Anchoring the lower end of the Mercedes-Benz “sedan” lineup, the small CLA has long positioned itself as the affordable entry point to the German luxury automaker’s portfolio. With electrification being the name of the game at every German automaker, it was only a matter of time before this compact, coupe-adjacent offering left the factory with a fat stack of batteries. As it turns out, that time is now. This is the new Mercedes-Benz CLA, and don’t let its compact proportions fool you; this small luxury sedan packs more bulk than meets the eye as it offers up a fresh take on the affordable baby ‘Benz.
While hybrid versions will be available later in the CLA’s product cycle, Mercedes-Benz is launching it in two battery-electric variants, giving its new “MMA” platform the opportunity to show off its electric chops. Both the rear-wheel-drive CLA 250+ and the all-wheel-drive, performance-oriented CLA 350 4matic will ship with an 85-kWh battery pack. So far, Mercedes only has range estimates based on the European WLTP cycle, which is traditionally somewhat generous compared to the EPA’s rating system, to put it mildly. These estimates suggest the CLA 250+ would be capable of up to 500 miles on a single charge, with the CLA 350 4Matic trading about 25 miles of range for improved performance—and a higher curb weight.
About that. See, the CLA 250+ checks in at 4500 pounds (give or take). That’s about 400 pounds more than the Tesla Model 3 Performance, which isn’t terribly egregious given the Tesla’s somewhat noisy, unrefined cabin. Predictably, the CLA 350 4Matic’s second motor comes at a cost; the all-wheel-drive model weighs 4700 pounds. That’s a lot of weight for a performance model that isn’t exactly brimming with horsepower.
That’s not to say it’s deficient; Mercedes says the CLA 350 4Matic will hit 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds thanks to its combined 349 hp and 380 pound-feet of torque. You get just 268 and 247, respectively, with the CLA 250+, which needs 6.6 seconds to hit 60. Luxury EVs with down-to-earth power outputs? Who knew? And we can’t help but notice that this arrangement leaves plenty of room for a hypothetical AMG model. And speaking of hypothetical performance, the CLA is one of just a handful of EVs out there with a two-speed gearbox.
“The two-speed gearbox on the electric drive unit at the rear axle combines dynamic performance with high efficiency in all driving situations,” Mercedes said in its press kit. “The first gear enables excellent acceleration from a standstill and offers outstanding efficiency in city driving.”
“The second gear is designed for power delivery at higher speeds and efficiency in highway driving for excellent long distance range and comfort,” it continued. “The electronically limited 130-mph top speed is also achieved in second gear.”
All that power is no good if it tanks your range, right? Both models come with an onboard 11-kilowatt AC charger capable of juicing the CLA from 10% to 100% in approximately 9 hours; switch to a DC fast charger and you should be able to top off from 10 to 80% in just 22 minutes thanks to its 320-kW capacity. If you need to hit the road quicker, Mercedes says you can add about 300km (~185 miles) in just 10 minutes at an adequate charger.
There are other signs that Mercedes-Benz’s EV program is maturing. Not only does the CLA offer a more price-competitive powertrain than its larger EQ-branded siblings, but it’s packaged in a way that better takes advantage of its underlying EV architecture. For instance, where the Mercedes-Benz EQE Sedan has a permanently latched hood meant only to be accessed for maintenance, the CLA offers a full-blown frunk. It only offers 2.5 cubic feet of storage, but at least it’s there.
The CLA is also getting its own Huge Mercedes Screen™. It’s called the Superscreen in this iteration, and the graphics behind it are powered by the Unity Game Engine. As usual, MBUX comes with a full voice interface, this time with Virtual Assistant powered by generative AI. There’s also baked-in Google Maps navigation for those of you who prefer to see a thing rather than ask ChatGPT about it.
We’ll have to wait until later this year for final pricing, EPA range estimates and the CLA’s official on-sale date. In the meantime, we expect details of the forthcoming hybrid variants will begin to trickle out once Mercedes is done with its first round of launches. Stay tuned.
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