I’ll be totally honest. I was fully expecting to hate everything about this car. For better or worse, the CLA has generated more controversy and opinions than any other Mercedes-Benz in recent history. Admirers have praised it for its customizability, sharp, “baby CLS”, coupe-like styling and lower price tag, making it easier than ever to own a Benz. Critics have slammed it for its interior, powertrain, and (blasphemy!) front-wheel drive, labeling it as a disgrace to the prestigious Mercedes-Benz name. After a year on the market, reading numerous reviews with varying opinions, and seeing quite a few on the road, I thought it was about time to head over to Mercedes-Benz of Hanover to experience the CLA for myself and hopefully form a decisive opinion.
Entering its cockpit, I was well-prepared for an engulfment of cheap, grainy plastics, hard-bottomed seats, and an overall sense of sterility. The silver CLA I test drove (in the first picture), was actually a leftover 2014 model that MB of Hanover was using for demos and test drives. It featured an all-black interior, which was a bit monotonous for my own tastes. Thankfully, a large swath of burl walnut, white door stitching, and plenty of brushed aluminum accents added some warmth and contrast. This red showroom model I photographed features black ash wood in the place of my tester’s burl walnut.
For those not favoring all-black interiors, Mercedes does offer beige, brown, gray, and red/black interiors, as well as several other wood, metal, and carbon fiber trim choices for the CLA. Multi-color ambient lighting can also be added as a standalone option for only $155.
The body-hugging seats were soft and supportive, with the driver’s 12-way power adjustments conveniently in Mercedes’ usual upper door panel location. Even as someone familiar with Mercedes’ MB-Tex leatherette, I was forced to ask the salesman whether the upholstery was synthetic or the real deal. Turns out it wasn’t “real leather”, but even I could’ve been fooled.
Concerning the quality of plastics, I couldn’t find much difference between the CLA’s interior and those of other modern Benzes short of the S-Class. Sure, there isn’t quite the liberal amount of wood and leather-covered surfaces found in its pricier siblings, but this is no different than any of the CLA’s competitors from other luxury brands. Additionally, all of the CLA’s switchgear is lifted straight out of other, more expensive cars in Mercedes’ lineup.
Shifting Mercedes’ somewhat confusing (but familiar to me) shift-lever into drive and slowly pulling out of the parking lot, I was once again ready to be underwhelmed. With its a curb weight of 3,395 pounds (in 4MATIC form) and its 2.0L turbo I4 generating 208 horsepower, this equates to 16.32 pounds per horsepower – not quite a spectacular figure on paper.
Yet as I rounded the onramp onto Route 3, the CLA effortlessly accelerated up to 70mph, with no noticeable lag from its 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Even in ECO-mode, passing was a breeze, as the CLA delivered plenty of charge on demand. In all sorts of driving conditions, the CLA250 4MATIC feels extremely light on its feet, delivering a pleasantly “zippy” feel from behind the wheel.
The CLA’s handling was also a pleasant surprise. Steering is decidedly “sporty”, providing excellent feedback with less of the “steer by finger” feel of several other recent Mercedes models I’ve driven. Its ride quality was also nicely composed on its standard 17-inch wheels. The CLA additionally benefits from the same suspension of other Mercedes. This equates to a well-balanced ride that soaks up the bumps while still providing plenty of feel for the road.
Additionally, its front-wheel drive doesn’t pose a significant compromise, as 4MATIC all-wheel drive is not only offered, but is found on virtually every new Mercedes sold in northern states. In fact, when it comes to the CLA’s faults, there was little that glaringly stood out. I only really found two things displeasing about the CLA. First and more minor, were its Recaro-like buckets’ fixed headrests. While they do add to the car’s sporty aura, they’re just not to my personal preference, reminding me of the front buckets in old Chrysler minivans.
My main grip with this car is its poor outward visibility. The coupe-like styling, with its high belt lines and thick C-pillars make for a slightly claustrophobic feeling. Additionally, its rear headrests (also fixed) severely impede visibility through the already small rear windshield. I wouldn’t want to attempt backing into a space without this car’s available back-up camera.
Having driven a previous-generation 2014 C300 Sport on several occasions, I can confidently say I prefer this Mercedes in every way. Despite riding on a front-wheel drive platform and having 25 percent less horsepower, the CLA250 was much more entertaining to drive. Both interiors were equally comfortable and luxurious, but I actually found the CLA’s materials to be better, with greater excitement in its design.
Comparing the CLA to the 2015 C-Class is another story, but in elevating the C-Class in size, price, and luxury, Mercedes has left a significant gap at the bottom of its lineup, which the CLA-Class confidently fills. Despite this, the CLA has gotten somewhat of a bad rap. While it’s true that it “lowers” the Mercedes-Benz brand’s exclusivity, allowing for more of us “commoners” to have a chance of ownership, adding the CLA to its lineup isn’t much different from what other high-volume luxury brands are currently doing or what M-B has done with entry-level models in the past.
My final verdict: The CLA250 proved an unexpected delight in the class of entry-level luxury cars. It offers an engaging driving experience, well-crafted interior, and long list of class-competitive luxury, technology, and performance features. By all means is this a “real Mercedes-Benz”.
The previous generation “A” class was a fairly dumpy 5 door hatchback with elevated seating. I could be wrong, but I think I read that M-B dumped the hatchback only model lineup so that sales in the hatchback adverse USA would be assured.
The “A” class is also going to be the basis for a whole range of body styles….at least in Europe, that will include SUVs and mini MPVs. In Europe, THE hot model is an AMG A45 hatchback that competes with the VW Golf GTI. That model packs over 300 horsepower from it’s 2 liter 4 cylinder.
Is it just me or are MB models becoming increasingly ugly?
Nothing is left of the clean designs of yore. Instead, we got this overkill of seemingly random lines and creases and an equally wild interior to go with it.
No, it’s not just you.
It’s not just you.
+3
their design “language” isn’t coping well with the new-ish EU pedestrian safety requirements.
Mercedes styling went off the cliff the moment they ditched louvered taillights. Since then I think they’ve been trying to get uglier and uglier in a rather asinine attempt to get other automakers to finally stop copying them.
+1
+6
I keep thinking “Hyundai”.
This too.
And me.
+3
As an Elantra owner, +4. Fluidic Sculpture.
It’s not just you.
You are not alone, my friend. I’ll propose a corollary – in general, the less the new MB costs, the more overwrought and ugly it seems. As the bottom line goes up, the designs become more restrained and more attractive (to me anyway).
Sneaky way to move customers upmarket?
The S and C classes are just awful looking to me. The new C is especially bad, it looks like nothing.
I think the CLA was a smart move. It’s OK to try something new in a growing segment like entry LUX or entry LUX CUV where the buyers tend to be younger and more free thinking.
Audi’s has a better look than MB to spread around but I’m getting sick it it.
I am genuinely surprised how many of you hate this design. I think the CLA is distinctive, although personally I prefer the new C and S which look wonderful in person. Very flowing, elegant and clean. The only thing I dislike about new Benzes are the front bumpers with the overly-large fog light cut-out spaces. And the current E was just ruined by this facelift: mating this curvy design language to the very angular body made it so unharmonious. The next E will be lovely though, I’m sure.
I was a huge fan of the GLK and the current E, pre-facelift and they were all sharp edges and angles. And yet, I love these curvy new Benzes. Much nicer than what BMW is putting out.
I will never touch a Daimler product after how thoroughly they ruined Chrysler.
Interesting review of this car. While I’m not likely to buy one anytime soon, I’ve seen plenty of reviews that largely condemn this car for being “cheap”.
It reminds me of the situation of the opinions on the back seat in the current USDM 2013-15 Chevy Malibu. It seems to me that one reviewer points out something bad about a car and then that becomes the meme surrounding it forever and ever.
Regardless, I think the CLA is a great value, at least from what I’ve seen. On a base model for the same money as a loaded Camry, Malibu or Accord, you get a rather well-equipped car with MB logo.
For some folks, that’s the best part…
Hell, I’d rather have an Accord and not look like I’m showing off…and get a backup camera and real leather.
I don’t fit well in the CLS because I bang my head every time I try to climb inside, and had the same issue with the CLA when I rode in one. I’m only a smidge over 6 feet tall but these 4 door “coupes” just don’t work for me.
Regarding the “head bump” issue. I love my new Mazda6, but it shares a similar roofline with CLA, and requires an very definate awkward tilting bend of the neck for entry and egress. Though the new Accords I drove don’t have that issue, I like the rest of the Mazda6 so much better that I decided to live with the entry/egress issue.
Family member who is also quite short has an ’04 Mazda6. When I need to move it to get my car out of the garage, I have bumped my head more than once, made worse by having to squeeze into the pulled far forward seat. At least the weatherstripping helps to cushion the blow! I now move the power seat back with the switch located on the outside of the seat bottom first, it works without the key thankfully. Once inside though, it is comfortable and is a decent driving car.
“4 door coupe” is an oxymoron. Kind of like a 7 shot 6 shooter. I dont know who these luxo brands THINK theyre fooling, but lowering the roofline on a sedan with 4 forward swinging doors and no attempt to blend them in whatsoever still makes it a sedan. The RX-8 and the Saturn Ion are the closest thing Ive seen, but with no center pillar, only 2 exposed door handles and only 2 (very large) door openings, that makes it a true coupe in my mind…just more practical and convenient. As a 6’1 large framed guy, I find these tiny door openings on compact 4 doors to be skull bangers.
No thanks.
Brendan thanks for writing up your driving impressions. You are very lucky at your age to view cars like this as realistic alternatives rather than far off dreams. It reflects well on your family for working hard to provide you opportunities and reflects well on you for stepping up and taking advantage of them.
Cars like this make it so hard for the mainstream carmakers. Salesman and owners can give you a list of reasons why a Accord, Camry, Fusion, Verano, or Passat is a better and slightly cheaper car. What they can’t do is give you a grill styled after a sixties pagoda, the luxury buying and service experience, and the still high residual values that come with the Mercedes name.
Almost every year, economic conditions and demographics see fewer total compact and midsize cars sold in all the developed economies. At the same time the luxury brands dip a little deeper into the bread and butter of the shrinking market with there ever proliferating model lines. With developing economies skipping over the middle market almost entirely by selling third world aimed Dacias and Suzuki only below Mercedes and BMW. Now is not a good time to be a manager at Toyota, GM, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Fiat. Trying to stay profitable during a slow decline with no light at the end of the tunnel.
People is moving away from conventional cars and into SUV/CUVs.
These are still a small portion of the market. They will steal some sales from mainstream D or E-segment cars, but even on their lowest spec, they cannot touch (on price) a decently equipped mainstream OEM C-segment car.
I imagine the BMW X1 is giving similar stomach troubles to those at Ford tasked with selling Edge’s
The X1 is smaller than the Edge. And the pics of the upcoming FWD based one are out there. It looks good, even better than the RWD based one. The proportions are finally right!
So yes, whoever has to face that car will have headaches.
Sorry I meant the Escape.
Not a car on my radar, but an interesting read nonetheless. I find it kind of funny how a low priced Mercedes gets such a huge 3 pointed star in the grille. Or is it that the car needs this to make it attractive.
my fear with a car like this is as it ages. High end euro brands have well deserved reputations for becoming money pits once out of warranty. A young woman in my office building drives a late model Audi (in bright red, no less). She is into her second week with the dealer courtesy vehicle. I don’t think this will be the kind of value proposition that a Camry (or even a Fusion or Malibu) will be over, say, 10 years. But I guess cars like this is what leasing was made for.
Without a doubt, leasing has had a huge effect on luxury cars in recent years. It’s what is fueling every-stronger luxury car “sales”, and as a result, why luxury cars aren’t as exclusive and lack that “hand-crafted” quality they used to a quarter-century ago. It’s also the only way most younger people would be able to afford one, and not as far off as retirement. I feel the former is why many people have the opinion that luxury cars from brands like Mercedes-Benz aren’t as high quality as they used to be. It’s not really that their materials are necessarily of poorer quality, its just that they are more mass produced and less unique.
I remember as a kid, oogling over a nice Cadillac or Lincoln, my father, who was born in 1930 would comment “Yeah, it’s nice but these cars lost something when you could start to buy them on time payments.” It took me awhile to understand what he meant, but he could remember the days when those cars sold for cash. People with real wealth bought them and they didn’t have to fake it with a monthly payment. Debt is not prosperity.
I see where you’re coming from concerning monthly payments, but I really don’t see anything wrong with buying a car through financing as long as you confidently know you’ll be able to make the payments. I see it in the same way as buying a house by getting a mortgage, as most people I know do. Of course, if someone can buy a new car or house outright good for them. And I don’t mean to sound like I oppose your financial practices. The way each person views money and their priorities for spending are interesting to compare.
Absolutely agree. We deal with mortgages for years and years, why should we pay for cars with cash?
I think the issue is more one of exclusivity. There is nothing wrong with financing a car. However, when your luxury landyacht can now be seen rolling with the hoi polloi behind the wheel because they can get low mileage lease deals or even outright purchase payments they can scrape together, the whole thing seems a whole lot less appealing.
When everyone is special, no one is. When Cadillacs (or Benzes in this case) are all over the place, their aura gets knocked down quite a bit.
Benzes and Bimmers aren’t really my cup of tea, but if I did ever get one, I really probably wouldn’t want to do with less than a LWB S class or 7 series.
There is the significant distinction that a house is not a depreciating asset the same way a car is.
The mania for leasing is but one example of how thrift is now un-American. Car & home salesmen think you’re from another planet when you offer cash.
Irony is, so much luxury is going downmarket, with all the toys available in compacts, how much are you really giving up with a mainstream brand? The rest is humbug; we don’t have Autobahns in N. America. I don’t care about residual values & snobbery, I want a car that will give me 10yrs+ service (and a bit of fun) w/ minimum hassle. And the Japanese still deliver here. Even American cars (if you get a good one) are likely a better long-term value proposition than German übermaschinen.
As a home salesman, trust me we love the occasional cash transaction. The freedom that both the buyers and sellers have to negotiate price, terms, and repairs is eye opening.
Car sales are completely different. The dealer wants to be involved in the financing as that is where the money is.
I bought a rental house for cash in 2010. Amazing how some of the best deals (bank owned) I found did not result in an accepted offer. Even more amazing when they were finally sold and I found the purchaser paid less than my offer! I got a good deal (short sale) finally on a decent house, but by far not the best deal compared to what I found and was not allowed to buy.
Yes, probably the same year I listed a short sale for a gal that had lost her job. Her lender was a global bank headquartered in Asia with primary U.S. offices in Florida. The house in question was in the Midwest, about 12 years old and in decent shape except for cosmetics – it needed all new carpet and paint – about $10,000 in work.
I ended up presenting two different offers to the bank – to people in Florida. There was all sorts of work done to document the cost of needed updates, and the bank kept ticking a clock on the seller. They eventually foreclosed on her, listed her house with their asset disposal agency – at a PRICE BELOW EITHER OFFER THAT I PRESENTED – and sold it for even less than their list price. That did wonders for the values of the neighboring homes.
Banks had a tendency to chase values downward, letting the properties deteriorate either in the hands of desperate owners, or rotting vacant. I called a number of banks listed as owners on vacant homes with qualified buyers that wanted to see them. The answer was always that the home would go on the market when they were ready. On those homes there was a lot of legal wrangling going on in the background, sometimes up to three years or more.
The short sale, although taking about 5 month’s went well and they accepted my offer of 10k less then it was listed for. All the bank owned houses I looked at were already listed and on the market. It was a great time to buy a house as prices have gone up a lot. But it seemed like there must have been a few “preferred” cash buyer’s out there. It was frustrating.
Neil, don’t fall of your chair, but I’m coming to your way of thinking. I’m going to have a look at this 2012 Civic (outgoing model) tomorrow. I know it’s not as liked as the one model before or as complete as the current one but with 30,000 Km on the clock, that well-proven 1.8L, 142 hp engine and 6 sp box it should serve me for a long time (assuming the seat is not hard as a rock in the modern idiom – I have back problems), and BMW/Audi/MB/VW be damned (and I live in Europe).
Thank you Dominic 1955, you explained my point better than I did myself. As for monthly payments, I’m making them on 2 cars now.
That was pretty much my thought. I watched an overextended distant family relation go through the stages of grief of MB ownership after her warranty ran out. She’s been happy to trade for a new Grand Cherokee every five years or so since getting herself out of that mess.
My footpath view says the customer is voting with their wallets, and voting they are. It has sold like hotcakes down here. Similarly with the new C-Class.
I does look like a baby CLS. The AMG versions sound the business and seem to have plenty of go too.
They really fixed the looks of all their FWD range on this product cycle.
looks like the rear headliner is sagging in pic 10. Can you get it without the screen – the dash would look tons better.
I abhor those screens sitting proud atop the dash board. They look so much like a tacked-on after thought – cheapens the car no matter how high-grade the rest of the interior materials are. The monitor on the 3 series BMW really looks bad. It looks like is should retract into the dash but, of course, it doesn’t.
As far as the perceived ‘cheapness factor’ I cannot comment since I haven’t been inside a CLA. I can state my 2013 E350 is a marked improvement in this regard over the 2003 ML350, 2007 C280, and 2010 GLK350 I’ve owned recently but it pales in comparison to my 1995 E320 Coupe – my favorite car out of any of the 30+ I’ve owned. I wish there was a car wash that got its water form the Fountain of Youth. I would have taken my Coupe there at least twice a year. 🙂
Agreed on the screen, it looks like Brendan left his iPad in there. Actually it looks even worse than that, it looks like a $20 Chinese Android tablet. Does JC Whitney sell those?
Overall I’d say it’s one of the worst interiors I’ve ever seen. Dreadful.
FWIW the model I photographed did not include the Multimedia package, which includes a higher-quality looking screen, as seen in the promo photo with the beige interior. The screen in this one is mainly for radio and phone functions, not navigation and enhanced media features.
Yes, there are a bunch of cars with the display sitting upright in the dash like that. They look like complete afterthoughts. There are a few USDM GM cars with screens that rise up out of the dash, which at least IMO, that someone was thinking about aesthetics a little bit.
I also have to imagine the ones that are stuck to the top of the dash will be more easily broken/damaged, too. That must be a chunk of change when that gets replaced. A really bad idea in terms of aesthetics and function.
How soon can we just get to using our tablets and phones as the infotainment centers instead of these bespoke warts on the dash?
I think I mentioned this here before but my Dad bought his new 2015 Mazda 6 purely on the basis that the otherwise identical 2016s that just showed up on the lot had a revised dash with that stand up display, and I’m right behind him on that decision.
Funny thing is the one in the CLA in particular looks exactly like how the suction cup to windshield mounted navigation unit I have in my Cougar looks from the driver seat. The difference is I can put it in my glove box when I know where I’m going and not have to look at that clunky thing.
But the revised Mazda6 interior, screen aside, is just so much nicer-looking. That was my biggest problem with the 6. Well, that and the lack of a more powerful engine option, although I’m sure the four is more than adequate.
They’re really not that different, the door panels and seats are identical, and the dash is only really reshaped to accommodate the standup display, gauges are the same, vents are basically the same and materials are the same. The only real differences are the climate controls are automatic, the parking brake was changed from a lever to a button(not a plus IMO), and the console was streamlined with more fake stitching into the armrest. There’s nice aspects to the update don’t get me wrong but nothing I’d call better than the other, the screen really was the deciding factor.
The mandatory big four performs surprisingly nice, it’s not super fast but definitely has some grunt to it. It’s as fast as the Lexus GS300 it replaced, and gets way better mileage, though isn’t as smooth(what is compared to an inline 6?)
The headliner wasn’t sagging, there was just a lot of sunlight coming through the windows directly behind the car.
Interesting about the takeup of 4matic in the states. If MB wanted to sustain its engineering halo with this car, they should have made them all 4matic. Then the question of fwd would never have entered the picture.
At least in the northeastern U.S., it’s virtually impossible to get a non-all-wheel drive car from any luxury brand unless you special order it or of course, all-wheel drive is not offered on that model (this mainly applies to sports cars). All-wheel drive is all the dealers have in their inventories.
It seems in recent years this all-wheel drive mania has really gained traction (pun intended!) in the media as a “safety” must-have for cars if you live where it snows. Sure, AWD may give you some added traction on slippery surfaces, but it doesn’t guarantee you won’t slide and it certainly won’t turn your car into a Jeep. Especially when most of these cars are equipped with low-rolling resistance performance tires. AWD only increases weight and makes people over-confident. It’s not needed, especially if you’re someone like me who rarely drives in heavy snow unless it’s an emergency.
Even where I am it is hard to find some classes of vehicle that aren’t AWD or 4WD, such as pickups.
Fifteen minutes ago I saw a line of new highway patrol vehicles awaiting installation of graphics and logos. They were Chargers and all were AWD. Quite the change from the days of RWD Diplomats.
True, but AWD is an inherently safer way of getting power to the road. And I don’t think everyone who’s buying an AWD is thrashing it. I’d say there are quite a few Subies out there that are more trashed in the rear seat than they are in the drivetrain.
I saw one of these recently, an AMG driven by a young guy with a big smile on his face.
Last fall, after snow and roads were icy with packed snow, I was on my way into town and there was a Jeep which slid off the road backwards into a fence. It appeared to be stuck. Not quite sure why it would have slid out of control though, as I had not problem (but was being careful).
Yes it’s a real Mercedes and a great looking car! Like so many modern cars, this one looks better in person. Especially in black.
And from what I understand, the intention of the free standing screen is to provide for easy upgrades for future owners.
+1
Bet those “upgrades” will be super cheap…
Indeed……?
The hood cutline in the first picture shows how far Mercedes extended the front clip to give a sportier look to what in it’s bones is a boxy econobox. I welcome this, cars lately have gone too far in eliminating stylish overhangs.
Why is it that ANY front wheel drive car has to have such an INTRUSIVE center console?! I am 6’4″ and that driver’s area would be cramped for me. All the M-B offerings that I’ve looked into seem to offer the same thing, the outside seemingly offering space that IS NOT provided inside.
As a long time owner of mostly pre-Chrysler era Mercedes cars, this car does nothing for me. It could be a Fusion and if I had to drive a four door sedan (I don’t) I would select the Fusion over this car because there are Ford dealers everywhere I drive in the west. Try to find a M-B dealer in north east Arizona or western Nebraska.
Is that little knob on the console the way one shifts this car? For someone who has driven an inline six Mercedes with a four speed manual shifted on the column, that is just psychologically a step too far.
The screen on the dash looks like an etch-a-sketch – silly. And a long front overhang on a Mercedes (or especially on a BMW) is just a styling sin.
I don’t like anything Mercedes is now selling; I’ve lost the deep admiration I once had.
The knob on the console controls the infotainment screen. The shifter is a stalk mounted on the steering column. It’s a bit weird to get used to, “up” for reverse, “down” for drive”, and “press in” for park, but I kind of like it. It frees up space in the center console, and is compact enough that it doesn’t get in the way on the steering column. My only complaint is that I often like to rest my right hand on the console shifter in my car, so when driving my mom’s Mercedes I feel like its missing something.
Where was the windshield wiper mechanism in relation to this? I can see a problem if a person is accustomed to the windshield wiper mechanism being in this vicinity and the car gets jammed in reverse at highway speed due to grime on the windshield.
The windshield controls are on a similar stalk on the left side of the steering wheel. By accident I’ve actually pressed the park button while driving (as it’s identical to the button for by accident trying to wash the windshield, but the car didn’t shift into park. The various safety electronics prevent the this from occurring and all that happens is a warning message flashes across the info screen in the gauge cluster.
It is funny though, whenever my mom drives my car she immediately hits the windshield wipers when trying to shift it into drive from park.
You’ve hit upon my primary concern!
I figured there was the built-in safety for not allowing shifting of gears (as opposed to, say, the old push-button automatics Chrysler had). However, your mom having to acclimate herself every time has to be a pill.
The manufacturers being able to customize layouts for what they feel is best is fine by me, but it does cause one to pause and readjust their thoughts when going between cars. I’m sure there is an age at which the enjoyment of this mental adjustment gets irksome and I could see where this layout might be an annoyance. However, I’m guessing Mercedes’ target audience isn’t at that point in their lives.
No, its a fake-or to be more politically correct- an ersatz Mercedes. If it looks like a duck……..
It will be interesting when these are old enough to be real CC’s. Long before then, will they depreciate so much, being thought of as “not real MB’s”, that they are scooped up cheaply by the pizza-delivery crowd?
Being loaded with electronic stuff as they are, I don’t think these will last long enough for that…
I’ve sat in a CLA a few times, and it wasn’t as chintzy as I had expected. The A3 may be slightly nicer and slightly roomier, but not as much as reviews would have you believe. However, the reliability of the CLA’s first model year (2014) has been lousy.
Future CC: “The Mercedes Cimarron”
Mercedes Cimarron sums it up quite well. I think though a lot of the hatred of the CLA comes from those of us who will forever know the W124 and W126s as the last “true Mercedes” anyway. It’s not like the rest of the lineup of overpriced rear drivers that get beat with a bigger and bigger ugly stick every few years are anything to write home about either. Similar to the rest of Cadillac by the time the Cimarron came out. Oh sure many like the Downsized Eldos and RWD DeVilles/Fleetwoods, but they still paled in comparison to REAL Cadillacs from the 60s and earlier, the Cimarron was just another nail in the coffin for a more and more irrelevant brand. Say hello to Mercedes’ nail.
There’s nothing on the CLA that says Mercedes besides the 3 pointed star, and even it’s wrong since no 4 door Merdedes should have it in the center of the grille like a SL(seriously, talk about brand dilution)! The CLA looks like, is built like, and goes like a Cadillac version of a Chevy Cruze would, but thankfully Cadillac knows better now(crosses fingers). The CLA just has no compelling attributes besides the storied brand to go on, there’s cars you can get now a days for half the price of this thing with all the features, same materials, same performance and better styling
Don’t forget that Americans have come to see Mercedes in a different, and somewhat unique light. In Europe and other parts of the world, Mercedes always offered a wide range of cars, including stripper versions of its sedans that never came to the US, at least not for some decades. In the US, Mercedes traditionally were priced very high, to accentuate the “luxury” image, whereas in Europe, buying a low end Mercedes was hardly seen as buying a “luxury” car.
Starting with the original A Class car in the late 90s, Mercedes clearly decided that it was going to compete with VW across all classes, just as VW had decided to compete with Mercedes (think Phaeton). In Europe, Mercedes, VW , BMW and Audi all compete directly against each other; in the US, we’re still trying to shake off the image of VW as a cheap car.
Nothing stays the same in the car business, like in everything else, for very long. The “Sloanian Ladder” at GM started to dissolve in the mid 50s. Cadillac melted down in the 80s. The mid-price brands disappeared (except for Buick, which is a special case (think China).
The classic Mercedes of the past, ending with the W126 and W124 are just that….the past. Just like our fathers or grandfathers lamented the passing of the classic cars of the 1930s, so we lament the passing of the classic Mercedes and such. But that era is never coming back; buyers want a “premium” image in all of their consumer goods, whether that is clothing, phones, purses, sunglasses or cars, and the market is responding. Folks are not looking for cars built out of unobtanium; they want a stylish but affordable car to lease to for 3 or 4 years, and then “upgrade” to the next one.
The CLA is a perfect example of where this has gone: it’s affordable, stylish (to the demographic it’s aimed at), and has a very visible brand on the grille. And it’s selling well. ’nuff said.
Well said Paul.
The question is long term sustainability, that very visible brand on the grille means less and less with every update or new model made, hell just putting that three pointed star in the grille of this thing takes away the every last bit of the meaning from that looooooooong established detail. What you point out is very true, and I’ll admit I’m completely looking at the situation from a US centric perspective, but the US market is still quite significant and the fact is Mercedes survives in the US primarily because of it’s premium image, it entered this market that way and for many many years it sustained it that way. VW survives in this market for the inverse reason, and despite the Pheaton being a total flop it didn’t hurt VW’s reputation, it just generated a few sneers and people saying “you want me to pay how much for a Volkswagon???”. A luxury brand, even if regionally percieved, going downmarket is full of peril though and there’s been some sad endings with that chosen path.
If going head to head with the bread and butter brands as they do in Europe here is the goal I’d be utterly shocked to see it pan out, no matter how cheap they make them. What played no insignificant death blow to many of the midpriced brands no longer with us was this kind of brand dilution, not just Fords and Chevys getting fancier but Mercury, Pontiac Oldsmobile, Buick themselves becoming little more than rebadged Fords and Chevy’s with sometimes nothing but a different emblem. IF those brands were successful at going down market they would have been the ones to eventually swallow up the less premium less stylish Chevys and Fords(ironically under Diamler’s leadership that actually happened in Dodge’s case).
I agree with you Paul that most companies that have evolved their designs and expanded their lineups have been better off for it. A case can be made for staying the course, though.
Land Rover is a good example of that. In LA, the new Range Rover seems to be at least as popular as the new CLA. Both have managed to hit their marks perfectly with completely different strategies. One was revolutionary the other evolutionary.
Jaguar sedans show how you can evolve too much and become irrelevant.
Which one is “revolutionary” and which one is “evolutionary”? Seriously; I wouldn’t know how to answer that.
They both seem about equally evolutionary. The CLA and RR Evoque are both the current end product of respective evolution that’s been happening for some time.
The design strategy MB took on the CLS (and CLA) was a revolutionary one. The company has reinvented its styling several times over the years — Paul Bracq, Bruno Sacco, round headlight era, whoever that was, and now the CLS look. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s worth taking the chance when your brand is as strong as Mercedes.
Land Rover evolved the Range Rover’s design, they didn’t revolutionize it. Evolutionary strategies tend to work best for well-regarded niche brands. Mass market companies like MB can get hurt by staying the course too long, people get sick of the look.
Revolutionary strategies can be risky for small players. Have no idea what possessed a storied brand like Jaguar to dump its design identity so completely. The sedans have evolved to the point of being unrecognizable, which has made them largely irrelevant.
The Evoque was a very well-placed revolutionary bet that paid off because the design itself was exquisite. Can’t say the same for the XJ and XF. If that’s the best you can do it’s better to go evolutionary.
Evolutionary didn’t help Jaguar though, calibrick. They had the most high-tech XJ ever and nobody really noticed because, while handsome, it looked like so many XJs before. And the X-Type was hardly a sales success, and while critics may pin that on its Mondeo underpinnings, most luxury car buyers probably would have neither noticed/cared.
Agreed on Range Rover’s design though. Probably because SUV design language evolves slower and because the Range Rover has long been seen as the ultimate SUV, they can afford to evolve their designs slowly.
I wouldn’t call the first aluminum XJ a failure and would guess it had a higher share-of-segment than the latest XJ, which has been a disaster for Jaguar.
My dad had an ’04 and I would agree sales were disappointing considering how good the car was. In my opinion that was because the car wasn’t enough like its predecessors, not too much.
The XJ8 was brought down by details that would have never seen the light of day under the old guard, like the clunky chrome door handles (should have been Series III type) and greenhouse that stood too tall on the body. Needed a higher H-point, beltline and dare I say it a bit less side glass. Maybe same glass and taller would have worked, point is there was something a bit off about the proportions. Jaguar heretofore was a master at proportions.
Door handles and other such details are not minor they are everything. The Porsche 996 is good example. Everyone hated that car from the very beginning, even though it was unmistakably a 911, because of the fried egg headlamps. As soon as they fixed that with the 997 things were back to normal. Except for the headlamps a 997 and late 996 are the same design.
The Type-S was a highly polarizing, revolutionary design. It sold like crazy at the beginning then fell like a rock. Never thought the car had any Jag in it except for maybe the grille, which reminded me of the one on that big Kia. The rear end was an Infiniti J30 rip off, another car that sold great for two years then died. Same with the ’80 Seville come to think of it.
I bet most designers hate doing evolutionary designs but believe management is often right for insisting on it. That said I admire MB for going revolutionary on the CLA. They were fortunate to have had the chosen language vetted in the form of the low-volume CLS, but still a gutsy call compared to the Audi A3.
Great conversation. I prefer the fried eggs to the startled eyes.
“As long as it’s selling we’ll, nuff said.”
So Mercedes as an exclusive brand has sold out?
Great to know.
@XR7Matt
This is a Cimarron done correctly. The idea behind that car wasn’t flawed, i.e. offer an entry level car to the brand. The execution was. Using the J-Body as the basis of a luxury car, was downright wrong.
In another five years MB will have to make their Three-Pointed Stars the size of manhole covers to remind people they’re not looking at a Kia.
A little surprised at your positive review. Over the past year I’ve been following Edmund’s long-term test of a CLA 250, recently concluded. Their review pretty much eliminated the CLA from my recommendation list for friends (I’m too tall to drive a CLA):
“There’s the rock-hard ride over bumps, especially in the city, even though we got the smallest wheels available. There’s the mushy, unresponsive throttle that conspires with the dual-clutch automated manual transmission to stutter and delay when you want to use the otherwise commendable turbocharged engine. There’s the interior materials quality that is a clear step down from other Mercedes and that pales in comparison to the new Audi A3 that seems like a shrunken A6.”
Just curious as to your reactions to their conclusions. Granted in LA where the car was mostly tested we have a lot of pot-holed streets and heavy traffic (which Edmund’s indicating the CLA’s DCT was unsuited for – they did find it to be a better road car). But their testers found the ride punishing, transmission jerky, and the interior lacking.
As someone else commented up above, I think many automotive journalists and non-journalists alike are quick to jump on the bandwagon and hate on this car. Granted, I only spent about a half-hour with this car and not several months, but I thought the CLA’s ride, handling, and interior were excellent for a car in its class.
I drove it over roads I frequently drive on in my Acura, and found its softer suspension to virtually isolate all but the worst bumps I’m used to feeling. I kept it in “eco” mode the entire time, but even on the highway I was surprised by its pick-up when getting on and in passing. I found its 7-speed dual-clutch to be better than the traditional 7-speed auto in my mother’s 2013 GLK, with not lag or gear hunting. Steering was also more natural and connected, especially compared to the 2013 E350 I briefly drove several weeks ago. And as far as the interior goes, apart from the unfinished, panels over the center console storage cubbies, there was really no difference in the quality of plastics as in the $20,000 more expensive E-Class. I tend to be a bit of an interior snob, and I’d have no problem owing this car.
As for the A3, I’m not really a fan of how the styling translates to its proportions – a bit to chunky for my tastes. Sitting in one at the auto show, I also was a bit taken back by its interior, as it reminded me of a 1980s Honda Civic. I haven’t driven one yet, so I’ll hold back any further opinions on it until then. As I found out with this car, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The A3 is the next car I plan to test drive.
I went back and checked your headline to confirm this was a 2014 model (as was Edmund’s). Rumor has it that the 2015 model imported to the US will have a softer suspension and on second thought I wondered if you’d gotten one of those to test. Also, wondered if perhaps the DCT has been tweaked since the early model Edmund’s tested. The car certainly is a huge success in SoCal – they’re everywhere. Glad you enjoyed it.
“As someone else commented up above, I think many automotive journalists and non-journalists alike are quick to jump on the bandwagon…”
So true! I remember when the Lexus NX200 concept car debuted. Someone wrote it up on one of the sites, probably TTAC, made fun of it and then of course the regular brigade had to pile on.
Funny thing is the production car looks great (neighbor has a white one) and seems to be selling well. Toyota was smart not to use a downsized RX design for the NX. Another revolutionary bet that paid off.
+1
I had the opportunity to drive all three Lexus NX versions (200t, 300h, and 200t F Sport) at a Lexus invitational driving event earlier this year. I was very impressed with the 200t and 200t F Sport (the 300h drove like a golf cart, but those who place fuel economy as a more important quality may feel different). I even was able to drive the F Sport model in a timed lap through an orange cone course, literally pushing it to its limits, which is a very good way to test a car.
Needless to say, my opinion of the NX and the Lexus brand overall greatly improved. Critics will pan it as a crossover based on the RAV4, but it drives nicely, has a comfortable interior, and a lot of features. Most “real people” will be very happy with it, and people like me who like a little sportier handling will by happy with the F Sport. And I like what designers said about its bold styling in that “it’s not meant to please everyone”.
+2. The NX design just really works. Lexus is on a tear.
I did the same thing with my review of the ’15 Malibu. It is frustrating when automotive journalists just parrot the same line.
As for the A3, Jane Fonda drives one in Grace & Frankie and while I loathe Audi’s repetitive, boring design language – they all look the same to me! – the new A3 sedan just really pops! Chunky and handsome.
The chunkiness is what I don’t like about the A3, although I do intend to test-drive one soon to form a better opinion of it like I did for this car. I did enjoy Grace & Frankie. Hilarious, and Jane Fonda still looks incredible for her age.
Cars don’t seem to be designed for humans anymore. With their extremely swoopy rooflines, it’s a challenge to get in and out without hitting your head. I bet that’s the case with this Mercedes. I also dislike that huge pop-up screen in the middle of the dash, that would be a huge distraction for me while driving. No thanks.
If it’s selling well and not having a lot of mechanical issues and drives and handles nicely, which Brendan has noted, it could well be a car to consider. I really do like German built autos. Maybe in time I would adjust to the styling. The poor vision and needing cameras is a turnoff, but today this is common. Sounds like a lot of people are happy with these cars. A driving impression of a fwd only base version would be interesting to compare.
Good on you Brendan for checking things out for yourself and calling it like it is. I haven’t driven one of these and maybe when I do will disagree with you but for now my opinion of the CLA has shot way up.
I think much of the hate comes from where it usually does in traditional automotive media — some leading journalist will slam a car for whatever reason, and the rest of the “respected” scribes will have to follow suit or risk being kicked out of the fraternity.
These same lemmings will almost always bemoan the lack of a manual transmission when the A/T on offer is better in every way, including driving pleasure.
The things that bug me most about the CLA are the plasticky front end and large overhang. I also worry that the styling will get dated quickly like boxy cars did in the 90s. That might bode well for the CLA being a future classic, time will tell.
This is the problem:
http://jalopnik.com/this-brutal-nyt-mirage-review-is-whats-wrong-with-cheap-1583123298
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/06/barks-bites-public-accept-car-reviews-people-cant-drive/
I see this kind of stuff all the time. I’m looking at new minivans and I can’t believe how many reviews completely ignore the facts that should be important to every family, like how well the infotainment operates, the street price, and the amount of features you get for your money. No, they seem only concerned with which one feels best careening around their test track and the specs. How do they handle in snow? Who knows, that’s never tested. Are the seat belts designed so kids in booster seats can buckle themselves? How do crosswinds affect it at interstate speeds? Even in this age of overwhelming amounts of information at our fingertips, basic details that are important to the overall ownership experience can be impossible to find.
Phil L I don’t know if you read this website but I find a lot (but not all) of their reviews are full of the useful, nitty gritty details of real world car ownership. Because it’s Canadian a lot of the tests are done in winter and address things like traction, heater/defroster performance and even how quickly the heated seats work. http://www.autos.ca/car-comparisons/comparison-test-honda-odyssey-vs-kia-sedona-vs-toyota-sienna/?all=1
Agreed, it is a very good website.
One thing that always makes me think twice though when switching between Aussie/Canadian sites and American sites are the different measurements, in particular fuel economy. HIGH gas mileage is good, but HIGH fuel consumption is bad.
Thanks for that, looks like a good site.
I’ll have to check it out. I’ve also found that U.S. News & World Report’s car reviews are pretty unbiased and very thorough. http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/
That Jalopnik piece is part of the problem. It was so predictable that was going to happen. John Pearley Huffman, the guy who wrote the scathing Mitsubishi review, got all that press even though he was not one of the boys.
His mistake wasn’t what he said about the Mitsu, it was getting all that attention. “Who is this guy, writes one article, gets famous and me nothing for the last 20 years except with gearheads. How dare a guy with Pearley as a middle name make us look bad!”
Of course he was going to get clobbered, and have his credibility questioned, when the powers that be gave the car a pass earlier on. With most automotive media It’s all about what tribes you belong to (it’s one big tribe, really) and that’s one of the reasons I don’t read it much anymore.
In short, Huffman knows plenty about cars, that wasn’t the problem. It was all about ruffled feathers.
As for the Jalopnik piece it’s like the whole article was written so that the guy could use the “because it’s freaking plastic” line over and over again. Which is the thing I don’t like about new automotive media, too many quipsters. Way too many and it’s getting old.
Curbside Classic commentary rarely seems to include the extremes of the old or new media and I really like that.
Where I live (Koreatown, LA) these are EVERYWHERE, along with scads of E and S classes. I highly doubt the buyers of these cars even know what front wheel drive means. To the up and coming group of millenials these are a massive hit, and I can only wonder what will happen when these start to come off lease en masse.
That said, the interior of the car reminds me of the C class hatchback from 2001. The only thing that identifies it as Mercedes to me are the power seat switches. A prominent MB dealer in SoCal actually advertises these as Camcord alternatives (“Thinking of buying a new Toyota, Honda or Ford? Wait!”) but I think a 30 grand base model wouldn’t even trump a Camry XSE.
Mercedes Cimmaron? Maybe, but the Cimmaron didn’t actually fool anyone.
I fully agree, this is a real Mercedes.
Just like their sports cars, vans, trucks, buses, farm tractors, the Unimog, generator sets, marine engines, military vehicles and their immense range of off-roaders and special vehicles (custom-built, in-house).
As an American, I have to admit that the Mercedes image took a big hit in my mind when they started selling the Sprinter here. Yeah, I knew they sold that stuff elsewhere, but the brand still had a mystique about it. No more. The CLA is certainly not worse than the Sprinter in that respect, for what it’s worth.
+1
Mercedes has been a full-line manufacturer for years. Why not expand their market base? They long ago established a reputation for quality and durability – are those not admirable traits in other modes of transport? I’ve yet to see anybody find fault with Honda producing lawn mower engines and generators.
That said, when I first saw a Mercedes truck years ago I did a real double take.
Speaking of Mercedes trucks, this beats the CLA’s interior, IMO.
Sweet. So roomy and ergonomically friendly. I’m liking trucks more all the time.
And if you think that’s good or posh, wait until you see the cabin of a Volvo or Scania equivalent.
You mean this ? Beats a Saab interior, IMO 🙂
We have Mercedes trucks in the USA, too……….they’re called Freightliners.
I see them, now and then, on US cars and trucks shows. Mainly the older types of conventionals.
Daimler also owns Mitsubishi Fuso (trucks and buses) and Detroit Diesel.
Here’s a Daimler overall-picture:
At first I thought it was the photographer’s bicycle in the picture.
But after searching the web I’m pretty sure it must be a Smart E-Bike, parked next to a Smart car.
The real name debasement only ocurred when they put the Mercedes badge on the Korean-built, forward-control Ssangyong Istanya van. Mercedes has been making excellent commercial vehicles and trucks for years.
Interesting review Brendan. The new A-class hatchback is really an M-B Golf, the proportions are very similar; but then so is almost every other C segment hatchback these days! It is a little odd that Mercedes moved so far away from the original A-class concept but the market has spoken, and the have the B-class to keep the faith with the high hip-point crowd.
I had a ride in an AMG A45 a while ago, it seemed very nice to me and of course the performance was impressive. 355hp from a 2-litre engine pushing 26psi or so of boost meant it had ample power on tap for any situation – will be interesting to see how durable they are. They are very fast on a racetrack too, the owner had lowered his lap time by about 10 sec per lap over his old car which had more power but also more weight.
The only sour note was the automatic high-beam headlights, which constantly turned the high beam on and off for no apparent reason. It was also not clear how to turn this feature off from reading the manual while riding in the car, with it running to two volumes and hundreds of pages, many of which weren’t applicable to the model at hand. Apparently the auto headlights-on has to be turned off, we found later.
The big question isn’t “is this worthy of the Mercedes name?”, it’s “is a total strippo CLA one-third again nicer than a Golf?” Or for that matter a Mazda 3, Ford Focus, or so on…
On that point, I’m not convinced. It’s simply not good-looking enough to get away with the functional compromises made for its’ styling, further compromised by being sedan and automatic only in the US.
The A45 will get an upgrade to 381 hp soon. That’s a massive power output for a C-segment hatchback.
The CLA45 and GLA45 get the same treatment.
Looks like a riced out Focus.
Fwd Mercedes? Uhhhhhh, no.
Not impressed, drove my friend’s girlfriend’s. First time I felt torque steer in a Benz… Which is NOT supposed to happen. I got on that thing too.
Can’t get past that quirky styling, looks too much like that fugly Lexus, think it’s a hybrid.
What does CLA stand for? “Civic Like Automobile”?
No thanks.
Gimme a Lexus ISF, in RWD please.
Nothing new under the sun. Here’s another FWD Benz.
To me, the car looks cheap. I had a 2007 E350 up until last year, and looked at one of these in the dealership while they were repairing my car; I was not impressed. I live in the DC area, and MB are everywhere, including in the not-so-great neighborhoods. MB has definitely lost their exclusivity.
I bought the 2017 model with the AMG styling plus pretty much all the options and the end result is that the car looks stunning , i’m 5 foot 5 , 58 kg , it is perfect for me, no bumping my head issues 😉 . I’m not a hardcore driver so i can only say i get a big smile on my face when i drive it and that’s what counts . The funny thing is a lot of people at work drive cross-over , SUV , and trucks but they all wanted to have a ride in the car even thought it’s ” entry level ” …beauty is in the eye of the beholder .Cheers .