Overview & Reviews

You've probably heard the expression "You've got to start somewhere." Well, for car buyers lusting after something with a three-pointed star on the grille that still has an affordable price tag, that somewhere could very well be the compact Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class sedan.

On the basis of styling alone, the CLA-Class doesn't look entry-level: Its sleek "four-door coupe" silhouette is reminiscent of Mercedes' significantly more expensive CLS model. The CLA certainly feels like the real thing from the cockpit, too, as the automaker has fitted it with premium materials and a suite of the latest safety and multimedia features.

There are some downsides, most notably the rear seat's lack of headroom and a base engine that gets noisy when pushed hard. In the final measure, though, the CLA250's attractive price tag should win out, simply because it puts the dream of driving a Mercedes-Benz within reach of more people than ever before.

Current Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class Specs
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is a compact luxury sedan that debuted for the 2014 model year. It's offered in two trim levels: the base CLA250 and the high-performance CLA45 AMG.

The CLA's standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, leatherette (premium vinyl) upholstery, power front seats, the Mercedes COMAND interface with a 5.8-inch display, Bluetooth, Mercedes' mbrace2 telematics/smartphone integration system and a single-CD stereo. The CLA45 AMG is equipped similarly but also features a more powerful engine, all-wheel drive, 18-inch wheels, larger brakes and firmer suspension tuning. Major options include xenon headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, heated front seats, an upgraded audio system, a navigation system and an automated parallel parking system. Extra safety features, including lane departure warning and blind spot warning are also available.

For power, the CLA250 is fitted with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. A seven-speed automated-manual transmission sends that power to either the front wheels or all four wheels in the available all-wheel-drive 4Matic model. The CLA45 AMG gets a modified version of this same engine that puts out an impressive 355 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, along with a quicker-shifting version of the seven-speed transmission. All-wheel drive is standard for the AMG model.

Inside, the front seats offer good comfort and support, but the car's sloping rear roof line reduces headroom to the point that it's not very welcoming to full-size adults. In spite of its comparatively reasonable MSRP, the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class still feels plenty upscale. Optioned out with the latest technology and high-quality leather and wood trim, the interior lives up to what most buyers will expect in a Mercedes.

In reviews, we've found that the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class delivers sharp handling and a ride quality that's firm without being harsh. Acceleration from the base 2.0-liter engine is respectable, but the engine gets noisy when pushed hard and this unfortunately serves as a reminder that you're driving the entry-level Benz. The automated-manual transmission shifts quickly and smoothly, however, and offers three different preprogrammed shift patterns. As you'd expect, the CLA45 AMG takes everything up several notches with its gutsy 355-hp engine.

User Reviews:

Showing 11 through 20 of 23.00

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  Great Car - 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By ericjohnsoncpa - October 26 - 11:55 am

  Fun to drive, love the car. The tires make the ride a little bit bumpy, but the rest of the car is great. Handles great and I love the power. It is a sports sedan so dont expect a roomy back seat even though at 61 I can sit in the back seat just fine. The gas mileage is better than the govt. ratings. I get 39 on the why and 33 in combined driving. I highly recommend this car.

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  Great buy-looks, and its a Benz - 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By grubstopper - September 22 - 5:03 am

  Just picked up a CLA-250. Only $33,500 including freight. Great performance, a comfortable ride, and unbelievable mpg. Im getting 35 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg around town. Driving on the interstate, people just stare at the car. Imagine heated seats, auto air, auto wipers, a deluxe sound system, seats that look/feel like leather without the extra cost. There is no high engine sound at 75 mph as some expert reviews claim. Who could believe a car that looks/feels like $50,000 to $60,000 for only $33,500. I love my Benz.

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  One-Month In, and No (Major) Regrets - 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By jinoc - July 31 - 2:51 am

  This is not going to try to explain that the least expensive Mercedes Benz is comparable to better cars Ive owned. I think the reasons why youd pick this car over its competition (A3, 228i) are mostly a matter of personal taste and priorities: pretty good fuel economy for a gas engine, attractive lines and styling, an overall good amount of features for the money, terrific stereo, and a reasonably fun car to drive. Their Premium package adds a lot of the must-have features in my opinion, so thats probably something to consider. Can you get a loaded VW TDI or Mustang for the less money? Yes of course. Is a 228 or an A3 more fun to drive - probably

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  2nd CLA - 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By namegoeshere - April 19 - 3:37 am

  We bought a bare-bones CLA the first year it came out. We were so impressed with it that after two years, we traded it in for a 2016 adding all the features we think it needs. We also bought it using European delivery and is currently waiting for its arrival in Baltimore. First of all, the design of the car is what got us. We had E-classes before so werent looking for an entry into the luxury segment. This is a car that seems to be designed as a unit as opposed to say the new C-class where the front and the rear look like they are from two separate cars. Our original was in a stunning Jupiter red with sun roof, Bi-xenon lights, the Becker GPS, walnut trim. The 2016 has several standard options which were not standard before but instead part of an expensive package Our new car is 4-matic (wasnt available before), same sun roof, walnut (with beige interior, wish there was a lighter color option) bi-xenon, rear-view camera (really missed this as we have it in our other cars), Apply-Carplay (wasnt available before), Garmin GPS (hated the Becker unit and looking forward to seeing Garmin maps but after playing with Apply Carplay in Germany when we picked it up, we might use Google map instead so the Garmin may not be necessary), the sport suspension package (out other car is a 911 so anything that hints at better handling would be great) and Blind Side assist. The BSA is really important because when my wife moves her seat to a comfortable position, it completely blocks the view from the rear side window and with the sloping roof, this is a problem. Also, the driver side pillar blocks cars as well which is not good. When we drove it in Germany, it feels faster than ours and much smoother. There is plenty of power and driving-wise much faster than what I expect a 200hp car has. What we will really really miss about our first CLA is the gas mileage. My wife and I really enjoy seeing our MPG at 38-39 which is remarkable. I understand with 4-matic that will likely go down quite a bit but with the aerodynamic of the car, this car cruises down a hill really fast and we end up using the brakes a lot because you end up passing most cars and going too fast on downhills. On thing that we hate about the 2016 are the standard rims that go with the 17inch wheels. They are butt-ugly and look like simple cut-outs from a sheet of metal. Guess thats how they get you to upgrade to 18inch wheels. Dont want 18 inch as we do highway driving and dont want low profile tires and also we had a set of 4 17inch Blizzaks at home that we plan to use. We decided to buy a new set from Tire Rack Overall, my wife and I really love this car. its meant to my wife to drive around town but we ended up using it for all our long trips and now with 4-matic, we can do this over the winter also. With this purchase, we plan to keep this car for a long time.

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  Great Car... Strange Standard Features. - 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By Krishna Patil - January 9 - 12:39 pm

  This car doesnt come with basic features as a standard option. I somehow ended up with this "robotic" car that doesnt have garage door opener buttons as a basic option. My 13 year old honda pilot and every car since has come with that as a standard feature. How can a luxury car like mercedes not include that... and not even as an optional add on after the fact.. strange.

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  Review - 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By Ram patla - September 24 - 12:35 pm

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  5 weeks and going strong - 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By cars0153 - October 16 - 7:28 am

  Dont pay any attention to the negatives for this car. Its a typical Mercedes. Well thought out design and great to drive with great looks. I was able to order car exactly the way I wanted it. Still learning all the technology in car. What amazed me was the gas mileage going down to a business trip. 37 MPH with cruise set at 75 and actually was not all highway. Dont bypass this car.

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  Excellent Car, exceeds my expectations! - 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By thinkthebeach - August 12 - 9:50 am

  I bought this car last week with about a 46k sticker price, fully loaded. I absolutely love the car. Great ride, handling, and overall a solid car. This car has exceeded my expectations. Interior quality is above par, the lighting both inside and outside is sophisticated. Very quick for a 4 cyl. The only thing I am getting used to is the ECO start stop feature, and the fact that I seem to be getting about 22mpg city right now, but have been told it just needs to break in first. Anybody who seems to review this car in a negative way is just holding standards too high. I mean, the car does start at 30k, so what do you expect....its clearly not an 85k car. But I couldnt be happier.

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  The AMG working people can afford - 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By abndoc73 - July 24 - 10:50 am

  This car is great to drive and brings a smile to my face every time I start it up. Yes, the ride is firm and with 355 hp you need to feel that. But, driving on the autobahn at 140mph you have no issues taking turns.

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  Perfect car for me - 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By Julie V. - September 14 - 8:51 pm

  Over the years I have driven a bmw, Porsche, Saab, and several infinitis, the last a g35 coupe. It was a great, fun, fast car, but also uncomfortable inside and a gas guzzler. My new mercedes cla 250 doesnt have nearly the power, and the transmission in the economy mode is clunky, but it handles nicely, gets good gas mileage (Im averaging 26.5 in the city), and is a great looking little car. If you turn off economy mode, the car is perkier and handles just fine. I hardly ever drive with anyone in the back seat, so its cramped nature bothers me not, especially after the coupe! At this stage in my life I dont want a big gas guzzling car, just a spiffy, well made, fun machine, and this one fits the bill.