Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA Overview

Following the success of the game-changing 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLS 4-door coupé, a niche concept that is quickly imitated by its competitors, the smaller Mercedes-Benz CLA attempts to emulate the success of its bigger brother by offering the same stylish exterior design in a more compact and accessible package.

Officially unveiled in 2013, the first generation C117 Mercedes-Benz CLA took the world by storm with its sleek and compact 4-door fastback coupé design, sitting on the underpinning of the W176 Mercedes-Benz A Class. Inspired by the Concept Style Coupé, the production version of the C117 CLA became the most aerodynamic production vehicle on sale at the time, outdoing the Tesla Model S.

Controversially, an entry level Mercedes-Benz CLA is based strictly on a front-wheel drive platform and powered exclusively by 4-cylinder engines. And despite the criticism, the 4-door coupé has received nothing but praise among the motoring community.

A facelift was introduced in 2017, offering a revised front fascia featuring new font grille, headlights, and taillights design. The facelifted Mercedes-Benz CLA for the Malaysian market include updates for the 1.6 L CLA 200 and the 2.0 L CLA 250 4Matic, with prices starting from RM 226,334 and RM 278,888 respectively. AMG Line body kit is now made available across all variants.

Mercedes-Benz CLA Exterior

The facelifted model introduced a new front fascia, most notably a new bumper design with aggressively styled air intakes and bumper lip. Both variants are equipped with the sporty AMG Line exterior trim which include the new diamond radiator grille with chrome pins, and a revised rear bumper design with integrated twin trapezoidal exhaust exits.

Flanking the new diamond grille is Mercedes-Benz’s LED High Performance headlamps with integrated daytime running light. Direction indicators, DRLs as well as the position lights utilise multifunction fibre-optic technology, while the revised LED taillights design at the rear feature wing-like signatures and incorporate automatic intensity control to reduce dazzle for drivers behind.

The available Night Edition package adds matt titanium grey finishing on the front and rear apron as well as the side sill panel inserts. It also comes with a Night Edition badge on the front fender. The CLA 200 gets 18-inch AMG multi-spoke wheels while the CLA 250 comes fitted with the 18-inch AMG 5-twin-spoke dual-tone alloy wheels.

The iconic fastback silhouette and beautiful proportion is retained, accentuated by the sculpted surfaces, short rear overhang and strong flowing character lines along the sides. The revised front and rear bumper design emphasize the car’s visual width, giving it a wider and more athletic stance.

Compared to the CLA’s fiercest rival, the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé, the first generation C117 CLA is considerably larger in size despite being one generation older. It is 114 mm longer and 12 mm taller compared to its German rival. It also has a 29 mm longer wheelbase. The BMW however trumps the Merc in terms of width by 23 mm.

Mercedes-Benz CLA Interior

The interior of the Mercedes-Benz CLA is essentially a direct carry over from the W176 Mercedes-Benz A Class on which it is heavily based. The cabin layout of the facelifted model remained largely unchanged, including the signature turbine-style circular air vents and the tiered dashboard design.

What’s new is both variants now come equipped with a slimmer, free-standing 8-inch infotainment display with glass cover. The analog driver’s instrument cluster now feature a sportier red colour needle. Sports seats trimmed in Artico leather and Dinamica microfibre are standard across all variants.

The CLA 200’s cabin is highlighted with light aluminium trim with longitudinal grain, while the CLA 250 gets aluminium trim with dark honeycomb grain. Satin chrome finishes on the driver’s controls (gear lever, rotary selector, steering wheel) and the door release handles adds a touch of sophistication to the cabin. The leather-wrapped flat-bottomed steering wheel is lifted straight from the higher end Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Interior space has never been the CLA’s strongest suit. Headroom at the back is adversely compromised due to the slopping roofline. Kneeroom is not excellent either. Rear passengers can feel a tad claustrophobic and the narrow rear window opening only make matters worse. Boot space of 470 litre however is rather impressive.

Mercedes-Benz CLA Features

Standard features include an 8.0-inch Audio 20 with CD changer, power adjustable front seats with memory function, cruise control, paddle shifters, LED High Performance headlamps with integrated DRL, front/rear parking sensor, automatic parking system and reverse camera. 

Technical highlights include ventilated front disc and solid disc at the rear, 18-inch alloy wheels, 4Matic four-wheel-drive system for the CLA 250 and standard AMG-Line body kit. Safety wise, all CLA comes with 7 airbags as standard (including a Kneebag for the driver), along with ABS/EBD, stability control Driver assistance feature include Attention Assist, PRE-SAFE and Active Brake Assist systems. 

Mercedes-Benz CLA Powertrain Performance

Powering the CLA 200 is a 1.6 litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine developing 158 hp at 5,300 RPM and 250 Nm of torque from 1,250 RPM. 0-100 km/h is dispatched in 8.2 seconds before reaching a top speed of 230 km/h. Under the hood of the CLA 250 4Matic is a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbocharged mill making 214 PS at 5,500 RPM and 350 Nm of torque from 1,200 RPM. 

Power is sent to all four wheels. With the added performance and traction from the 4Matic system, naught to 100 km/h time is slash by 1.7 seconds, completing the century sprint in an impressive 6.5 seconds. Top speed is 240 km/h. Both engine choices are mated to the same 7-speed automatic dual clutch transmission (DCT). Compared to Mercedes’s G-Tronic automatic transmission, the DCT is not as seamless and can be a bit hesitant during gear changes.

Mercedes-Benz CLA Fuel Consumption

Mercedes-Benz CLA Ride Comfort

Both variants are equipped with a MacPherson strut up front and a multi-link set up at the rear. The CLA 200 received the ‘lowered comfort suspension’ setup while the more powerful CLA 250 4Matic is fitted with a performance-oriented sport suspension.

The lowered suspension whilst making the car looks a lot better, it however compromised on its ride quality. The ‘comfort’ suspension is neither comfortable nor refined and the sport suspension is simply too stiff for everyday driving. 

Mercedes-Benz CLA Conclusion

Despite its many faults, the Mercedes-Benz CLA is a car that offers visual appeal like no other in the segment, and it is far more attainable than the Mercedes-Benz CLS which inspired it. The CLA is a classic example of a design exercise that prioritise form over function. But if you love the way it looks, you will definitely love the car.