--- title: "Mercedes Ditched Steering Wheel Music Controls for Voice Commands in New CLA" date: "2026-06-16" modified: "2026-06-16" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/mercedes-ditched-steering-wheel-music-controls-for-voice-commands-in-new-cla" categories: - "Mercedes-Benz News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "CLA" - "CLA-Class" - "Electric Vehicle" - "Mercedes" - "sedan" --- # Mercedes Ditched Steering Wheel Music Controls for Voice Commands in New CLA ![Mercedes CLA 350]() *\Adam Ismail\* Last week, I shared my thoughts on the [Mercedes-Benz CLA350](), a small electric sedan that has plenty going for it mechanically but is undermined by ergonomic and usability quirks that lack common sense, and by a very high price tag. In that review, I mentioned the quirk that bothered me the most without going into too much detail, and I think it really ought to be highlighted—if, for no other reason, then to encourage Mercedes to reconsider its choice, and other automakers never to do the same. The CLA350 incorporates the latest edition of the company's MB.OS infotainment software, and in some respects, it is fairly straightforward and nice to use. The interface as a whole, from the digital instrument cluster to the center screen, feels less cluttered than before and is pretty snappy. Mercedes also pared down the quantity of capacitive controls on the steering wheel and added physical up/down toggle switches, which is always a plus. In this rethinking of the wheel controls and media system, though, there has been a glaring casualty: the ability to skip songs or radio presets using the wheel controls. In other words, the only way to skip through media in this car is either by tapping playback buttons on the infotainment screen—which, at least on the default home/map view, are *very* tiny—or through voice commands. Since I started reviewing cars for a living around eight years ago, I have never driven anything that lacked that capability through the steering wheel. ![Mercedes CLA 350]() ![Mercedes CLA 350]() ![Mercedes CLA 350]() It surprised me so much that I was positive I'd been doing something wrong until I flipped through the manual (which was totally unhelpful), poked around Reddit, and finally got confirmation from Mercedes itself. Of course, it wasn't always this way. Two years ago, I reviewed a 2024 Mercedes E350, another very tech-forward sedan. The E350's wheel playback controls were limited as well, insofar as the media widget needed to be active on the instrument cluster if you wanted to skip songs through the capacitive directional pad on the wheel. Weird and annoying, but hey—at least there was a *way*. Evidently, Mercedes thought even that was more than required. Who knows specifically why this decision was made? Maybe the designers wanted to encourage owners to use voice commands, which I did not do for this purpose. I wouldn't be surprised; Mercedes, like many automakers, has [invested tons of money and development]() into its digital voice assistant, equipping it with AI so it can handle tasks in a more conversational manner. To that, I'd only say there's no technical reason Merc's software couldn't be updated to bring this behavior back to models that lack it via an over-the-air update. I hope the company considers it, because I truly don't want this to be the start of a trend. ![Mercedes CLA 350]() **Adam Ismail** *Got a news tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()