First Drive: Does the new CLA showcase the future of Mercedes?
What is it?
A prominent light bar and illuminated grille are at the front (Mercedes-Benz AG - Global Commun photo by Maximilian Balazs on be)
The all-new, third-generation Mercedes CLA: the smallest saloon car you can buy with a three-pointed star on the bonnet. It's been a bit of a hit in the UK since it first appeared in 2013, and this latest one has a few tricks up its sleeve to try and stay relevant in 2025.
The big news here is that this is the first ever CLA to be available as an EV - in fact, that'll be the only option you have until a petrol-powered hybrid version appears in a few months' time.
There's good reason for bringing out the electric version first, though - Mercedes reckons it's finally built a car to beat the Tesla Model 3.
Its engineers in Germany have thrown everything at tuning the CLA for maximum efficiency, from aerodynamics to a clever new powertrain: all to give it a slightly bonkers range of 484 miles from a single charge.
What's new?
A petrol version of the CLA will arrive soon to join the EV (Mercedes-Benz AG - Global Commun photo by Maximilian Balazs on be)
Absolutely everything. Mercedes is calling this its 'most efficient, most intuitive, and most intelligent' car ever, which is quite a statement for one of the cheaper models in its range.
This CLA sits on an entirely new platform, designed to accommodate either electric or regular petrol powertrains.
You get the impression that they're particularly proud of the EV version though, and perhaps rightly so - but more on that in a minute.
Mercedes is also using the CLA as a launchpad for its next-generation in-car tech - catchily titled MBUX 4. In short, you'll find an enormous touch screen in the centre of the dash, with new software that's been woven together with AI from both Google and Microsoft.
What's under the bonnet?
The CLA can accept a very rapid rate of charge (Mercedes-Benz AG - Global Commun photo by Maximilian Balazs on be)
Here's where things get interesting - if you're a fan of EVs, at least. All CLAs in the UK get an 85kWh battery, paired with a 268bhp electric motor that powers the rear wheels.
Unusually for an EV though, the CLA has more than one gear - not that you'd ever know it while driving.
Mercedes reckons it's the best way to squeeze some real-world efficiency out of an electric motor: swapping you into a higher ratio for motorway cruising, just like a petrol or diesel car would.
What you might notice, though - at least during visits to the rapid charger - is the new 800-volt architecture that runs under the skin. In short, this is the sort of next-generation technology that allows much quicker, 320kW rapid charging - and so far hasn't been used in many other cars of this size and price.
Put this all together and you've got an EV that's ready for some serious motorway miles. Entry-level 'Sport Line' models get a faintly ridiculous range of 484 miles - longer than pretty much all other EVs on sale in the UK, except Mercedes's own flagship EQS.
One word of caution, though: the first CLAs to hit the roads won't be compatible with the older, less powerful, 400-volt rapid chargers that you'll find dotted across the UK.
A fix is on the way, but this won't apply to any cars built before spring 2026.
What's it like to drive?
The CLA's ride quality makes driving comfortable (Mercedes-Benz AG - Global Commun photo by Maximilian Balazs on be)
Surprisingly, given its focus on being ultra-efficient, the CLA feels just like any other Mercedes to drive. In fact it's easy to forget there's not a very quiet, admittedly, petrol engine under the bonnet.
Ride quality is sumptuous compared to a lot of other electric cars, which usually crash into lumps and bumps, struggling to deal with the weight of a huge battery under the floor. Similarly, push the brake pedal and there's no awkward jump between the regenerative and regular stopping power: just a reassuring, resolutely linear feel.
Even the accelerator pedal feels pretty well-judged.
Despite the not inconsiderable 268bhp under your right foot, it doesn't have the awkward, neck-snapping urgency you find in some EVs - but nor does it feel slow.
On the flip side, the CLA doesn't feel particularly fun to drive. The steering doesn't give much back in the way of feedback, and often feels overly light and disconnected, even in sport mode. It's brisk enough in terms of acceleration at least - hitting 60mph in around 6.7 seconds - but for now, there's no performance-focused AMG version to go up against faster rivals like the Model 3 Performance.
How does it look?
The CLA offers a good level of performance (Mercedes-Benz AG - Global Commun photo by Maximilian Balazs on be)
Mercedes's current design language has raised a few eyebrows, splitting electric and regular petrol cars into two very different styles, some with more success than others.
For the CLA it does feel like the two have been squished together - the result being a more conventionally-shaped car compared to the likes of the EQE, but with some of its snazzy details carried over.
It's still recognisably a CLA, albeit a little more bulbous in places than before, and very obviously a Mercedes.
If the giant badge in the centre of the grille didn't give it away, 142 backlit three-pointed stars surrounding it certainly will - and of course there are those oh-so-2025 front and rear LED light bars as well.
What's it like inside?
The interior is home to a very large touchscreen (Mercedes-Benz AG - Global Commun photo by Maximilian Balazs on be)
That slightly softer shape has paid dividends on rear cabin space, though. The CLA can now comfortably accommodate four reasonably tall adults, with leg room being surprisingly impressive for rear passengers. Taller rear doors mean it's also easier to get in and out of, too, though don't confuse this for a miniature S-Class.
Roomy as the rear seats may be, the floor is also a tad high, thanks to the big battery pack underneath.
Mercedes has tried to carve out some extra headroom by fitting every CLA with a space-saving fixed panoramic glass roof, with reasonable success.
What's less good is that, for the first batch of cars at least, there's no blind, and no way of adjusting its tint. From next year, models will get a fancy electronic film to block out the light, decorated, of course, with yet another three-pointed star motif.
Up front, Mercedes has gone hot and heavy with the touch screens. The entire dash has been shaped to maximise screen real estate, effectively appearing as a giant full-width slab of gloss black in front of the front occupants.
In reality, it's far less distracting than you might imagine, and actually puts the sizeable 14-inch central display comfortably within reach of the driver.
An additional, equally-sized screen in front of the passenger may also be on the way to the UK, but for now, they'll have to stare at a fingerprint-heavy bit of black plastic, illuminated with (you guessed it) some light-up three-pointed stars.
What's the spec like?
Boot space is reasonable (Mercedes-Benz AG - Global Commun photo by Maximilian Balazs on be)
As for that infotainment screen itself, Mercedes's new software does seem to work very well indeed. It's much busier than before in terms of information, settings and menus - items now float around atop the sat nav map like widgets on an iPhone home screen - but it doesn't take long to get the hang of things. It's crisp to look at, responsive to the touch, and has some (supposedly) very clever bits of AI built in.
In theory, it's designed to go beyond what the likes of Google Assistant can manage - letting you have a real conversation with the car.
We asked it to find us an Italian restaurant for dinner, which it quickly offered up a suggestion for - and when we jokingly asked the car whether it would recommend the place, it answered by summarising some previous customer reviews.
This might all sound gimmicky, but anything that reduces the time prodding a touch screen while driving has got to be a good thing.
There are only three trim levels to choose from - Sport Line, AMG Line and AMG Line Premium Edition. All three get the same screen, though Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration is likely to be an added extra you'll need to purchase via an in-car app store.
All trim levels get a super-efficient air-to-air heat pump as standard, along with 320kW DC rapid charging, or up to 11kW AC charging from a regular wall box.
Verdict
There's a lot to like about the new CLA. That mightily impressive 484-mile range is almost reason enough to recommend it over its rivals, but there's plenty beyond that headline figure too.
It has top-notch in-car technology, is accomplished to drive, and is certainly more comfortable in terms of ride than most other EVs of the same size.
It's even priced competitively: at a shade over GBP45,000 for the entry-level car, it's almost bang-on the price of a Tesla Model 3 Long Range.
Mercedes might be late to the party with a mid-sized electric saloon, but the CLA shows it was worth the wait.
- Model as tested: Mercedes CLA 250+ with EQ technology
- Price: from GBP45,615
- Engine: Rear-mounted electric motor
- Power: 268bhp
- Torque: 335Nm
- Max speed: 130mph
- 0-60mph: 6.7 seconds
- Range: 484 miles (WLTP)
- Battery size: 85kWh