Road tested by Hugh Maguire.
Range priced from €57,960 CLA 180 hybrid.
Car on test Mercedes CLA 200 hybrid €58,560.
Pros:
Lovely styling.
Excellent long distance cruiser.
Very economical.
Cons:
Hybrid system a bit rough around the edges.
Too much reliance on the huge touch screen.
A few below par plastics in the cabin.
When Mercedes launched the CLA 4 door coupe back in 2013 there were gasps of admiration at the radical new shape. The new CLA saloon made a dramatic first impression and since then buyers have been voting with their wallets, it sold very well across Europe and here at home.
We have had the second generation version which boasted better tech, a wider track, longer wheelbase and more space. This then is the third generation of the CLA range and this time it comes as both a full EV and a self charging hybrid. It has grown in size too offering better room inside. Two body styles are available, a four door saloon or an estate or as Mercedes prefer to call it a “Shooting Brake”. I don’t think this time there will be the same gasps of admiration as when initially launched back in 2013 as the style of this third generation model is evolutionary rather than evolutionary. I have been road testing the new CLA 200 hybrid to see how it stacks up against its main rivals from BMW and Audi.
So has it any street cred?
The styling of the new Mercedes CLA is really superb. I really like it!
Slim new LED headlights, deep front air vents, Mercedes star patterned radiator grille and inset Mercedes-Benz star motif enhance its coupé-like features. At the rear a new tail section design with new tail lights really improves its looks.
What’s it like inside?
Slipping inside the car your eyes are immediately drawn to the absolutely huge screen which runs from one side of the cabin to the other. It is in fact two or three screens depending on specification chosen but it truly dominates the cabin and I am not so sure it is in a good way. I think they have lost a bit of that Mercedes character by turning the dashboard into a huge screen despite the funky looking illuminated stars in the screen section in front of the passenger.
The driver display graphics are however excellent, the instrumentation layout can be changed and the functionality of it all is very easy and intuitive. I particularly like that the digital drivers display can be configured to look like analogue style round dials.
Other manufacturers please take note! This looks so much better than simple digital information.
The cabin is generally very well finished but there are a few below par plastics on the door pockets, the sun visors, glovebox and the B pillars. These hard touch scratchy plastics do take away from what is otherwise a nicely finished interior. There are some nice detail touches though such as the turbine look to the backlit air vents, the changeable ambient lighting and those excellent sports seats in this AMG model.
Accomodation is better than the previous model no doubt due to the 61mm longer wheelbase. It seats four adults very well now but its shoulder to shoulder cosy and the low rear roofline does compromise rear headroom for taller adults. Knee room is noticeably better in this new version. So in summary it is now a comfortable four seater over long distances.
The boot is actually a bit smaller than in the previous car as this new platform is designed around EV packaging. Its a bit shallow now due no doubt to the hybrid battery but reasonably deep. Total volume is 405 litres.
What’s under the bonnet?
This self charging 48 volt hybrid comes in three power outputs both with the same brand new “FAME” 1.5 litre petrol turbo 4 cylinder engine. The CLA 180 hybrid 156 bhp, the CLA 200 hybrid 184 bhp as on test here and the CLA 220 hybrid 211bhp.
The 1.5 litre is teamed up with a 22kW electric motor with the combination driving the front wheels through an 8-speed gearbox. I found the car does really try to run on electric power as much as possible. It is most obvious around town where at slower speeds it runs on battery power alone. However I also found it could sustain electric running even at up to about 100km/h for short periods. This resulted in my fuel test returning an average of 5.0 litres per 100km. These are very good numbers indeed so that hybrid system is good. However its a bit rough around the edges in its delivery as at low speeds the transition from electric to petrol power can be jerky. The engine also sounds very coarse if you accelerate rapidly. Small trade offs maybe for the obvious benefits in terms of economy with no range concerns.
What’s it like to drive?
The CLA is marketed as a 4 door coupe with sporting pretensions so I expected a rewarding driving experience and happily I was not disappointed.
It does carry a bit more weight obviously but it is cleverly disguised via a good suspension set-up as the car handles very well. The ride is reasonably firm but not unduly so.
Its pretty quiet and refined too and its a car you look forward to driving.
So what is the Verdict?
I came way from my road test happy that I liked it but with a few reservations too. The hybrid system really works in terms of economy and efficiency but I found the delivery to be somewhat flawed. At town speeds that transition from electric power to the engine could be hesitant and slightly jerky. By putting it in Sport mode that solved the issue but then you are not getting any benefit of the hybrid system as the car runs on engine power only. Once out on the open road the transition was seamless though.
So in short I liked the new CLA despite my few reservations and as a package it really works. Its main rivals are the BMW 220 Gran Coupe and the Audi A3 saloon. Best to drive is undoubtedly the BMW. The best all-rounder is in my opinion the Audi A3 and for wow factor and efficiency the new CLA hybrid.