► New Mercedes CLA saloon revealed
► All new platform and tech; EVs first, hybrids later
► Electric models claim huge range possibilities
Meet the new entry into life with a Mercedes-Benz: the latest CLA. The latest generation of Merc’s streamlined small luxury saloon debuts with a new vision, new platform and new raft of technology designed to rewrite the rules of what a small Mercedes should be.
A lot of the new tech and engineering on the CLA has either been inspired by or a direct result of learnings from the EQXX – the wild, super streamlined technology development car that managed 1000km on a single charge.
‘Mercedes wouldn’t be Mercedes if it wasn’t pushing the limits,’ smiles chief technical officer, Markus Schäfer. ‘We’re a competitive company, and we’re transferring our learnings from EQXX to [the CLA]. With this final product for this segment, you’ve got extremely high charging times, ultra-competitive consumption… we’re on a benchmark. I don’t know of too many cars that can reach this,’ he tells CAR.
The range will begin with the CLA 250+ with EQ Technology in Sport Edition at £45,616 with the sportier AMG Line Edition retailing for £49,375. After that, things top out at the AMG Line Premium Edition, which will cost £51,770.
It does, yes. That part of the new CLA’s recipe – the design – we’re the least convinced about. Gorden Wagener and his team haven’t gone full soap bar this time like the EQE and EQS, but there is still some predictably rounded-off detailing.
Naturally, a lot of the car’s overall silhouette is very similar to the Concept CLA that came before it. Three-pointed stars can be seen in the headlights and rear light clusters and, for the EV version, the ‘grille’ is illuminated with 142 individual LEDs inset into it. Every model features a panoramic glass roof as standard.
The new CLA is 35mm longer, 25mm wider and 29mm taller than the outgoing version, with Mercedes claiming some space improvements for occupants. The boot is smaller than before (405 litres, compared to the outgoing car’s 460), but the EV versions make up for this by adding a 101-litre frunk.
Two trims are confirmed: Progressive Line and AMG Line, with the latter providing sporty 18-inch wheels and a more athletic look. We likely suspect that only AMG Line will make it to the UK market as it has done with other Mercedes models; us Brits like big wheels and body kits… for better or worse. You can add to that with a Night package that blackens some of the trim, while AMG Line Plus throws in even more sporty details.
How could you tell? Mercedes, as always, is going big on technology – offering a level of software and digital engineering the Audi A3 Saloon and BMW 2-series Gran Coupe can only dream of.
The basis of this new technology is the new Mercedes Modular Architecture that underpins the CLA and more models to come. ‘With MMA, you’ll see a lot of new technology,’ says Schäfer, ‘the video, the audio, the full-scale immersive experience for the driver – that’s pretty impressive with such a car, one that’s offering so much for this segment.’
What dominates in the launch imagery is an enormous, full-width dashboard panel that incorporates three screens: a 10.25-inch driver instrument cluster, a 14-inch central display and another 14-inch passenger display. It’s a layout that’s been heavily inspired by the EQXX concept, and Mercedes calls it the MBUX Superscreen – the same name used in a similar piece of tech available on the E-Class. The Superscreen is an option that’ll launch a little later; standard CLA versions will come with the more conventional two-display setup. Mercedes’ steering wheel – the one that’s usually riddled with touch-sensitive buttons – remains, but the brand says it’s been simplified for the new CLA.
And, naturally a big part of all this screen tech is so Mercedes can provide the digital software to make the most of it. The CLA is the first car to launch with Merc’s new MB.OS software, with the MBUX infotainment being the front-of-house overlay you’ll use. The MBUX Virtual Assistant uses generative AI, relying on ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing for internet searches, as well as Google’s Automotive AI, for the most educated and natural responses possible. And, instead of using its own Mercedes system, the CLA launches with Google Maps built in.
A glut of driver assistance tech is included, with Mercedes putting its own spin on a few features. MBUX Surround Navigation, for example, is described as something that ‘seamlessly integrates the driver-assistance view with a 3D representation of the surroundings and route guidance in real-time on the driver display. Drivers benefit from improved situational awareness, seeing what the CLA sees and how the assistance systems support them.’
Yup. Just like all the tech inside, a lot has been enabled by that new MMA platform.
There are two electric power specifications at launch: the CLA 250+ and CLA 350. Both have that very clunky ‘with EQ Technology’ suffix on them (just like the electric G-Class) as the brand begins to away from naming its electric cars EQ-something-or-other.
Both the launch variants come with an 85kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack. We also know Mercedes is preparing an LFP (lithium iron phosphate) option to lower the price, but that may be for other markets or will launch later.
For now, though, your entry into electric CLA life is with the 250+. Here, a single electric motor on the rear develops 268bhp and 247lb ft, allowing this model to sprint to 62mph in 6.7 seconds and onto a top speed of 130mph. Mercedes claims a WLTP range between 431 and 492 miles on a single charge depending on spec, making this one of the longest range EVs on the market.
Choose the 350 4Matic and, as the name implies, a second e-motor joins the party on the front axle for all-wheel drive grip. Power and torque jump to 349bhp and 380lb ft, while the 0-62mph sprint time drops to 4.9sec. Here, Mercedes says the CLA 350 claims between 418 and 479 miles.
Those lofty range claims, according to Mercedes, are down to serious attention to detail when it comes to efficiency. Its latest motors can run at 93 per cent efficiency and use technology from the EQXX, for example, while the e-motor on the rear axle features a two-speed gearbox (much like a Porsche Taycan or Audi e-Tron GT) that’s designed to improve motor efficiency at higher speeds. ‘The drive units will also be scalable,’ says Christian Pfeffer, project lead for electric drive systems at Mercedes-Benz, ‘so don’t be surprised if you see these land on bigger cars from us.’
The battery-electric powertrain uses an 800-volt architecture, which is lighter as well as allowing for faster charging – up to 320kW on DC fast chargers. Merc says that means up to 201 miles of range can be added in 10 minutes. And, because it can, the electric CLA versions feature bespoke (and customisable) sounds like ‘fractal fusion’ and ‘granular fuzz.’ Think up your own buzzword sound experience names in your own time.
The electric CLA variants are also primed and ready for bi-directional charging, also known as vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home. Mercedes says it will activate the tech at a later date via an over-the-air software update.
Correct. For the CLA and its wider family, Merc has developed an all-new engine, codenamed M252. It’s a 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit, designed to be used as part of a non-plug-in hybrid system, and is mated to an equally new eight-speed ‘e-DCT’. The engine is smaller and 17 per cent lighter than the outgoing four-cylinder used in the current A-Class and CLA and, with a 1.3kWh battery pack under the driver’s seat, provides a system that can be super-efficient for those who aren’t quite ready for electric yet.
Mercedes hasn’t yet confirmed the exact specs of the combustion engine CLA versions as they are planned to join the range after the EV. However, CAR can confirm the engine outputs will be 134bhp, 161bhp and 188bhp – likely badged CLA200, CLA250 and CLA300
‘We feel you’re reaching diesel-level efficiency with this hybrid system,’ says Mercedes powertrain engineer, Karsten Krebs, as he points out the system can provide several miles of engine-off propulsion.
So much so that Mercedes isn’t offering a PHEV – so confident is it that the hybrid is efficient enough and the BEV is usable enough. ‘We think the hybrid is the best combination we can offer for those who aren’t completely ready for electric,’ says transmission engineer Jan Becker. ‘If you have the option to charge anyway, then the electric option is what you should go for,’ adds Krebs.
We’ll find out a launch date soon, but the new CLA will launch in the next few months.
Jake has been an automotive journalist since 2015, joining CAR as Staff Writer in 2017. With a decade of car news and reviews writing under his belt, he became CAR's Deputy News Editor in 2020 and then News Editor in 2025. Jake's day-to-day role includes co-ordinating CAR's news content across its print, digital and social media channels. When he's not out interviewing an executive, driving a new car for review or on a photoshoot for a CAR feature, he's usually found geeking out on the latest video game, buying yet another pair of wildly-coloured trainers or figuring out where he can put another car-shaped Lego set in his already-full house.
By Jake Groves
CAR's news editor; gamer, trainer freak and serial Lego-ist
