Which $50,000 luxury ride has the superior interior?
I’m justin pritchard and in this video it’s mercedes and lexus in a split screen showdown to answer the question which one has the superior interior here are the contenders first the mercedes cla 250 4matic we’ll be calling that the cla for short after a week and nearly 2 000 kilometers of the wheel of this machine in and around northern ontario for a highway
Heavy test drive my overall assessment was that this machine is a great way to spoil yourself a little or a lot thanks to an authentic high-end highly calibrated driving feel dialed in highly engaging tech laid out in an excellent looking cabin and all of that wrapped up in a delicious looking outer shell finished in that gorgeous red paint and all served with
Your choice of high-end toppings this looks good inside and out drives quite nicely and while i noticed a few more safety system false alarms that i like at times i did find the cla to be one of those cars that demonstrates some extra thoughtfulness to its featured content touches and overall execution things like a springy trunk that jumps up and out of the
Way when you open it or the concealed backup camera that pops out of the rear emblem and never needs cleaning or the seats that can adjust their position slightly and continually as you drive to help improve blood flow the thoughtful touches in the lexus is-300 all-wheel drive seem to have been directed more towards the driving experience based on how it feels and
Responds and communicates with the driver the is-300 all-wheel drive is one of the very best luxury sport sedans i’ve ever driven this machine just feels so so good at the tips of your fingers and toes and the ride is consistently comfortable and easy going on a wide range of surfaces so you’re looking at two beautiful driving machines that cost just a tick over
50 000 canadian dollars as i’m showing you here and with what i’d call the more impressive drive going to the lexus and the more impressive interior going to the bends so let’s line things up split screen and i’m using the best camera lenses i’ve got to give you all of the details here so you can help decide between these two machines if you’re considering both
The instrument clusters tell a good part of the story in the benz it’s all digital with vivid graphics crisp animations and a warm high quality nearly sci-fi look to the forward display tech in the lexus the instruments are nicely detailed and easy to read giving drivers analog gauges with a computer readout in between on wow factor though i think it’s got to be
The bends if you prefer conventional gauges it’s the lexus next to the mercedes the central command and the lexus is looking fairly dated the graphics on the big screen aren’t as sharp or modern looking and the mercedes is the clear winner if you want your onboard display tech to look and respond like the high-end smartphone or tablet that you’re using elsewhere
Throughout your day if instead you want to take a break from being faced with bright screens while you drive the lexus will be a better pick both machines use a central command trackpad on the center console to help drivers manipulate the screen ahead i prefer the mercedes system it’s a little more straightforward and responsive here’s me getting in and out of
The mercedes to show you how a 5 foot 10 roughly 200 pound human might be accommodated sitting behind someone of the same size and here’s the same thing in the lexus now neither of these machines feels stretch out roomy in the rear seat but neither should cause any concern especially on shorter trips and here’s some more up close detail on the switches controls
And interfaces in the lexus as well as the mercedes where i think you’ll see again how the benz connects nicely with a driver after something that feels new and fresh with the lexus being the better choice if you’re after something a bit more understated here’s another look around from a few more angles the best thing about the mercedes interior probably the
Way that it lights up at night this is just off the charts and what a show this cabin gives you when the ambient lighting is working at full throttle and the worst thing about the mercedes interior i’m definitely not a fan of the gearshift wand and what about the lexus i think in here the best thing is that everything you can touch click twist or pull feels
So heavy and solid and quality and the layout of the controls and interfaces feels more straightforward and easier to use it’s less modern looking and less complex that may or may not be your cup of tea or it might be a good way for you to focus more on how nicely this car drives than the onboard tech so i think in the mercedes the interior is more the star of
The show and especially if you’re a fan of your screen time and high-end display devices and while the lexus’s interior isn’t quite as impressive to look at i would say that car’s secret weapon is how much attention they’ve paid to how it feels and drives so which one’s for you have you considered both of these machines did you buy one what else should you and
Your fellow shoppers be considering if they’re looking to spend around fifty thousand dollars on a car to spoil themselves with let me know down in the comment section below my name is justin pritchard for driving dot ca take care and stay safe you
Transcribed from video
Lexus IS 300 AWD vs Mercedes CLA 250 4Matic | Luxury Sedan Comparison | Driving.ca By Driving.ca