2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class – Review and Road Test

The Mercedes-Benz CLA is a sleekly styled entry-luxury sedan with a sub-$30,000 starting price. A more affordable Mercedes sounds nice but would you actually want to drive one? KBB’s Micah Muzio answers that question in this video.

This is the cla it’s mercedes benzes entry-level car what should you know about it let’s start with how it drives powering the cla is a four-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission the duo knocks out rapid near seamless gear changes and responsive powers only a hint of turbo lag is lowered from a stop the cla is quick enough

To justify as racy looks sprinting from 0 to 60 in a little less than 7 seconds giving it’s spunky character the cla is surprisingly efficient returning an epa-estimated 38 miles per gallon on the freeway helping make that possible is a point to three drag coefficient the perspective that’s better than the prius is point two five figure kind of makes you wonder

Why they don’t make sexier hybrids adding to the clas in town economy is an engine start/stop system we’re pretty good actually when you take your foot off the brake the engine restarts but it’s not too intrusive just a little vibration a little sound small sacrifice for a good improvement in fuel economy power in the cla is sent to these front wheels which for

Some elite enthusiasts might be a problem but honestly it’s a non-issue for two reasons one the cla is plenty playful the steering is quick and precise and engaging and when you throw it in the corners you really really have to be pushing it to feel that understeer that enthusiasts hate so much in front drive cars point number two ask ten people whether or not the

Cars are front or rear-wheel drive no seriously ask them i’d love to hear the responses i’m willing to bet that the vast majority of them don’t know or care not unlike the vast majority of cla buyers that’s for ride comfort the car i’m driving in a little bit stiff but it’s also equipped with the sport package which includes a sport suspension and high-performance

18-inch tires the regular car should ride a little bit better other observations the brakes feel good with a nice firm pedal and wind noise at freeway speed it’s pretty quiet in here actually it might have something to do with that 0.23 drag coefficient okay so the cla drives well there’s more to a car than just road manners the interior for example this might be

The cheap mercedes but the clas interior looks and feels perfectly premium a few plasticky bits betray the car’s sub $30,000 base price but overall it’s a nice sporty execution if there’s a major shortcoming its interior space front seat headroom and elbow room is fine but the center stack kind of crowds your inboard leg rear seat headroom is tight in all positions

Though the real challenge might just be getting back here this dipping roofline might look cool but it comes with a price as long as we’re griping the climate controls replaced really low far from the drivers line-of-sight also the front seatbacks could be softer and the bolsters put pressure on your shoulders that said they’re comfortable enough and with integrated

Headrests they sure do look cool on a practical note trunk spaces a decent 13.1 cubic feet supplemented by split folding rear seats what about the competition if you view it as a four-door coupe competitor for cars like the bmw 3-series cadillac ats and audi a4 the cla shines as a comparative bargain if you price it against true entry luxury cars like the a3 sedan

It’s still priced competitively for a hair under $30,000 not including destination charges you can buy a cla 250 with bluetooth power memory seats rain sensing wipers and eight airbags including dual knee airbags naturally there are a bunch of options available as well highlights include an upgraded infotainment system with 7-inch display navigation and a backup

Camera heated front seats a harman kardon audio system an automatic parking system lane departure warning dynamic cruise control and this lovely panoramic sunroof a cavalcade of technology and future rich goodness is yours for the taking provided you’re willing to pay the price loadout a cla 250 and you’ll pay about $45,000 for around $48,000 you can step up to

The high performance cla 45 amg which sports a generally angry or attitude back by a 355 horsepower 4-cylinder engine a performance tuned dual clutch transmission and standard all-wheel drive ticking off 0 to 60 runs in the mid fours this is a cla that enthusiasts can really embrace the mercedes-benz cla might be the luxury car for commoners but that doesn’t mean

It’s a poser we’re willing to deal with the constraints of a tight interior it rewards you with satisfying handling tons of style great fuel economy and solid value yea it might be the cheap one but the cla it’s a worthwhile addition to the mercedes-benz family you

Transcribed from video
2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class – Review and Road Test By Kelley Blue Book