Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

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The Merc-AMG CLA45 is built for performance, does it deliver?

Bigger, much better looking, sportier and jam-packed full of tech.

The software fault could cause a loss of power steering control, according to the recall notice.

The streamlined looks of the latest Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles are on the way out, along with the EQ badge.

The facelifted Mercedes-Benz CLA is due in showrooms later this month with a revised look and more features, but price rises of up to $7000.

The Concept CLA Class points to the next-generation CLA sedan due in 2024, with petrol or electric propulsion.

Is the CLA250 Shooting Brake the perfect lifestyle weekender? Paul Maric hits the road to find out.

I will begin this review of the C118 CLA45S by saying I have been lucky to have owned 2 of the previous model (C117), both the first generation and the facelift 2016 model so a lot of comparisons will be made. When the C118 model was announced mid last year i was not completely convinced about giving the CLA a third try. When the AMG specs came out my mind changed was changed. Order was placed in Oct 2019, built in Dec 2019 and took 5.5 months to dealer. Blame seed contamination and glacial processing of car at Melbourne docks. I am still in the running in period now but have driven it enough to give me a very realistic impression of the car. So, this is the CLA45S with all the possible options. And that is where my main issue is. The base car, while it has increased in price in Jan 2020, wasn't outrageous compared to previous model and considering the upgraded engine. However, unlike the C117, the C118 doesn't come standard with the AMG seats, the HUD is an option and weirdly they have made the AMG sound (amplified exhaust note ported into cabin, not synthesized as in BMWs) an option. On an AMG where sound is one of the pillars of the brand. I decided to avoid the new yellow as i figured I would look like a taxi so went with their new metallic white "Digital white". Looks amazing in sunlight and has a neutral/greyish tinge in artificial light. It does however fit nicely with the black body accepts and aero kit (which is a $2000+ option). Standard seats are the same seats as in any C118 CLA while AMG seats are heated as standard, have lumbar support via display screen and cooling is an option. Sadly, I am not a professional car reviewer so I will outline my thoughts in point form below. - First, I will begin by saying, OMG, this car is insane. The only similarities between the c118 and previous C117 models are only in the name as minor visual appearance. Coming out of the C117 into the CLA45S is like stepping into a totally different vehicle. - The engine is mental. The 310kw (insane for a 2-litre car) on paper is 10% improvement on the outgoing C117 CLA45. But the numbers don’t reveal how tractable the engine really is and how power is delivered. Even in comfort mode the car builds up speed in a way the C117 could only dream of. There is minimal lag and the engine feels supercharged rather than turbocharged in the way power is delivered. In the C117 the power took a while to build up and pretty much over 6000PRM it was done. The C118 keeps going all the way to redline. The first 1500km is the run-in period and while there are no electronics limiting things, I had to be very careful with the accelerator as the RPMs ramp up very rapidly. Comfort mode in the C118 feels like Sport+ in the C117. It is that dramatic. Sport+ in the C118 is even more aggressive. - Transmission on the C117 was a often criticised for being rough and laggy from standstill. The new 8 speed transmission in the C118 is far better. Minimal lag from standstill and shifts are rapid in all modes with the Sport+ being noticeably fast. It still gets a little confused if you are slowing down as you are coming to a stop but get going again before completely stopping. - Steering feel is probably the most noticeable difference between old and new. The closest thing i can compare the steering feel of the CLA45S is a go kart. Very weighty steering but unbelievably direct. There is minimal shake from rough roads but that probably has to do with the impressive suspension. The steering wheel is same as lesser A/CLA class models but wrapped in alcantara so it is very comfortable to hold and NOT slippery. - Suspension is almost markedly different from C117. There appear to be 3 settings with comfort and 2 sport modes. Comfort is MUCH more compliant than comfort in facelift C117 and far better than original CLA45. Driving on poor roads/tram tracks is smooth and non-jarring. There is a significant and noticeable difference with suspension in the firmer settings but to be honest that would be great on track but for everyday use comfort is perfectly fine. Body roll is non-existent and there is better bracing front and rear keeping the car PLANTED. The C118 seems a LOT more rear wheel biased than C117 (even with a front diff option). Where the C117 behaved like a front wheel biased car and understeered, the C118 shows NO understeer so far and is a little tail happy. There is a drifting option but have NOT tried it yet. The A45S models come with Michelin Pilot 4S tyres which are the same tyres I had on my C117 after the awful Dunlops the early CLA45 came with. Couldn’t ask for a better street tyre. - Sound is something a few professional reviewers and people with early cars have complained about. Whereas the C117 had a lot of pops and bags and sounded louder (because you had to push the engine get performance) the C118 is slightly quieter. And I mean slightly because hearing it in the garage the CLA45S is still damn loud and there is always the “emotion” start-up with while pulling on a transmission paddle and driving along the car is LOUD. Some of that will be due to the AMG sound option but even with off with windows down the car is LOUD on acceleration. It seems more mature in its sound and while it does still POP/CRACKLE it is higher in the rev range or on down shift. The turbo whistle can be clearly heard on boost. I prefer the sound on the C118 overall as it doesn’t seem to try as hard to sound angry. - Room is fine for front seat passengers. The AMG seats are amazing and far more supportive and comfortable than the AMG seats in the C117. They look similar but are totally different. They can be raised/lowered and lumbar support is adjusted on the screen. The seat heating works fine, and the cooling option is better than the cooling seats in the X5 which I can barely feel. Rear room is only marginally better than C117. My 5’10 kids have headroom but someone over six foot will struggle. Also, if you lower the front seats all the way the room for feet behind is significantly compromised. AMG seats are leather and come in a few colours including black with red or yellow stitching, red/black as in my car and grey/black. The rear seats and doors are trimmed in the same colour as the front seats - Audio is ok but probably could do with a few more watts. Much clearer and defined sound than C117 and its HK setup but realistically, I prefer to hear the engine. - Tech is heads above the C117. While the previous CLA45 tech was great in 2013, it looks far more dated now. In the C118 the dual screens are sharp, very configurable and a lot more advanced than anything BMW has. You could spend hours fiddling with all the tech options, there is Android Auto and Carplay but cable connection, wireless charging and phone up that tells you if you left the door/window/sunroof open, collision detection, low battery, petrol level and range, brakes, coolant and allows you to send destination to car. The Mercedes assistant, called by “hey Mercedes” is not a functional as the BMW equivalent. Apparently, there are some issues with full connectivity at the moment so I hope this can be improved on. LED lighting inside the cabin is very well done and there are infinite amount of configurability including brightness and colours. Makes the cabin feel much more inviting. The HUD is also configurable, very bright and I feel it should be STANDARD on this type of car. - Lighting is all LED (multibeam LED) and while I have not done a lot of night driving yet, I tend to find the LED lights “shine” on country roads. - Fuel consumption is bad, but it is running in. My average for a predominantly city driven CLA45 was 12.5L/100km. This is worse. - Breaks are significantly upsized in the front and pedal feels is very strong. Haven't had to test out their resolve yet but fro reports they are far better on track. They do squeal a little but it might be because they are new. - Accessibility is also improved in the boot. Wider opening means getting items in is easier and boot seems taller. Overall the size may only be slightly bigger than c117. Read seats are split and can be folded down individually. So far, the car has been reliable, had no weird warning messages and car generally seems to be rattle free, something than cannot be said about the C117. Obviously, this is early days. Warranty on cars delivered after March 1 is now 5 years which is great but obviously MB is playing catch-up with other manufacturers. In summary, the CLA45S is an extraordinary car in its own right and even more impressive in comparison with the car it replaced. It has improved in every aspect and not incrementally, but in massive leaps and bounds. It feels far more mature and the engine and transmission along with the 4Matic+ now work together rather than feeling each is doing their own thing. I get the feeling that AMG has really worked hard to make engine far more drivable and linear in its power delivery resulting in a car far more relaxing to drive at normal speeds but has a massive sting in its tail when pushed. If there is interest, I am happy to provide a 3- and 6-month update on the car to see if my initial impressions hold.

I am not a good Car reviewer. I admit it from the outset. When I got my CLA45S in May I sent a terribly written review to CarAdvice and I think it almost immediately made its way into the trash can. But a bit of time with the car has given me the opportunity to appreciate it far better and hopefully now I can produce a review that is “worthy” of the readership (note: my writing skills have NOT improved). So, what is the CLA45S. Well, it’s the 3rd iteration of the small car platform with extra “pep” Mercedes Benz introduced in 2013. At the time it raised a lot of eyebrows. Two litre engine from AMG??? The heresy. It did however open up MB to a lot of younger customers and in that, it was very successful. The first CLA45 had 265kw and revised model in 2016 raised that 280kw. Extraordinary power from a two-litre hand-built engine by AMG. They had issues though. Despite the performance numbers they were primarily FWD cars with power shifted to the rear wheels when needed. AMG/MB did a good job limiting the kind of understeer that plagued the RS3 at the time and straight-line performance was astonishing. MB had managed to get produce a car that with less than half the displacement was as quick as the C63 models. And I had the luck to own both previous models. Hence the progression to the current CLA45S. I ordered my CLA45S in November last year after the full details were released. It was built in mid-December and found its way on a ship to Australia in late Jan. Of course, it caught the 2020 curse, and when it arrived in Melbourne, it remained in quarantine due to “seed contamination” for close to 3 months. The joys of Covid lockdown didn’t help the situation. I finally got handed the keys in May some 6 months after car was built. First, let’s address the elephant in the room. Price. The CLA45S plenty of expensive options. Whereas the previous models had standard performance seats. These became an $2000+ option. The aero kit (black longer boot spoiler, different rear diffuser and aero “flicks” at the front with deeper spoiler is $2000+. Aircon seats are an option, so is a heads-up display (HUD). The AMG sticker on the dash is an option. Even AMG sound, which is an amplified (not “fake”) exhaust note in the cabin is an option. All metallic colours are extra $$. I got the digital white which is a great metallic white. Shines like crazy in the sun. The car used to start at $108K but with ORC and options the price got to over $130K in Victoria. Now that’s even higher with 2 price rises since Feb. The only good thing that happened because of the delay in my delivery was I got 5 years warranty. Is the price worth it? Well, read on. So, what is the CLA45S like to drive? It is a totally different car than earlier models. MB/AMG has managed to transform the engine and drivetrain into a much better car. First, the engine, while still the size of a milk bottle, now produces 310kw. The 30kw increase might seem “meh” but the way the engine delivers the power is breathtaking. Somehow, AMG has managed to make a small capacity engine with a monstrous turbo feel as linear as a larger capacity normally aspirated motor. Gone is the low-down lag and the asthmatic top end. This thing pulls like a train to the red line but like no other turbo engine I have ever experienced. There is an angry surge after 3000rpm but it doesn’t hit hard like close to 2 bar boost should. It’s a marvel and really the most outstanding thing about this new CLA45S. It is now a joy to let the engine rev out. The new 8 speed transmission is also very well suited to the engine. Seems AMG has managed to finally get the engine and transmission to play nice together. Yes, there still is some occasional jerkiness but far, far less than the outgoing model which sometimes felt like someone read-ended you. The drivetrain is still AWD with an FWD bias but now there are 3 (or 4 if you consider drift mode) levels of control and each level gives an increasing level of RWD feel. It is really noticeable on winding roads. Grip is amazing but now the car feels like it is being push from the rear and the torque vectoring is very efficient as shuffling power around. On wet roads, the previous model still spun the front wheels for a split second before power was diverted to the rear. Now it is seamless. And OMG, the launch control. Before, you had to press 15 buttons to activate it, it was laggy and while it gave slightly better times it was just too cumbersome to use most of the time. In the CLA45S as long as you are in Sport/Sport+ or Race, you hold the brake, press accelerator and launch control is activated. Let go and you get slammed back into the seat. The first time I used launch control I seriously felt my kidneys move around. It is BRUTAL. But, fuel economy will be directly proportional to foot-pedal activity. I am averaging 13L/100km with ONLY city driving and during the lockdown. The cabin is a much better place to be than the outgoing model. The dual digital screens are infinitely adjustable, and the left display is touch activated. The main display also can be adjusted in 3 sections with each area having a whole host of possible functions, including speedometer, maps, rev counter, media display, consumption etc. The HUD is also fully adjustable and very clear. I was concerned the digital displays would be hard to see in bright light but there is no such issue. The only hassle is the fingerprint marks. The CLA45S is also much more adjustable than ever before. Both through the main screen but also through the AMG buttons on the left side of the steering wheel. They have both a touch screen to change function and button to adjust level of that function. There is also an individual mode where ALL the functions including exhaust sound, transmission, engine and suspension can be modified and some have 2-3 levels of adjustment. The Performance seats are different than outgoing model with more adjustment. They now have proper lumbar adjustment, heating as standard and cooling as an option (which works very well). They also have better padding that previous model. I’m not a small guy but they fit fine and not too tight. Have had no issue being in the seat for 2 hours. The rear seats are fine and despite some concerns, my TALL 16 and 13-year-old girls have no issue with headroom. Wireless charger works well and has no issue with larger phones like Note 10+. The column mounted transmission stalk takes a little bit of time to get used to, but it is actually fine and to be honest, actually better than previous model. The start button should be on the centre console as it is occluded by the steering wheel. The Burmester sound system is ok only. Not much of an improvement over the HK in previous model and far too quiet at max volume. It is clear and works well the usual Carplay/Android Auto functionality (both wired only). Which brings me to MB quality control. Cabin rattles plagued the first 2 generations of CLA and this isn’t any better. There are rattles from the b-pillar and front passenger door and also from around windows. Rather poor for the $$ MB is charging for the car. Suspension has 3 levels of adjustment and comfort, while hard, is still better than previous model and FAR better than first gen CLA without adjustable suspension. There is NO hiding that the suspension errs towards sportiness and the most “sport+” setting is organ jiggling hard. I don’t think that would be suitable for anything but a racetrack. The handling of the car is much more planted than the outgoing model, the steering is a little heavier and front end much more precise. I have not pushed it to the limit to test understeer (or oversteer) but the CLA45S feels more balanced than any of the earlier models. The current model also comes stock with 19” wheels shod with Michelin Pilot 4S tyres, a massive improvement over the Dunlops both the previous models came with. They tyres are also wider at 255mm vs 235mm for previous CLA. Interestingly the CLA45S has slightly wider tyres than the A45S. Brakes are bigger than earlier models, at 380mm and 6 piston at the front, and boy do they STOP. Weaving around mountain roads showed NO fade but I suspect they are using aggressive pads and so they do sequel occasionally when cold. The exhaust note is very different than older models. Previous models had more “pops” even in comfort mode, but they sounded forced and almost fake. Due to EU noise regulations, the CLA45S exhaust note has been somewhat neutered. This is unless you use Sport+ mode in which case the car sounds insane with a much deeper “gruff” note and exhaust pops. Overall, I think the car sounds much more mature than earlier models. The AMG sound is an option which amplifies the exhaust note in the cabin. Unlike BMWs which fake a sound in the cabin, apparently AMG uses a microphone in the exhaust. It does work but it does add a little drone which isn’t necessary in comfort mode. The boot is same size but looks bigger because the opening is much wider. It’s surprising what you can fit in 460 litres. The headlights are now full adjusting LED and they are amazing in the dark. It’s cool seeing how half of the road stops being illuminated to not dazzle an oncoming car. The interior LEDs are far brighter than before and endlessly adjustable. Tech is plentiful. Distronic Plus works amazingly well on the freeway to keep distance from cars in front and now features an autonomous driving mode though you still need to touch the steering wheel otherwise it freaks out after a minute and eventually will come to an emergency stop. The autonomous mode will even change lanes for you. The 360 degree camera is great and there really isn't any issue with visibility around the car. The images are very clear and crisp. I understand the Augmented Navigation is going to become an option of MY21 models for plenty of $$. The newer Mercs also have Mercedes ME connectivity which notifies you if the car has been left unlocked, if there has been a collision, fuel, windows have been left open and you can even start the car remotely. The car will also save the driver specifics to the ME account so driving position and favourite screen setup can be restored if someone else drives the car. Reliability has been fine so far but I have only done 4000km. So, coming back to my question posed earlier. Is the CLA45S worth the money? AMG/MB have really created a new car which in every respect is far better than the previous model. It is a joy to drive and which there are QC issues, the CLA45S is now matching the C63S for performance. We were are also entering previous model M3/M4 level performance. Around $130K there are lots of car options, so I suggest prospective buyers drive the CLA45S first to ensure they are happy with the room in the back, and the hard suspension. I absolutely love the car and consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to own all the models so far and see the progression. Notice, so far, I have not mentioned the looks because ALL the CLAs so far have been polarising in their design. I have had no issue with the previous models, and I think the current design is by far the most mature and balanced. The AERO kit does add to the looks but even plain CLA45S look great. I would suggest that the CLA45S is a car for a particular “customer”. It will NOT suit everyone, and the A45S is a cheaper way to experience the same engine. So far, I have no regrets.

What images come to mind if I told you to think about Mercedes-AMG 10 years ago? Is it images of big, powerful, ruthless beasts? Or are you thinking about high displacement, naturally aspirated V8s that than sound snarlier and raspier the cough of a man that has been smoking all his life? Perhaps what immediately comes to mind, was an AMG effortlessly painting a set of skids along the road? Well, if what came to mind is similar to what I just wrote about, you’d be right on the money. Fast forward 10 years and much has changed for the folks over at Affalterbach. Every hand-built engine that proudly wears an AMG badge nowadays has an exhaust sound-sucking turbocharger strapped to it, and their infamous naturally aspirated 6.2-litre M156 V8 has now been replaced by downsized 4.0-litre turbo unit. However… they still sound great, have heaps of tyre-destroying ability and enough power and torque to rotate the earth. Although AMG has modernised their “classic” line-up very well (C Class E Class and S Class), they have also ventured into a new segment aimed at more youthful buyers; cue the “45” moniker cars. People approach these cars with scepticism and argue they are not worthy of the prestigious AMG badge, and rightly so. It is the complete opposite of the image that came to your own mind at the start of this review, right? They aren’t naturally aspirated, don't have the ability to do doughnuts all day and don't have the V8 rumble that we have all come to know and love. But, one thing remains within these 45 cars – and that is AMG DNA. This DNA makes these baby AMGs damn worthy of the badge that their bigger siblings proudly wear. They are still racy, snarly, fast and crazy little beasts. The car that is in question today is the CLA 45, which is clearly the most style-focussed of the MFA based AMG products. Its design polarises many, however, I am quite partial to the mini-CLS theme going on. An aggressive front end, swoopy lines, and a gorgeous rear end make the CLA 45 a head-turner… I will let you be the judge if that is for the wrong or right reasons. For me, it is undoubtedly the latter! This is my Dad’s boss’s car (his name is Marty), and he was enticed by the subtle yet aggressive design of the baby AMG, who he has named “Dolly.” Being the owner of a 4 Series, he was looking for a four-door that didn't skimp out on any style. The CLA also caught his eye because of the bang for your buck equation that is has going on. The asking price is very steep, but considering this car has the same straight-line pace as a regular BMW M4 which costs a good $30k more – the value equation swings back in favour of the AMG. The BMW M2 is also dearer, breaking the $90k barrier in newest LCI form. The host of industry-leading Mercedes-Benz technology that the CLA comes with, along with the ultimate bragging right of being the world’s quickest factory 4-cylinder ever, also helped in sealing the deal for him. Sliding into the sleek and sporty cockpit of the CLA 45 for the first time, the thing that immediately stood out to me were the Recaro racing seats. They offered excellent bolstering and comfort, plus – they looked damn cool too. The rest of the cabin is finished well, with high-quality leathers covering all surfaces aside from a few low-down plastics borrowed from the A-Class. The steering wheel is attractive, finished partially in Alcantara with a racy flat-bottomed design. The floating screen may look like an afterthought to some, but boasts superb graphics and a somewhat easy to use interface. Marty finds the system very fiddly to use in comparison to the superb iDrive system in his 4 Series, which I concur with. The Benz does win points back though with a great voice recognition system which Marty says he uses quite often, saving him having to navigate through countless sub-menus to enter a destination or to call someone. As we set off, the feisty 4-cylinder came to life with a loud “rawrr!” as we were in Sport Mode. Offering 265kW and 450Nm sent through Mercedes’s excellent 4 Matic system, the CLA 45 hooked up and took off like a rocket – despite the heavens opening up on the normally hot and sunny roads of Brisbane. The ride is notably firm, but not too dissimilar to our A250, which corners poorly in comparison – despite being just as firm. You can really see where your money is going in an AMG. The CLA 45 handles like it is on rails, with excellent front-end bite from a taut chassis and a well-calibrated AWD system. The AMG brakes are very strong and offered no fade on the way up and down the twisty roads of Mt Coot-tha. As I mentioned before, the weather was less than ideal on the day I went for the test drive. But for the CLA, it didn't seem flustered at all. Where an M2 would be struggling for traction, the AMG hooks up and rockets out of corners – behaving exactly as it would in dry weather. So, the CLA 45 more than lives up to the AMG badge in terms of handling… but is it fun? Yes, it sure is. Saying it is an absolute hoot is an understatement! The obnoxious pops and crackles on downshift could make the saddest person on earth smile from ear to ear, and the awesome induction noise is to die for. Whenever we took off from a set of lights and Marty buried his right foot, the AMG would snarl and bark to the 6600rpm redline, before letting out a thunderous crack as the speedy DCT upshifted. By this point, I was hysterical with laughter! Another factor that contributes to the fun factor – likewise the performance factor – is the straight-line oomph and speed. The 450Nm of torque does a great job of shoving you into the back of your seats and I have no doubt this car can match, or beat, the claimed 4.3-second sprint to 100km/h. It will beat any car at the lights – anytime, anywhere. Maybe the stonking new RS3, but I can’t think of another car that will do it below $100k. It is quick. Damn quick. As I mentioned earlier, Marty is very impressed with the technology in the CLA 45. The Distronic Plus system was faultless despite the mist and heavy deluge that was affecting it, keeping a safe distance between the car in front. Adding further to the safety equation is an AEB system, driver and passenger airbags (driver also has knee protection), side airbags for front and rear passengers, side airbags for front and rear passengers, blind spot monitoring and a lane departure warning system. Aspects of the car Marty is not too impressed with is the suspension. He says he loves the sporty, crisp handling the setup brings– but it rides too firm for daily use. His 4 Series is much better in that regard, he says. He also says there is a small hint of turbo lag when you catch the car off guard, but this is nit-picking. In regard to servicing and reliability, the CLA has been excellent. The only issues so far have been with the front tyres needing to be replaced after 7,000kms and the outrageous cost of servicing, something I can strongly agree being a fellow Mercedes owner (well, my parents!). As my time in the CLA 45 drew to an unfortunate close, I asked Marty if he would consider any of the rivals to his car, if he had to do it all over again. This is purely based on the fact that neither the RS3 sedan or BMW M2 was on sale at the time of his purchase. He said that he likes the sound of the M2, but it is a two door and he already has one in the form of his 4 Series. The RS3 he would rule out based on the somewhat conservative design compared to the shouty and funky styling of the CLA. So, there you have it. The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45. What a car! The speed, the sound, the handling, the style, the technology… all make it worthy of the AMG badge. Get up with it people – this is the new way AMG are going… and it is the right way.

Only a week old and the run in limitations are much more painful than you would think. Limiting RPMs to under 4500 is hard because that is when the car really starts to mumbo and the exhaust note goes from normal to "nuts". The CLA looks smaller in darker colours but white actually makes it look less than petite. Even the silver wheels (everyone seems to go for black) seem to give it a bigger stance. The transmission is great once going and I bet MB has made improvements in the last 12 months because the complaints about "clunking" and "jerkiness" are completely unfounded now. It can be a bit sleepy in comfort setting but in sport it behaves a lot more aggressively than my old R32 DSG. And if anything, much much smoother. The engine is amazing for what it delivers even low down. Almost no evidence of lag and it pull from 1000RPM without any issues. Again, you need to set the car in "sport" mode to get the exhaust note to become noticeable but in "comfort" on the freeway the car is as tractable as any high-strung turbo while still maintaining amazing smoothness and comfort (all around 7-8L/100km even which is even more astonishing). Best feature is the Distronic Plus cruise control where you set to the speed you want and it just adjusts depending on traffic. Did 200km today and it didn't fail once. The suspension is hard but 90% of the time it behaves impeccably. Only on trashed and potholed Mount Dandenong roads did it show a little unease. Still, on damp roads, the AWD still kept the car pointing straight regardless how aggressively the corners were attacked. The front Recaro seats have about five thousand adjustment combinations and are much more comfortable than they look. The rear seats are comfortable for kids but don't try and put any 6"2' adults back there. The boot will carry a lot more than you think. The navigation screen is easily readable and the voice command system works better than in other cars I have driven. Damn you 1500km run-in period .....