz CLA review

The car to buy, if what annoys you most about the Mercedes A-Class is that you can in fact fit fully grown adults in the second row of seats.

It complements the A-Class the way a CLS does the E-Class, the CLA being for people who are prepared to sacrifice a bit of practicality in the name of style. Style that, in this case, comes from four pillarless doors and a swept-back, coupe-like roofline.

The current second-generation CLA has been with us since 2019, and in 2023 it received a mid-life facelift, with minor styling tweaks to both exterior and interior (and not all for the better) and powertrain refinements. More on that in a bit.

Does it get the same platform as the hatch?

Yup. The CLA is based on the same platform as the A-Class and B-Class. There’s also GLA and GLB SUVs that share this platform too, as well as a Shooting Brake estate version of the CLA itself. And confusingly, there’s also an A-Class saloon. And, of course, obligatory fast versions of each.

But take it from us, this is a much better looking car in real life than it is in pics. It also gets the same tech-heavy interior as the hatchback - sit in the driver’s seat and look forwards, and you could just as easily be sitting in an A-Class - with the same glitzy dual widescreen displays and all the same driver assistance systems. However, as part of the mid-life facelift the steering wheel now gets fiddly touchpad controls, and the trackpad on the centre console has gone. Annoying.

Still, all jokes aside, you can actually fit people in the back. Just about, though any taller passengers might be a little squished. More on that on the Interior tab.

Presumably it’s pretty similar to drive too?

Yep, though Mercedes claims the CLA is the most fun of all its compact cars. Not because it’s any faster, but because of things like the multi-link rear axle, a wider track and beefier anti-roll bars. We’re not entirely sure that’s true – it’s surefooted and capable enough, but we’re still not sure we’d describe it as ‘fun’, and on the standard lowered comfort suspension, the ride was a little firm for our liking, too.

Over here we get the choice of one diesel (220d) and three petrol engines (180, 200 and 250e). The 180 and 200 are now equipped with a small 48V mild hybrid set-up for better performance and efficiency, while the 250e gets a 108bhp electric motor and 15.6kWh battery pairing for a claimed electric range of up to 48 miles. Head over to the Driving tab for more.

What are the rivals?

The CLA’s closest competitor is undoubtedly the BMW 2 Series Coupe if you're here for the coupe-ness, or the Audi A3 Saloon, Peugeot 508 and VW Arteon if it's a svelte saloon you're after. Or, indeed, the A-Class saloon...

Prices start at £34,535 for the petrol-powered CLA 180, £39,265 for the 200d, and £45,360 for the 250e plug-in hybrid, though it’s worth noting that company car buyers can take advantage of 8 per cent BiK tax rates. Head over to the Buying tab for more.

If you want a small Mercedes, sensible money buys a normal A-Class. Because it’s a bit cheaper, more practical and still has that interior. But many of you won’t do that. You’ll be swayed by the CLA’s swooping roofline and pillarless doors, and you’ll be only too happy to pay for the privilege of owning them. For that bit of extra glamour. For not having to drive around in a ‘boring’ family hatchback, even one with a Mercedes-Benz badge on the front.

And we don’t blame you. No, it’s not massively more engaging to drive, the lesser petrol engine is thrashy and the interior is possibly worse off on account of the facelift, but the CLA Coupe is undoubtedly a desirable car. And it’s not that much more money than the A-Class hatch. It’s certainly a massive improvement on the last CLA, and that alone will make a lot of people very happy indeed.