The 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class serves as the most affordable luxury model from the brand and also as a statement for what entry luxury cars can be nowadays.
Its looks punch above its starting price, but the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 doesn’t stay affordable for long—many of the features luxury buyers would want on the CLA don’t come standard.
It earns a 6.2 on our overall scale. Its performance is surprising—especially in CLA45 guise—but its inability to seat four adults keeps it from scoring higher.
This year, the CLA changes little. Standard CLA250 models are now available in an “Ice Edition,” while the performance-minded CLA45 gets an optional Performance Studio Package that upgrades the interior and exterior.
Even without upgrades, the exterior remains the most attractive part of the CLA. It’s a scaled-down, shorter version of the four-door “coupe” design that Mercedes-Benz pioneered in the CLS-Class. It’s an audacious shape, and it’s one that makes others such as the Audi A3 and BMW 2-Series look conservative in comparison.
Under the hoods of all CLA models will be a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4. Most models will make 208 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque, which is shifted through a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. That combination is good enough for a 7-second run up to 60 mph and 30 mpg combined, although opting for all-wheel drive can alter those figures slightly.
Opt for the CLA45 and that output balloons to 375 hp and 350 lb-ft with a 4.1-second sprint to 60 mph. It’s savage and immediate, and it’s also one of the most power-dense propulsion systems we’ve seen outside of a bullet. The similarities aren’t coincidental.
The CLA-Class handles respectably in base versions, although its ride isn’t all that comfortable. Opt for adjustable suspension—or even the CLA45—and the ride gets much better.
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