Since its debut in 2013, the Mercedes Benz CLA has held the title for the least expensive vehicle with a three-pointed star on its grille money can buy . The first generation CLA came standard with a four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive transmission. This configuration made it less ideal as a sports car, but more pocket-friendly. Now, the third generation of the CLA has recently hit the market with good and bad reviews so far. So, let’s dive in.
The key feature of the third generation CLA is that it is an EV first, rather than a hybrid. Usually, a car company simply takes an existing internal combustion engine and attaches some electric motors to it, thereby creating a hybrid vehicle. This process is cost-effective as the car is not produced from scratch. In the case of the CLA, Mercedes has decided to do the reverse by giving us a fully-electric vehicle first. The hybrid version is expected sometime later in the year.
What Meets The Eyes
On the exterior, the CLA looks just as gorgeous as when it first came out in 2013. The new model retains the outgoing car’s sloped-roof and four-door coupe shape. However, it has a bigger chassis to accommodate the underfloor battery. The most striking feature on the exterior is the headlights which have three-pointed-star-shaped DRLs connected by a light bar. The tail lights also light up in a similar fashion as three-pointed stars.
In the interior, the new CLA features a massive trio of screens which serve different purposes. The trio consists of a 10.3-inch instrument display which serves as the gauge cluster, a 14.0-inch center touchscreen for infotainment and an optional third screen for the passenger. The infotainment system now runs an updated version of MBUX, which includes Google Maps navigation with Google’s Gemini AI-enhanced search capabilities. The CLA also comes standard with a panoramic glass roof for those who are keen on aesthetics.
Mercedes Benz CLA: Power and Performance
Being all-electric—at least for now— the new CLA comes with an 800-volt battery architecture, a first for Mercedes. It makes a combined 375 horsepower (hp): 268 hp goes to the rear motors which drive the rear wheels through a two-speed transmission (another Benz first), and the remaining 107 hp is sent forward to the front motors. However, the front motors only kick in when additional acceleration or extra traction is needed. As for 0-60mph acceleration numbers, the dual-motor variant is said to reach 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, while the single-motor version can do so in a claimed 6.6 seconds. Another important functionality added to the CLA is regenerative braking, which should increase the vehicle’s range.
In a nutshell, the CLA has always been the go to choice for an affordable sedan. Nothing has been said yet about pricing, but we expect the new CLA to be pocket-friendly. For now, we wait to see what Mercedes has in store for us. What new feature of the CLA do you fancy?
